Scheffler wary of Oakmont's challenges ahead of U.S. Open - ESPN

OAKMONT, Pa. — After a few days of preparing for the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, the best player in the world reached a striking conclusion Tuesday.

«This is probably the hardest golf course that we'll play,» Scottie Scheffler said. «Maybe ever.»

Scheffler sits at No. 1 in the official world golf rankings and is the prohibitive favorite this week. He has made winning at Augusta National look routine and has beaten fields of the best players in the sport at some of the toughest golf courses in the world with ease.

This week, however, even he is at the mercy of the venue that has hosted the most U.S. Opens, one that has never featured a winner with a score better than 5 under par.

«I kind of equate some of the major tests to — like the majors in tennis you're playing on a different surface,» Scheffler said. «You've got grass, clay and then the hard court, and it's a different style of game. The U.S. Open compared to the Masters is a completely different type of test.»

Oakmont, however, isn't just a traditionally tough U.S. Open venue. It's more than that.

«When you miss the green at the Masters, the ball runs away and it goes into these areas, and you can play a bump, you can play a flop. There's different options,» Scheffler said. «Here, when you hit the ball over the green, you just get in some heavy rough, and it's like, let me see how I can pop the ball out of this rough and somehow give myself a look.»

The topic of Oakmont's difficulty has been at the forefront of the championship so far. Players have talked at length about the challenge this week will bring, be it the thick rough off the fairways, the deep bunkers or the lightning-fast greens.

«I think everybody knows this is probably the toughest golf course