How Shinnecock Hills has shined as US Open host over 130 years

There are few (if any) U.S.Open venues with a richer history than Shinnecock Hills, which is hosting the 126th edition of the tournament this week on eastern Long Island.The U.S.

Open has been played at Shinnecock five times — in 1896, 1986, 1995, 2004 and 2018.According to the USGA, 659 players have competed in those Opens and only three of them have broken par for 72 holes.Raymond Floyd won the 1986 U.S.

Open at the venerable course at 1-under par for the week.Retief Goosen won the 2004 U.S.

Open on 4-under par for the week, thanks in large part to one-putting 11 greens in the final round.The runner-up that year, Phil Mickelson, finished 2-under par.And in 2018, the last time the U.S.

Open was played at Shinnecock, Brooks Koepka finished 1-over par to win his second consecutive national championship.Corey Pavin won the 1995 U.S.

Open at Shinnecock at even par. What awaits this week is up to the players, the weather gods and the USGA, depending on how it decides to set up the golf course. The USGA’s involvement with course setup, of course, has been a part of Shinnecock’s U.S.Open history as well — albeit a dark part of its history in some instances. Players and golf fans will remember the tournament officials losing control of the seventh green in 2004 to the point play had to be halted while they watered the green in the middle of the round because no one could keep a ball on the rock-hard green.Few will forget Mickelson, so exasperated at the slick and undulating 13th green in windy third-round conditions at Shinnecock, hitting his own moving putt back toward the hole so it wouldn’t roll off the green.

He took a 10 on the hole and clearly swatted that moving ball to prove a point to the USGA for losing the golf course.Hopefully, this year’s U.S.Open will not be remembered for nonsense and instead for great shots made in big moments.“This place is going to reveal who the best in the world is that week,’’ Mike Whan, the CEO and executiv...