Whistling Straits (Irish)

Wisconsin - one of America’s best public access destinations By Richard Smith, Knoxville, Tennessee Wisconsin is fast becoming a go-to destination for golfers seeking high quality public access golf courses. The world-renowned resort at Kohler is home to the famous Straits course as well as three other excellent courses. My wife and I visited there three years ago and we were overwhelmed by the service and the quality of the golf. I was also able to play Erin Hills before it hosted the 2017 U.S. Open since it is in the same general area of Wisconsin. After visiting Bandon Dunes last year I was drawn to the latest offering from the Keiser family at Sand Valley. Located in Nekoosa, a remote part of Western Wisconsin, the resort opened to rave reviews and after the opening of Mammoth Dunes, a David McLay Kidd design, I thought it might be worth a trip to check out the new resort. Sand Valley is definitely set in a wilderness. The drive is approximately three and a half hours from both Chicago and Minneapolis and slightly closer from Milwaukee. Wisconsin Rapids and Stevens Point are the two closest small towns with populations around 20,000-25,000 and both are located some 30 to 45 minutes away from the resort. Lawsonia (Links) We decided to fly directly into Chicago and play Lawsonia’s Links course en route to Sand Valley. The Links is a 1930 design by Bill Langford and Ted Moreau. Langford and Moreau began designing courses in 1918 and they were based out of Chicago. They laid out over 200 courses, most of which were in the Midwest section of the United States. Although we don’t have any good information on their influences, after playing Lawsonia I believe they learned a good bit from the magnificent course at Chicago Golf Club. Lawsonia is a delightful golf course that presents an almost perfect combination of challenge and playability. Most of the fairways present generous driving lines but the greens and approach areas are excellent. The holes are routed through lovely rolling hills but there is never a very severe uphill or downhill shot – by the same token there is almost never a completely level lie as well. A number of angled fairway bunkers challenge the player to choose the correct line from the tee. Often a wide fairway proved to be deceiving because the ideal line off the tee offered a much easier shot into the green. The green complexes are defended by deep bunkers and severe slopes and run offs to the sides and back, however, most holes allow a run up approach to one side of the green or the other. The greens themselves have significant slopes and vexing internal contours. The course was in pristine condition and played firm and fast as well. I thought the course was reminiscent of some of the great heathland layouts around London, such as the three ‘Ws” of Woking, West Hill and Worplesdon. There are expansive views from almost every point on the course. From the 1st tee a good portion of the front nine can be seen and from the 11th tee the entire back nine can also be taken in. With so many good holes, it’s difficult to pick out favorites. The 2nd is a dogleg right par four with a blind tee shot over a ridge guided by two bunkers at the crest. The green slopes sharply from back to front and from left to right and a deep left side bunker protects it. #4 is a long uphill par three guarded on all sides by deep bunkers and a sharp fall off to the right of the green. #7 is a downhill par three with probably a 15 to 20 feet drop off the right and behind the green which is divided by a large slope in the middle. We played to a back right pin and when my ball stayed on the top level to the left I had a 50-foot triple breaking putt that I was overjoyed to two putt. Par on the back nine starts 3-5-3-5-3 and I think the par five 13th is the best of the lot. This is a long (585-yard) hole and the third shot is usually played from the bank of a steep hill that makes it difficult to judge the distance and get solid contact. The par four 15th plays to a green slightly hidden around a corner where trees come into play just enough to demand that the tee shot is kept to the left to allow an open shot in. The par five finishing hole plays downhill, allowing the longer hitter to go for the green, especially with a tailwind. The green is protected by a deep slope and bunker left and a large drop off right, but short and right offers an open approach and a chance at birdie. The Links course measures around 6,900 yards from the back tees, but it is enough of a challenge to host the Wisconsin State Amateur championship, which was held two days after we played – the winner was only seven under par for 72 holes. It was a fun but difficult course for my wife – the deep bunkers are a challenge for the expert player and she certainly had her problems in them – however she enjoyed the beauty of the course and the open approaches to many of the greens. I simply loved playing Lawsonia and hole for hole I think it is a better course than the layouts at Kohler (except for the Straits) and a better course than Erin Hills. I think it would be a mistake of the highest order not to play the Links if you are in the area. Sand Valley Sand Valley is about an hour and fifteen minutes from Lawsonia. The lodgings at the resort were fully booked so we stayed our first two nights up the road at Stevens Point before traveling to Sand Valley for the rest of the trip. Sand Valley has two full-length 18-hole courses and a 17-hole par three course. Coore and Crenshaw built Sand Valley in 2017 and David McLay Kidd followed with Mammoth Dunes which opened in 2018 along with The Sandbox, the par three course. The vibe here definitely feels like Bandon except that you are on inland sand-based land versus the oceanside setting of Bandon. The course is walking only with caddies and trolleys available. Both courses here have the open look of the Bandon layouts and everything is set very close together. The 1st tee at Mammoth Dunes is right outside the clubhouse, and The Sandbox is a short walk from there. Sand Valley is a short ride up a hill serviced by a frequent bus shuttle service. The accommodations are all close by the clubhouse. Our room was spacious, well-maintained and we had a nice view of the Sandbox and Mammoth’s 18th green. We played two rounds each at Sand Valley and Mammoth Dunes and had a single round at the Sandbox. The courses are very different and a great complement to each other. Sand Valley has shot up in the rankings since it opened and I think this is well deserved. The sandy terrain has beautiful flow and the holes loop up and around a ridge on the front nine with somewhat flatter but no less interesting land on the back. As the name implies sand is everywhere. There is essentially no maintained rough but a combination of large sandy waste areas and natural grass that provides all the challenge you need. Sand Valley has imposing fairway bunkering making driving intimidating. As you’d expect from a Coore and Crenshaw creation, the green complexes are magnificent. The par four 2nd is a great example of the design features of the course. The drive has a nice open area but deep bunkers surround the landing zone. The second shot plays uphill to a bunker-less green that has steep run offs to the sides and off the back. On the other hand a massive deep bunker to the right protects the short par three 8th. There are fun holes as well, especially the downhill par four 9th, which is driveable for many golfers, but there’s a lake hidden to the right to capture the careless shot. There are also several half par holes such as the 455-yard par four 6th and the 475-yard par five 12th. Eighteen is a nice uphill par five dominated by a long bunker approaching the right of the large boomerang-shaped green. Sand Valley was in great condition and played as fast and firm as any links or heathland course I have ever played. The fairways were tight and the putter could be used from almost anywhere the player felt comfortable pulling it out. Calculating the bounce and roll made this a great challenge and made thinking as much a component of the game as power. The open nature of the land and the rolling terrain really make this course a wonderful walk as well as a great challenge. I have seen old pictures of some of the great heathland courses such as Sunningdale and Swinley Forest before the trees grew in and Sand Valley has the look of some of those classics when they were first built. In comparison to the courses at Bandon, I think Pacific Dunes is the best course of all, but Sand Valley can hold its own with any of the other three Bandon courses. It’s a world-class layout that will probably gain in stature with time. The Sandbox After playing two rounds at Sand Valley we made our way to The Sandbox the next morning. The Sandbox is a 17-hole par three course, also designed by Coore and Crenshaw, and it’s loads of fun. The majority of holes are from 75 to 100 yards long, but two of the holes stretch up to 150 yards and longer. The greens have all sorts of twists and turns and one hole even has a valley splitting the middle of the green from front to back. The bunkers are tight to the green edges and they are no bargain to get up and down from. It took us around two hours to play and the course is very easy to get around. For those who have been to Bandon, The Sandbox is somewhere between The Preserve and Shorty’s par three course at the practice area. I would certainly play The Sandbox on a return trip, but if I were short on time I would skip The Sandbox and play one of the bigger courses again. Mammoth Dunes After playing The Sandbox and having lunch, we headed out to Mammoth Dunes. Mammoth is a wild ride. The fairways are very generous but there are great strategic options off the tee on many of the holes. Early in the round the huge greens are guarded by large mounds, so it’s possible to have a number of blind shots at the pins. In fact, the first time around Mammoth, I had blind shots on five of the first six holes, with my only clear look at the pin on the par three 4th. It turns out that there had been a tournament that morning and the pins had been placed in some diabolical locations. On my second time around the course I didn’t have a blind shot the whole way around. The first six holes work across some rolling terrain, but for me the course really takes off after seven when the visual aspects of the holes open up and the challenges off the tee and into the greens becomes more apparent. There are a number of memorable holes… The short dogleg left uphill 10th is a cracking hole. The tee shot can be played short of or between two large fairway bunkers, or a longer hitter can challenge the green. The putting surface has a significant back to front slope which adds to the challenge. #13 is a stellar par three that’s played over a chasm of sandy wasteland and the green has several large undulations that define several choice pin placements. The back of the green falls off sharply as well so the tee shot has to be played very thoughtfully and precisely. #14 is a driveable par four that allows the player to use a speed slot down the right side to sling the ball to the green, which has a significant back to front slope that causes problems wherever your ball winds up. I also loved the downhill par three 16th hole where a bunker cuts in from the left. The tee shot has to be played to the right front of the green using the slope to work the ball close to any pin placement to the left. #18 is a fun par five that’s guarded by a long waste bunker almost the entire length of the hole’s left side. The angle of the hole begs the longer hitter to go for the green, but layup options are available to the right. It’s cool to finish underneath the patio behind the clubhouse. I was very impressed by Mammoth and the design by David McLay Kidd. The greens were large but the contours were all reasonable and well thought out. This is a big, imaginative design that reminded my in some ways of Mike Strantz’s design at Tobacco Road in North Carolina. I think Mammoth is a better course than Tobacco Road but both courses are fun and have you wanting to come back for more. Plans are in place for Tom Doak to design another course on the Sand Valley property. Sedge Valley will be a sub par 70 course and it sounds to me like this will be Tom’s tribute to Swinley Forest and some of the other great shorter heathland courses. Tom certainly has the ideal canvas to paint a masterpiece here, as the sandy ground is perfect to fashion a course that pays homage to the ground game – I hope Tom and his team do a great job. Once the third course is built Sand Valley is sure to become an even more popular port of call. Sand Valley will certainly enter the conversation for golf destinations as word spreads. I preferred Sand Valley to Mammoth Dunes and I think Sand Valley will be a fixture in the USA Top 100 rankings for years to come. Mammoth is a fine course and probably on the edge of Top 100 status where opinions will probably fall along handicap lines. Players with 10 or less will likely prefer Sand Valley, while higher handicaps will probably go with Mammoth Dunes due to the easier driving lines and more generous approaches. My wife preferred Mammoth and played some nice golf on both rounds, but she enjoyed Sand Valley as well. The resort has built a number of tees that enable players of all abilities to play a length that suits their talent. By modern standards, both courses are not that long (although hidden back tees not on the card are there to lengthen the courses if needed) and each course played even shorter due to the firm conditions. However, just about anyone will enjoy the golfing tests. Comparison I’d like to briefly compare Sand Valley in Wisconsin with Bandon Dunes in Oregon and Streamsong in Florida. Cabot Cliffs is probably also in the conversation, but I haven’t played there yet so I’ll limit my comments to the three I have visited. Bandon is the gold standard by which all golf resorts are measured. Four world-class golf courses and a tremendous par three course on the same property cannot be matched anywhere. The service and amenities at Bandon are tremendous as well. When you enter Bandon you are immersed in a world of golf that you really don’t want to leave. Streamsong Resort has three very good courses but none of the three are quite up to the quality of the Bandon layouts. It's definitely easier to get to since it is reasonably close to Tampa and Orlando and the service/amenities are world-class, just like they are at Bandon. Sand Valley is, like Bandon, set in a somewhat obscure location, but I think the reputation of the resort will grow over the years. The rooms are very nice but the food service has some work to do – I have no doubt the Keiser family will sort things out in no time. I see Bandon as a worldwide destination that will only continue to grow with the planned addition of a fifth championship course. Streamsong will remain a preferred winter destination and will retain popularity due to the relative convenience of travel there. Sand Valley is, for now, mostly a regional destination for golfers from the Midwest. Obviously word about Sand Valley is spreading and after Doak’s new course is built I suspect more golfers will make the trip to Wisconsin to play the closest thing I’ve seen in America to firm heathland-style golf. Richard Smith All photos courtesy of Richard Smith Other related articles by Richard Smith: Bandon Dunes - not only for the guys Is Streamsong Florida’s premier golf resort?

The ups and downs of the 2018 Ryder Cup by M. James Ward Ryder wreck... USA’s road woes continue PARIS. How humiliating for Phil Mickelson when he dunked his approach shot into the water at the par-3 16th against European stalwart Francesco Molinari thereby bringing to an end the 2018 version of golf's most stellar team event. Team Europe extended its home field superiority since 1993 with a 17½ to 10½ victory, which was never in any real jeopardy save for the opening fourballs on Friday morning when the USA opened a 3-1 lead. Having Mickelson deliver the ending blow was the ultimate ignominy for Lefty who has not demonstrated the skills that have earned him five major championships and 43 PGA Tour wins. The loss may also have meant the final memory of Mickelson's Ryder Cup days. No doubt it was a bitter pill for Lefty to swallow, although he vowed to be a member of the next American team at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin in 2020. Sometimes retirement comes hard for those deep in denial. Topping Mickelson for the least contribution award goes to a golfer who is both the greatest player the game has ever seen – arguably save for Jack Nicklaus – and the one with an incongruous Ryder Cup record given his 14 majors and 80 PGA Tour wins. If one had ventured to a Las Vegas sports book prior to the event and wagered Tiger Woods would not win so much as a half a point, the odds would have been hefty indeed. You'd also be collecting a substantial sum now. For those keeping overall score the Woods Ryder Cup record stands now at 37 matches played with a 13-21-3 tally. For Lefty his overall futility is seen with 47 matches played and a 18-22-7 total. In fact, Mickelson surpassed Captain Jim Furyk for the most losses by a player ever in the matches. Woods is now second on that sorry list. Interestingly, Mickelson started his Ryder Cup participation in 1995 and won all three matches played. How long ago must that seem to Phil? Tiger's body language at the post event press conference showed an exasperated golfer simply unable to show anything close to the winning form he gamely provided at The Tour Championship at East Lake. Woods had an outside shot in possibly overcoming Jon Rahm during their singles match. The Spaniard showed his nerves three-putting the par-3 16th and reducing his lead to 1-up. At the demanding long par-4 17th, it was essential Tiger find the fairway, thereby placing even more pressure on a shaking Rahm. Woods attempted to play a fade and the ball never came near the fairway ending up in a horrific lie in the left rough. Knowing full well Woods was now in trouble, Rahm went full bore ahead with a tremendous drive landing in the fairway and leaving him no more than gap wedge which he stiffed and ultimately birdied to closeout the match. Had Woods hit the fairway one can only speculate on what might have happened. For Woods, who became just the 4th player to go winless in the event, the thought that his presence provided zero to the American effort will burn in his saddle for a very long time and can only be redeemed should he make the 2020 event at Whistling Straits. It's utterly incomprehensible a golfer of his standing continues with so much failure at the Ryder Cup. When the American team lost badly in Scotland at Gleneagles in 2014 a whole new approach was taken to assure better communications and with that better results. Clearly, the approach worked at Hazeltine in 2016 but the debacle at Le Golf National will need to focus squarely on what kind of results are ever going to come with Woods and Mickelson on board for future events. Younger players, who in previous situations would have been pushed aside, will need to be more rigorously examined as possible replacements. For the American side to realize consistent victories the wherewithal to see beyond any one player or players will be imperative. No one should be owed a spot. One also needs to point out that the pre-Ryder speculation that the Captain's picks made by American squad leader Furyk would be a major contributor was a major dud with the exception of rookie Tony Finau. Woods, Mickelson, Finau and Bryson DeChambeau (the other rookie chosen by Furyk) played a total of ten matches with only Finau winning twice – the worst collective total for any Captain's picks in the history of the event. At the post event news conference featuring the American squad the anguish on the face of Woods was obvious. Equally obvious was his desire to get out of France as soon as possible. Since The Open Championship Woods has played eight events, with only limited time off allotted through the schedule. His form has clearly exceeded expectations but the downer quite obviously was believing Woods would actually be a force this time around at Le Golf National. What's interesting is that Tiger has been on only one American team that emerged victorious during his career – that happening in 1999 during the sensational comeback on the final day at The Country Club. To be fair, the onus did not fall only on the shoulders of Woods and Mickelson. Going into the matches the overall American team looked – at least on paper – formidable. Eleven of the twelve were ranked in the world top 20 – the strongest line-up since the world rankings were created in 1986. But, it became clear with the playing of the foursomes matches on Friday – which Europe swept – that nearly all the American players needed a compass to find the tight fairways at the L'Albatros layout and the deep dense rough that awaited such hapless play. Patrick Reed, dubbed Captain America for his inspired play at Hazeltine in 2016 when the USA won, was clearly off form, losing twice in fourballs with Woods as his team-mate to the solid effort brought forward by Tommy Fleetwood and Francesco Molinari. How good was Molinari during the three-day competition? Try undefeated at 5-0 – matching that feat has only been achieved by three others in the history of the event. The Italian, who won The Open this past July at Carnoustie was in total control of all of his play. Keep in mind that this is the same golfer who had never won a match in previous Ryder Cup performances. Much was made of what the combo of world number one Dustin Johnson and three-time major winner Brooks Koepka would do during the week. Johnson finished with a 1-4 record and at times looked listless. Koepka fared a bit better but his 1-2-1 effort was far from what many believed would happen given how Brooks won the US Open and PGA Championship earlier this year. Even when trailing 10-6 going into the final 12 singles matches the American squad had its early moments when a huge turn around looked possible. Justin Thomas beat Rory McIlroy in the opening match and his overall record of 4-1 topped the USA effort. Thomas was paired with Jordan Spieth and only tasted defeat when beaten soundly by the Fleetwood / Molinari duo during the foursomes on Friday afternoon. Thomas consistently displayed a "fire in the belly" during his matches and one can only wonder how much of a benefit Thomas had in playing earlier this year at Le Golf National in the French Open Championship. As the day wore on it became clear that whatever early momentum was present for Team USA the middle portion of the line-up simply failed to keep things going in a positive manner. The cumulative impact of missed fairways and crucial putts at key moments became the anchor that pulled the Americans to a defeat that will sting long after the grandstands at Le Golf National are dismantled. What will Team USA do leading up to Whistling Straits in two years? It’s hard to say with certainty. Likely Steve Stricker, the Wisconsin native, will be selected Captain. Stricker has experience in the role serving as Captain during Team USA's win in the 2017 President's Cup Matches at Liberty National in New Jersey. But the inevitable pressures will certainly intensify as those matches draw near and make no mistake about it, the President's Cup is the minor league show. The Ryder Cup is the Oscars. The European Team once again marshaled its uncanny will to win and the total unified effort was again on display. Hats off certainly to Captain Thomas Bjørn who was critically assailed for his Captain picks but, in the end, each of them showed more grit and results than their counterparts. Even if the Americans can win in Wisconsin the wherewithal to achieve some sort of edge can only be obtained when finally winning on foreign soil in Italy in 2022. Until that happens, the Americans will be paper tigers – no pun intended. Eur-eka the Bjørn identity captures the Ryder Cup European Captain Thomas Bjørn faced a most difficult dilemma. Naming his four Captain's picks was fraught with a range of difficult decisions and no doubt whoever he ultimately decided upon there would be second guessers. The 47-year-old Dane is not a man who is indecisive and his naming of Ian Poulter, Henrik Stenson, Sergio Garcia and Paul Casey drew plenty of responses with a good number of them scratching their heads and wondering what was he thinking when other younger players were available. Fast forward to the recently concluded Ryder Cup matches at Le Golf National and with Europe's resounding victory over a highly rated American squad, the brilliance of Bjørn has certainly been validated. Unlike American Captain Jim Furyk's four picks which posted an appalling 2-10 result, the Euro picks by Thomas put forward a superlative effort – accounting for a 9-4-1 record – over half of the total 17½ points scored by the European side. Bjørn 's fallback on having experienced players was led by 42-year-old Henrik Stenson. It was the Swede's partnership with long time companion Justin Rose that signaled Team Europe's resolve after trailing the morning session of fourballs by a 3-1 margin. The American momentum was certainly there and having Dustin Johnson and Rickie Fowler primed for victory would prove no easy task. Rose and Stenson dispatched them 3&2 and sent a loud signal that Europe was not going to go quietly – and ultimately at all. Stenson would end his week in grand fashion swatting away Bubba Watson by a 5&4 margin. What many might not realize is that Stenson and Rose earned a critical point during the Saturday foursome against Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepkla. Called upon to make a hole saving putt from 7 feet on the 16th hole Stenson did not waver dropping the putt to maintain a 1-up lead. On the long and demanding par-4 17th it was Stenson again coming to the forefront – sinking a 12-foot par putt and with Koepka missing from 7 feet for par the match was over. How important was that match? If Stenson and Rose had lost, the overall score going into Sunday's singles would have been Euro 9-7. Gaining the victory effectively made the mountain for the USA to overcome even higher to negotiate. But the clear hero for Team Europe came from the brilliant golf displayed by Francesco Molinari. Remarkably, the 35-year-old Italian accomplished a phenomenal 5-0 record – something only done three other times and most recently by American Larry Nelson in 1979. This is the same Molinari who until this year had never won a full Ryder Cup point. Molinari and his partner Tommy Fleetwood had to tackle the likes of Tiger Woods and Patrick "Captain America" Reed. The USA squad believed this pairing would produce real success. Someone must have forgotten to explain that to Molinari and Fleetwood who thoroughly vanquished the previous week's winner at East Lake and the Hazeltine hero in quick fashion holing key putts time after time and never letting up on the pedal. The margins were respectively 3&1 Friday and 4&3 Saturday. Going into the matches Woods was looking to continue on the path he had demonstrated since The Open Championship – a clear return to the top floor of professional golf. Reed was responsible in guiding the American squad with his dazzling play and in his epic takedown of Rory McIlroy in the lead off singles match in 2016. Gutting the American duo, and doing so convincingly, was a clear and powerful statement that the American team would need to look elsewhere for leadership and success. That effort did come from Justin Thomas who finished the matches with a sterling 4-1 record but other such as Dustin Johnson and Brooks Koepka were clearly not on form and produced only two victories in eight matches. An underlying aspect of the matches on the L'Albatros course was the set-up of the layout by the host side. Knowing full well how the Americans had altered Hazeltine National in 2016 with wider fairways, softer pin locations and far less rough, the thought process was to provide a venue in complete opposite terms. The length and density of the rough was especially penal. Failure to hit fairways likely meant difficult scrambles for par and more often bogies or worse. Given the fact that Team Europe was very familiar with the site – having Tommy Fleetwood and Alex Noren as past winners of the French Open contested at Le Golf National – the belief was that home course familiarity would be a pivotal factor. In the end, that assessment proved spot on as only one American team member, Justin Thomas, had played the course in competition when playing in this year's French Open. Given the record Thomas amassed during the event one can only wonder if other Americans had done likewise in playing the course prior to the start of the matches. Coming into this year's event in France there was belief that the American squad, with its overall depth and individual playing records, would finally be able to snap the European home advantage and win for the first time outside of America since 1993. That didn't happen at Le Golf National. The earliest it can happen is in four years when the event is played for the first time in Italy at Marco Simone in 2022. Team Europe will have some tough decisions to make before the next get together in Wisconsin. Chiefly, who will be the next Captain? Likely the name will come from the several assistants that were present to assist Bjørn. But the soul of the European team is how singularly important the matches are. The focus is on the overall team and until demonstrated consistently by the Americans an ironclad belief that no matter what Team Europe will emerge victorious. Thomas Bjørn cradled the Ryder Cup upon its formal presentation. The hard work, the preparation, and the wherewithal to lead no matter what others said about his leadership. The Bjorn identity was forged by 12 men determined to return what they truly believe is their right to possess. America may have its "individual" golf stars but Europe has shown that no matter the respective country its members hail from, for three days every two years this line-up has an identity and a singularly minded purpose. Eur-eka indeed!

2017 US Open The winners and losers at Erin Hills by M. James Ward The 117th US Open marked a first for both Erin Hills, the host site, and the State of Wisconsin. The week produced a range of interesting storylines that showed top tier shotmaking and unexpected hiccups at crucial moments. For the United States Golf Association (USGA) the return to the Midwest for the first time since '03 showed how crucial it is to make sure the championship of American golf is staged at other locations beyond being the domain of the east and west coasts. Here are the winners and losers of last week's event in the Badger State. Losers The world's top three players. Dustin Johnson, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day all failed to make the 36-hole cut. This marked the first time since the world rankings was created in 1986 that all three of the top ranked players headed home earlier than expected. Johnson waited till Tuesday of tournament week to arrive given the birth of his second son the day prior. The missed cut at the US Open marked his second straight missed cut for the world's number one ranked player. McIlroy's indifferent play came from a layoff for several weeks to rehabilitate a tender back. For Day his play was far from being on form with wayward driving and a balky putter. The Aussie needs to revive himself at The Open Championship in a few weeks. Rickie Fowler. Seized the moment with a seven-under-par 65, matching the US Open record of most under par in an opening round. However, the 28-year-old 9th ranked world player was unable to keep pace. Entering the final round just two shots off the lead Fowler had to spend more time playing inventive recovery shots as his earlier steady driving became more circumspect. In the end, Rickie was only able to match par-72 and was simply passed by other players able to demonstrate an extra gear for which Fowler has yet to demonstrate in a major championship's final round. Justin Thomas. Ascended the leaderboard with his stellar 3rd round 63 -- besting the previously mark of 8-under-par for a US Open round set by 1973 US Open champion Johnny Miller during his win at Oakmont. Thomas closed out his Saturday play with a spectacular 3-metal second shot to the closing par-5 and making the short eagle putt. Unfortunately, the three-time PGA Tour winner for '16-'17 was as flat as a pancake in the key final round and faded badly with a closing 75. Like Fowler, Thomas has the talent -- the issue is can he see it through for the full 72-holes in a major championship. Speaking of Johnny Miller. The two-time major champion and lead analyst for NBC-Sports weighed in by downplaying the achievement given Miller's viewpoint that Erin Hills was not in the same category of challenge that Oakmont is where Miller set the then record. The bottom line is that Miller's round is till the gold standard for overall shotmaking prowess given the rigors of Oakmont. What was classless of Miller was failing to show good cheer for what Thomas achieved. Miller's take was more of the curmudgeon who can't see beyond his own two feet. FOX’s coverage certainly improved from its first US Open in '15 at Chambers Bay but lead announcer Joe Buck despite his clear desire to do his best is out of his element when reporting on golf versus his other efforts with Major League Baseball and the National Football League. Hats off to FOX for kayoing original analyst Greg Norman after his first year. Paul Azinger brings a refreshing vigor and is not afraid to be straightforward when situations call for total candor. Course announcer Ken Brown was also quite good. FOX did bring a better technical side with shot-tracer and other additions but the network still needs to raise its approach to be equal to the event it is covering. Having foot solders alongside the players can really add a good deal. Finally, the awards presentation with Curtis Strange interviewing Koepka was amateurish. The USGA needs to follow the script of the R&A to provide for a fitting ending. Winners Brooks Koepka. The new US Open champion, showed immediately in the final round he was ready to play with two straight birdies at the 1st and 2nd holes. His ball striking was peerless given the blustery wind conditions. The 27-year-old missed just one green during the final round and a total of ten for the entire week. His final round five-under-par 67 was aided by solid putts when called upon. Koepka was in the heat of battle and he showed veteran composure and tour de force shotmaking when called upon. The Floridian made two crucial par putts at the 12th and 13th -- the latter coming from 10-feet. At the next three holes Koepka sealed his first major championship with birdies at each hole. Koepka showed much during last year's Ryder Cup Matches -- his wherewithal to win on the biggest of stages was in clear view at Erin Hills. The now 10th ranked player in the world is one of golf's emerging young stars with future majors beckoning. The USGA. After last year's rules debacle that nearly derailed that event the governing body of golf in America needed to resurrect its position as the lead force in administering America's national championship. Going to America's heartland with its marquee event was a roll of the dice that turned out very well. Erin Hills was prepared correctly and the USGA was sensible in carefully calculating the delicate dance between making the course tough but fair. Erin Hills provided a good bit of high quality golf and not the awfully dull and tedious slog type that so many past US Open have produced. The USGA was also blessed by Mother Nature in providing for dry but testing windy conditions for the concluding round. Hideki Matsuyama. Japan's most gifted golfer clearly made a strong move with a six-under-par 66 in the final round. In US Opens posting a score while other players are left with several holes to play can sometimes result in winning the event as the pressure mounts on the finishers. Matsuyama played well to close out '16 and had a fine start in '17 before tailing off in recent outings. There's little question that his golf game has all the ingredients to make him Japan's first ever major golf champion in the very near future. Wisconsin's golf ascension. Going to a new venue and host State was a risky move but by the Open's conclusion it became clear the Badger State has clearly asserted its stature. Erin Hills did a fine job in hosting the US Open. Hats off to course ownership in closing the public course to all play at the end of '16 to ensure top tier playing conditions. With nearby Whistling Straits having hosted three PGA Championships -- the last coming '15 and with the Ryder Cup Matches to be played there in '20 it's clear Wisconsin is smiling "cheese" to all the cameras. With the opening of Sand Valley Golf Club in Nekoosa it's clear Wisconsin is looking to being at the forefront in golf for the foreseeable future. Steve Stricker. The Wisconsin native brought justifiable pride to the home crowd as their favorite son played well with a tie for 16th. Initially, Stricker had asked the USGA to provide him with an exemption into the event. That request was turned down and Stricker's only path to the Championship was through an arduous 36-hole qualified where he succeeded. The affable and self-effacing Stricker has always played golf in manner bespeaking of the sport's most noble traditions. His presence and quality play was a real bonus on all counts. His next mission will be in Captaining the USA squad in September during the President's Cup Matches. Photos courtesy of Paul Hundley Photo\Graphics