Ross KinnairdSOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Scott Stallings has qualified for just one U.S. Open in his career, a surprisingly low number for an eight-year veteran that has collected three victories on the PGA Tour. That first appearance came at Merion in 2013, where he finished in a tie for 53rd. He's got a lot of work to do to top that result after what happened to him at the 14th green on Thursday at Shinnecock.
RELATED: Follow the first-round action from the U.S. Open
Beginning his round on the back nine, Stallings recovered from back-to-back bogeys at the 10th and 11th holes with a birdie at the par-4 12th, but promptly gave that back with another bogey at the 13th. At the long par-4 14th, Stallings found the green in three and faced a 50-footer for par, needing a solid two-putt to take a “good bogey” on one of the toughest holes on the course. Instead, Stallings proceeded to putt it off the back of the green, a putt totaling 96 feet that left him 45 more feet from the hole. That's..

The 10 best golf courses designed by William Flynn (as ranked by Golf Digest's course-ranking panelists)

The U.S. Open prides itself on being the most difficult tournament in golf, and we have the soundtrack of exasperated golfers to prove it. U.S. Open rounds are long, they're good for at least a half dozen Have you ever played this game? moments, and it's not always an outright disappointment to those players who miss the cut and get to go home Friday.
FacebookPinterestChris McGrath/Getty ImagesIn tone, requisite amount of psychotherapy, and language, the U.S. Open stands apart from the other three majors. With that in mind, let's consider some terms unique to the USGA's annual celebration of the sideways chip-out.
Rough: Where your ball ends up should you miss the fairway or green, or where you could possibly lay low for a few weeks while in witness protection.
FacebookPinterestCopyright USGA/Jeff HaynesGraduated rough: The strategic thickening of the rough the further you venture off the fairway, meant to remind players that as much as they’re cursing the USGA now,..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The U.S. Open has begun on a century-old golf course with a new look.

Harold Varner hit the opening tee shot on a gorgeous Thursday morning at Shinnecock Hills, using a fairway metal to hit a fairway that was some 60 yards wide in the landing zone. He still watched it anxiously, only because a marshal unaware the U.S. Open had started ambled across the fairway, and broke into a sprint when he heard the ball land near him.

Scott Piercy and Matthieu Pavon of France also found the short grass – Piercy in the first fairway, Pavon so far right that it cleared the knee-high fescue and landed on the ninth hole.

Article continues below …

The fairways are 15 yards wider on average than the 2004 U.S. Open at Shinnecock.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Oscar Bunn grew up two miles south of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the site of this week’s 118th U.S. Open, caddying and learning to play at the course that took its name from his Indian nation.

The first Native American professional golfer, Bunn befriended the first African-American pro, John Shippen. Together they entered the 1896 U.S. Open to be held at their home club, but many Scottish and English golfers threatened to drop out rather than play alongside them.

The USGA refused to budge.

Article continues below …

”Credit to the USGA at the time and credit to the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, who stood up and said, `You don’t have to play in this if you don’t want to play.’ They ended up playing,” current USGA chief executive Mike Davis said on Wednesday. ”But that’s what was done. To think about that happened in 1896, it’s been great.”

Shippen finished tied for sixth. Bunn placed 21st.

More than a century later, the U.S. Open returns to Shinnecock Hills ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Justin Rose was coming up on 15 years as a pro and still didn’t have a major.

What he found was perspective.

”Between 30 and 40, that’s going to be my opportunity to go really out and get things done,” Rose said. ”That’s 40 major championships. I’m going to create chances with those 40. I’m going to be on leaderboards.”

Article continues below …

More than getting into weekend conditions, however, was realizing that it wasn’t always going to work out. It was OK to fail.

That was the secret to playing so well under pressure at Merion, where he broke through in the 2013 U.S. Open.

”I think what happened to me at Merion, I also realized I’m going to win majors, and I’m also going to lose majors,” he said. ”You can’t skip through your career without one or two slipping through the net. It’s a byproduct of being on the leaderboard that those things happen. So I wasn’t scared of losing, and that helped me win my first major championship. I wasn’t shying away fro..

Tune into the 118th U.S. Open starting Thursday at 9:30am ET on FS1. Holly Sonders gets you set for the start. Sponsored by #Lexus

INDIO, Calif. (AP) PGA of America President Paul Levy is facing a misdemeanor DUI charge after veering off a road in California and hitting a sign last week.

The PGA of America says it will support Levy as he seeks counseling and deals with the consequences of his arrest.

Palm Desert police says Levy was on Highway 111 late Thursday when he veered off the road and struck the sign. A report from the sheriff’s office says he was not injured, but police said he showed symptoms of being under the influence of alcohol. He was taken to a hospital as a precaution, and then booked into the Riverside County Jail.

Article continues below …

He faces an Aug. 2 court date.

Levy, who was general manager of Toscana Country Club in Indian Wells, took over as PGA president in November 2016. This is his final year of a two-year term.

”Paul Levy has accepted responsibility for his terrible lapse in judgment last Thursday,” the PGA of America said in a statement. ”He has expressed deep regret and ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) The U.S. Open wants to be the ultimate test in golf, and sometimes that leads to a series of trick questions.

One of them was 14 years ago at Shinnecock Hills.

A year after Jim Furyk tied the U.S. Open scoring record at Olympia Fields, the 2004 U.S. Open was so bone dry and lightning fast that only three players broke par on the weekend, none on Sunday. Fans having to move to the side because of a golf ball rolling toward them is not unusual, except when the player hit the shot with his putter from the green. Tee shots that landed on the seventh green rolled off the putting surface and into a bunker.

Article continues below …

One year after Rory McIlroy broke the U.S. Open scoring record at Congressional, no one broke par at Olympic Club in 2012 when Webb Simpson won.

Moments like this lead to criticism that the USGA overreacts. Justin Rose sees it another way.

”When everything is in balance, it’s kind of boring,” he said. ”And I think in life, the closer..

Facts and figures for the 118th U.S. Open golf championship, which starts Thursday in Southampton, New York:

Site: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

Length: 7,445 yards.

Article continues below …

Par: 70 (35-35).

Cut: Top 60 players and ties.

Playoff (if necessary): Two-hole aggregate immediately after 72 holes are completed.

Field: 156 players (136 professionals, 20 amateurs).

Purse: $12 million. Winner’s share: $2.16 million.

Defending champion: Brooks Koepka.

U.S. Open champions at Shinnecock Hills: James Foulis (1896), Raymond Floyd (1986), Corey Pavin (1995), Retief Goosen (2004).

Tiger tales: Tiger Woods is playing the U.S. Open for the first time since 2015. Woods has not finished closer than three shots off the lead in a major since his last major championship 10 years ago at Torrey Pines.

Key statistic: Martin Kaymer is the only U.S. Open champion to play in the last group in the last six years.

Noteworthy: Different players have won the last 15 U.S. Opens, the longes..