The USGA decided to make the finishing hole of the U.S. Open a par 5, much to the relief of players in the field who grumbled when it was a long par 4 on Friday.
The hole at Chambers Bay can be played either way, depending on how the USGA decides to set it up. But besides being a monstrous par 4 at 525 yards, that setup creates awkward landing areas that led Jordan Spieth to label it "the dumbest par 4 ever."
The USGA said in a statement that, after seeing the forecast, "the north wind significantly reduces the effective playing width of the left-to-right sloping fairway when the hole is played as a par 4. As such, tee markers have been placed 19 paces forward of the 604 tee sign."
The plan going into the tournament had been for the 18th hole to play at par 4 on alternate days -- Friday and Sunday. It was par 5 on Thursday and Saturday.
The USGA also tried to prompt some red numbers in the final round of the U.S. Open by watering the greens at Chambers Bay and setting up a couple of the holes a little bit easier.
Early on, a few had been able to take advantage of it.
Morgan Hoffman and Thomas Aiken have posted rounds of 4-under-par 66, and amateur Nick Hardy shot 68 on Sunday. But with winds picking up and the sun high in the sky, Hoffman says he is "sure the greens will bake out" with the wind blowing and sun shining.
