I say this every time a National Championship comes to town: “If you missed this one in person, shame on you forever, or at least until the next one comes to town.” We are blessed here in Western Pennsylvania. Blessed with rich golf history. Blessed with hallowed ground like Oakmont. And this week, we’re blessed once again to witness the world’s greatest players take on the ultimate test, live, in person, in our own backyard.
Heading into the tournament, I thought I’d be writing about birdies, most likely, the lack thereof. After all, Oakmont doesn’t hand them out easily. What I didn’t expect was to be writing about something even more elusive. The only bird worth mentioning on this opening day? The eagle.
Yes, eagles actually do inhabit Western PA, and catching a glimpse of one is rare. Rarer still is the sight of one swooping down in competition at Oakmont during a U.S. Open. And yet, the first round delivered not one, not two, but multiple eagles, each one more jaw-dropping than the last.
Maxwell Moldovan, a former Ohio State All-American and U.S. Open qualifier, came out swinging and made one at the very first hole. A two. On No. 1. At Oakmont. The same first hole that played as one of the hardest in the 2016 U.S. Open. Imagine if he’d walked off that green and said, “What’s the big deal? I thought this place was supposed to be hard.” Okay, he didn’t say that, but if he had, he might’ve achieved legendary status in Western PA right then and there.
Then came Shane Lowry. After an up-and-down day, and fresh off a double bogey at No. 2, he promptly dunked one for eagle at the par-4 3rd. According to Oakmont historians, it’s something that’s never happened on that hole during a major.
And just when you thought the golf gods might be running low on miracles, Patrick Reed did the unthinkable. Not just an eagle, a double eagle on the par-5 4th. Love him or loathe him, that’s history. Cold-blooded, jaw-dropping, world-class history.
And here’s one that hits close to home… and a little close to the heart. I’m a diehard Alabama Crimson Tide fan, which is a bit uncommon in Western PA, until you realize my daughter graduated from there. So when Auburn’s Jackson Koivun, an amateur and Tiger sophomore, climbed into a share of the lead early in the round, I had mixed emotions. “War Eagle,” indeed. He cooled off and finished at +2, but for a while, he had the golf world dreaming.
And that’s what this championship is all about, the dreams, the surprises, and the shared connection we all feel when a major rolls into our hometown. I stepped out of the media tent for a few hours to walk the course with a good friend and his son, just watching shots and soaking it all in. That’s what days like this are made for. I’ll be back Saturday with my own son, and I can’t wait.
Roman Day, Douglas Day, Ron Stepanek – PGA, Tom Poljak
We’re just getting started here in Pittsburgh. The crowds are out. The course is biting. And the stories are already stacking up like church pew bunkers. If Day One is any sign, Oakmont’s 2025 U.S. Open will be one for the ages, and we’re lucky enough to say, “We were there.”
Welcome to the golf capital of America. Welcome to Pittsburgh. There’s no better place, and no better course, to host our National Championship than Oakmont.
