Denny McCarthy is one of the top golfers in the world, and he wants to show that this week at Oakmont. He has proven a tough competitor for years on the PGA Tour, coming in at No. 44 in the Official World Golf Ranking.
McCarthy had an amateur career nothing short of excellent, winning the Maryland Amateur in 2013 and 2014 as well as the Maryland Open in 2010, 2013 and 2015. After attending the University of Virginia and receiving All-America honors twice, McCarthy turned pro in 2015.
He fought hard on the Web.com Tour, now the Korn Ferry Tour, for two seasons before locking up his PGA Tour card in the 2017 Web.com Tour Finals. McCarthy is now a regular PGA Tour participant for ten years, with an OWGR as high as No. 29. He’s made 11 cuts in 15 major tournament appearances, yet he still remains in the hunt for his first win on the PGA Tour.
McCarthy is no stranger to close calls and heartbreak. His PGA Tour career contains two playoff losses — the 2023 Memorial Tournament against Viktor Hovland and the 2024 Valero Texas Open against Akshay Bhatia. Now, McCarthy is focused on the task at hand — the tough Oakmont course.
“It’s unlike anything we’ve played. I am excited to play it because it’s very challenging,” McCarthy said. “It’ll show you where your game is specifically off the tee. It’s just one of the most penal golf courses we play. If you don’t hit the fairways, you’re gonna pay for it. You hit the fairways, you can get some opportunities, but pars are typically pretty good around here.”
McCarthy is widely considered the best long-range putter in the world and is dominant compared to his peers in putts 15 feet or longer from the hole. His short game and chipping help him rebound from tough approach shots, and he ranks among the top 30 golfers in most short game stats.
While the course is tough, McCarthy believes there are certain parts of his game and his strategy that will provide him with a better chance to win.
“[I don’t want to] compound mistakes with another mistake,” McCarthy said. “I tend to manage my game really well, and my short-game scrambling ability can get me out of trouble [sometimes]. You can’t fake it around this place, so I’m going to need to hit it well. But my ability to think my way around the course is one of my strengths.”
McCarthy, like many other competitors this week, has a strong understanding of the challenges that the course at Oakmont will bring. He pinpointed specific holes he believes will cause the most trouble when the tournament officially starts on Thursday.
”I think [Hole] 1 is going to play very difficult, just because it’s the opening tee shot for a lot of guys,” McCarthy said, “and it’s hard to get into the flow of the round. It’s a tough demanding tee shot, and even when you hit the fairway, it’s a tough second shot to get it where you want it on the green. [Hole] 9 is going to play really difficult. It’s a blind fairway. It’s hard to see the landing area. [Hole] 15 is going to play very difficult — there’s a lot of difficult holes out here. But those 3 I’d say are, you know, I’d pinpoint as some of the toughest.“
The course is not the only challenge facing McCarthy this weekend. The 156-man field includes 11 former U.S. Open winners and 87 players who received exemptions, including McCarthy himself. That said, McCarthy looks prepared and ready for the challenges that Oakmont will bring over a grueling 72 holes, but only time will tell.
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