John Rahm seeks his first 'major' in the field of the '1974 Massacre': "It's a mental challenge, and I like that"

"We don't want to humiliate the best players in the world, we just want to identify them."

With this ruling,

, former director of the United States Golf Association (USGA), tried in 1974 to defend his organization from the storm of criticism that the US Open of that edition was receiving.

The tournament, which depended and depends on them, produced an edition known as

, where the North American

won with a cumulative score of seven on par for the course after 72 holes.

Just 25 miles north of bustling Times Square,

returns to the scene to welcome the contestants of the second major of that strange season, a September US Open in one of the bloodiest venues in golf history.

Since 1929 there have been five editions of the US Open that have been held in this New York field.

Of a total of 750 players who passed through here, only two could finish under par after four days of the tournament.

And it happened in the most benevolent edition in history, 1984, where Fuzzy Zoeller and Greg Norman finished in the standings tied at -4.

In the 20 rounds of the US Open played, the average never fell below 73 strokes.

Bobby Jones won with +6 in 1929, in the year of his Grand Slam,

won with +2 in 1959, with the particularity that the four days of the tournament he deliberately played short on hole three (par 3) -and The four days he managed to make the pair thanks to accurate recoveries with approach and putt-, Irwin won the famous massacre of 1974 with +7, the second highest result in the history of golf in the majors after the wars.

That year, Sam Snead broke a rib trying to get the ball out of the rough, and the cut would be set at +13.

managed to win in 1984 with -4.

And how was the last US Open in such a tough destiny?

Well, it was in 2006 and he continued along the same lines: the Australian Geoff Ogilvy took him with +5.

Only 15 players present in that edition, from 14 years ago, will be present in the tournament that begins today.

It will not be the case with one of the main favorites, Jon Rahm.

"It is the longest course I have played," said the Spaniard yesterday at a press conference.

"The difference between putting the ball from the

on the fairway or falling into the

can be 30 or 35 meters," said Rahm, giving one of the keys of the week.

His warnings were wrapped in self-confidence: he looks with a chance of winning his first

.

Rahm's hunger

Recent statistics play in favor of the world's number two.

Precisely, his two victories this season have come at Muirfield Village and Olympia Fields, the fields where he has played under the most difficult conditions all year.

“I've always thought that the US Open is the kind of field where I can win.

I can do it in anyone, but this tournament is also a mental challenge and I like that, "said Rahmbo, before publicly declaring his intentions.

"I'm not going to lie to you, there is a special motivation for the possibility of being the first Spaniard to win the US Open."

You will not be alone in the attempt.

One of those who was closest was Sergio García (he was third in 2005), who faces his 21st edition. There will also be Rafa Cabrera-Bello, Adrián Otaegui and Eduard Rousaud, classified via the amateur world ranking.

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