Checking in from Shinnecock with Theo Humphrey

Southampton, N.Y. (June 13, 2018) - Playing in your first U.S. Open – especially at a venue as historic and testing as Shinnecock Hills Golf Club – is supposed to be a source of fear and trepidation.

Theo Humphrey didn’t get the memo. 

“It’s been a blast so far,” he said after finishing nine holes in a heavy mist on Wednesday.  “I’ve gotten to meet a lot of great people, had a good experience out here in the practice rounds with people watching, it’s been a lot of fun.” 

The Greenwich, Conn., native was 2018 Player of the Year in the Southeastern Conference in his senior season at Vanderbilt University.  A semifinalist in the 2017 U.S. Amateur, Humphrey qualified for this year’s Open by winning a sudden-death playoff for the last spot in the Sectional Qualifier at Canoe Brook Country Club nine days ago. 

He had only played one round at Shinnecock before this week and that was several years ago, so he’s been preparing every day and trying to soak up as much atmosphere and information as he can.  “I can’t think of a time I’ve had more than one or two practice rounds before playing,” he said. “With it being so busy and such a big event, it’s been nice to be out here for a while, mostly playing nine holes a day and practicing so it’s not too too much.”  He played a full practice round on Tuesday with Jim Furyk.  “He had some good insights, and he had all his old pin sheets so he was sharing where some of the hole locations were.  They’ve expanded the greens since [the 2004 Open], but it was good to get an idea about what to expect.” 

He thinks he’s likely to use his driver off the tee more often than at the typical U.S. Open venue.  “It can depend on the wind, but I may hit driver on as many as nine holes,” he said.  “But a couple of the holes where I’m not hitting driver it could potentially be a five-iron if it’s downwind off the tee.  There aren’t many holes where it’s borderline driver or not, it’s pretty obvious—it’s either driver or you’re laying back a good bit.”

If all goes according to plan, this will be Humphrey’s last tournament as an amateur; he intends to turn pro right after the Open.  He certainly has the credentials, and on the eve of his first official U.S. Open round he sounded like he has the mindset as well.

“[Shinnecock] has been exactly what everybody told me it would be: it’s going to be a good test, but it should be a fair test and a fair challenge,” he said.  “There’s not any hole in particular that I’m concerned about, but I’m aware that there are quite a few very challenging holes out here, and it’s just playing them smart and knowing that par is a great score on a lot of holes out here – pretty much all of them.”

Spoken like a veteran.  

--Jeff Neuman