Rozner: Erin Hills, USGA under pressure to get it right

For more than a century, the USGA has operated with an infuriating impunity and an incalculable arrogance.

But no longer is it done in anonymity.

The USGA is very much on notice as the U.S. Open begins Thursday at Erin Hills, with the world watching to see if CEO Mike Davis finally gets it.

And there's been no indication that he - or his group - understands that the national championship is being viewed by a fandom that has on its mind the insane rulings handed down to Dustin Johnson, Anna Nordqvist and Lexi Thompson within the last year.

It's also on the minds of the players, who love the U.S. Open but at times despise the USGA.

The nicest and most mild-mannered player on the PGA Tour, Steve Stricker, did not mince words.

"If there are no players, there's no U.S. Open," Stricker told ESPN.com. "(The USGA has) to pay attention to that fact. It's the players who make the tournament."

During two recent PGA tournaments, Davis traveled to Texas to meet with the players, though it sounds like nothing has changed.

"The players were able to say a couple of things," Stricker said, "and (the USGA was) able to tell us what they want to do going forward."

What they ought to do is set up a great and difficult course and get out of the way, something the USGA has been unable to do.

The USGA seems always to be in the middle of the story. They want a course that plays to par. They want tricked-up greens. And they want to be in the middle of a rules controversy so they can show everyone who's in charge - and who makes the absurd rules.

You can't pretend otherwise. They have done it so often and done it so badly that you must assume the USGA wants to be the center of attention.

Maybe they even enjoy the criticism - and last year they got it from everyone.

On the greatest day of his golfing life, the USGA stole the spotlight from Dustin Johnson a year ago when they tried to ruin him on the back nine.

In case you've forgotten, a rules official declared Johnson was fine after placing an oscillating ball in its original spot on the fifth green at Oakmont. Both caddies and playing partner Lee Westwood agreed that Johnson did not cause the ball to move.

The referee agreed and instructed Johnson to, "Play on."

"Once the ruling is given, that's the last you should hear of it," said Jack Nicklaus, while it was happening. "There was no penalty, the ref said there was no penalty and there should have been no penalty. It should have ended on the spot.

"That's the whole point of having an official there on the course. It's over."

On the 12th tee box, Johnson was informed he might be penalized - might be penalized - and played the rest of the way with that hanging over him.

United Airlines is better at handling self-inflicted crises than these clowns.

The USGA is very, very fortunate that Johnson went on to win by a few strokes and was focused only on celebrating after the tourney was over.

Johnson could have buried them.

Did the USGA learn anything? Of course not.

A few weeks later in the U.S. Women's Open, the zoom of a TV camera discovered a single grain of sand was brushed by Nordqvist. She was given a 2-stroke penalty for grounding her club in a fairway bunker on the second playoff hole, though she wasn't told until the middle of the final hole.

"There wasn't any reason to question it," Nordqvist said. "But I'm certainly disappointed at the timing of it."

That handed the tournament to Brittany Lang.

And then there was the LPGA's first major of the season in April, when Thompson was cruising to victory and was told while walking to the 13th tee on Sunday that she would be penalized 4 strokes for an infraction that occurred - wait for it now - the day before.

It was based on a viewer email, USGA style.

"(The USGA) has taken criticism for the last two years and I'm sure they don't like that," Adam Scott told ESPN. "They're going to have to try and run a really good event. The ball's in their court. They control it all.

"Certainly, from just a playability standpoint for us, let's have something that's a challenge and interesting - and not just brutal.

"Hopefully, they get it right this time."

Don't hold your breath.

brozner@dailyherald.com

• Listen to Barry Rozner from 9 a.m. to noon Sundays on the Score's "Hit and Run" show at WSCR 670-AM and follow him @BarryRozner on Twitter.