What Will The US Open Winning Score Be? We Spoke To A Caddie Who Knows Oakmont Better Than Most…

In the build-up to the US Open, many have spoken about how tough Oakmont Country Club could play.

Notoriously, the course is dubbed one of, if not, the toughest on the US Open rota and, prior to the start, many have reported how much the rough is up and how quick the greens are.

For 2025, Oakmont Country Club will host its 10th US Open and its first since 2016.

That week, a mixed leaderboard was in play and, among the top 10 was Kevin Na, who finished solo seventh.

Ahead of the tournament, we spoke to Na's former caddie, Kenny Harms, to find out more about one of his "favorite" golf courses.

Speaking to Golf Monthly, the veteran caddie stated: "Personally, I think it's one of the top five golf courses in the world. It's right there with Royal County Down, or Royal Portrush, or Cypress Point.

"Oakmont's got everything. There's no water hazards, there's some little ditches that go down the side, but there's not a pond on the whole site. You can't pretend around that golf course.

"I think it's the toughest. It's either that or you get an Open Championship where it's 40-50 mph winds. Oakmont's a different animal. Especially if it plays hard and fast."

Like any Major championship, the weather plays a huge part and, prior to the event getting underway on Thursday, rain at Oakmont Country Club means the rough will be juicier, but the greens will be slower.

Back in 2016, rain throughout Thursday meant the course softened up, but it was the actions of the USGA on Tuesday morning that left Harms questioning some decisions.

"I have some really good friends that are members there (Oakmont), so I play there a lot and know the golf course well," explained Harms.

"We actually got on there on the Saturday and, when we were playing the third hole, (...) comes up and he goes 'man, this place is perfect. Not even the USGA can **** this one up, right?'

"I'm like, 'it's Saturday. You wait until Tuesday or Wednesday.' He goes, 'What do you mean?' I go, 'there's no way they're going to play this golf course like it's playing.' The members play it harder than they do.

"In 2016, the golf course was perfect. Nobody was breaking par. That's how hard it was playing when we got there. The greens were around 16 on the stimpmeter, the rough was up.

"We got there on Tuesday and they started cutting the rough down and they started watering the fairways and the greens. I was asked by Frank Nobilo 'what do you think is going to win?' I'm like 'six or seven under.' He's like, 'what are you talking about?' I'm like, 'they're putting water on the golf course. There's a huge storm coming on Thursday. They don't have the machines to suck all the moisture out of the greens.

"I don't think this year they're going to do that. The problem is they're calling for rain. If the golf course gets soft, these guys... the distance doesn't matter. Look at the PGA (Championship) scores. What happened there? They got a lot of rain and 11-under won.

"They hit the ball so far and the ball goes straight. If Oakmont isn't playing hard and fast, somebody's going to shoot five or six under there. I'm hoping that the golf course plays hard and fast because, if they play it hard and fast with that rough, five or six over will win."

US Opens are notoriously the hardest tests in golf, with over-par scores previously winning the coveted title.

In 1974, Hale Irwin, who Harms used to caddie for, claimed his first of three US Opens with a seven-over-par score. In fact, the course set-up at Winged Foot was playing so tough that leading sportswriter, Dick Schaap coined the phrase 'The Massacre at Winged Foot.'

Following the early rain this year, Oakmont will likely not be as firm and fast as it could be but, with the greens and five-inch thick rough in play, it could well be a near level-par score that wins the event.

"It's going to be interesting. If they get the greens to 16 and they get it hard and fast, it's going to be fun to watch," stated Harms.

"You look back at the Massacre at Winged Foot when Hale won at seven-over-par. That's what this golf course could play like..."