Robert Rock: US Open bid to be ’embarrassing or wonderful’ - Golf Information | Golf Journal

The final time Robert Rock visited Pinehurst he was turned away for being on the incorrect golf course.

Thirty years on, the 47-year-old will arrive in a sponsored courtesy automotive to tackle the daunting check of the 124th US Open, a problem he admits “sounds a bit thick if you say it out loud”.

A two-time winner on the DP World Tour, together with a well-known victory over Tiger Woods in Abu Dhabi, Rock introduced his retirement from skilled golf in October 2022, however couldn’t resist probably his final likelihood to enter remaining qualifying for the US Open.

That meant 36 holes in in the future at Walton Heath, with no apply spherical and a foul again, however Rock duly secured his place in his first main because the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.

“This will likely be my first four-round event because the Italian Open in 2022,” Rock instructed the PA information company. “I missed the lower on the Dunhill Hyperlinks a fortnight later so I solely performed three rounds.

“So my first four-round occasion in (almost) two years occurs to be the toughest event going. Which doesn’t make any sense does it? It sounds a bit thick if you say it out loud.

“I do know I’ll get pleasure from it and I’ve received no expectations actually. If I crash and burn then I can’t be too shocked, I’m simply not sharp in event play.

“But when I can hit some good photographs and get a good first spherical in and hopefully get a really feel for the place you by no means know.

“Golf surprises you. For those who’d instructed me I received to play with Tiger Woods in the future I’d have mentioned that was silly.”

And to beat him when paired collectively within the remaining spherical in Abu Dhabi?

“Even stupider,” Rock concedes. “Golf has been good to me so I’m not going to anticipate something. It may very well be embarrassing or it may very well be wonderful. Who is aware of?”

THOUGHTS ON PINEHURST

Rock admits he would have thought twice about making an attempt to qualify if the US Open had been at a extra conventional venue, however Pinehurst underwent a renovation earlier than final internet hosting the occasion in 2014 which restored the course to its authentic design.

“I’m glad for that,” Rock mentioned. “I performed Congressional (in 2011) which I discovered comparatively regular, however I used to be enjoying properly on the time.

“A 12 months later I used to be exempt to play Olympic Membership and I wasn’t enjoying properly. It was brutally arduous and they aren’t tournaments to be enjoying if you happen to’re not enjoying loads and never enjoying properly.

“Pinehurst is a unique form of technique, there are photographs to play from the waste areas and with a bit of excellent fortune right here and there you would possibly get away with some unhealthy photographs.

“Across the greens is the talent and that’s what I’m going to have do a little bit of homework on. I’m not anticipating to have the ability to maintain many greens with a six iron when among the longer guys are hitting 9 iron, however there’s not loads I can do about that nowadays.”

As for that aborted journey to Pinehurst three a long time in the past, Rock revealed that it was a case of proper time, incorrect venue on the way in which to a event for gamers aspiring to be recruited by an American school.

“We have been in search of Pine Needles, which is about 5 miles away, however pulled up on the turning circle on the entrance of Pinehurst with the little statue (of 1999 winner Payne Stewart) in it,” Rock mentioned.

“I assumed ‘This isn’t the suitable place’ and they also turned us all away.”