SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Three of Canada's top golfers gathered for a U.S. Open practice round on Wednesday, focused solely on preparing for the demanding Shinnecock Hills course, which none had played before this week.
No Room for Side Games
Corey Conners, Nick Taylor, and Sudarshan Yellamaraju formed the all-Canadian threesome, with Ben Silverman practising an hour later. However, any familiar side games were absent as the trio treated the round as business, not pleasure.
“We were just focused on learning the course,” Yellamaraju said. “This is a tough golf course, and I think we just wanted to get as much insight and experience as we could.”
Five-time PGA Tour winner Taylor agreed. “We're just trying to survive the week, so we didn't need to add anything else to it,” he added with a knowing grin.
Different Goals, Same Determination
While the three Canadians share the ultimate goal of contending at the season's third major, each arrives with unique challenges. Conners, typically one of the most consistent players, is searching for his game after a missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open and a disappointing 79-78 weekend at The Memorial.
“There's just been something a little bit off and I haven't been able to make the right adjustments to stay on track,” Conners said. “But I feel like I've learned a couple of little lessons from that, and things are pretty solid right now.”
He hopes that Shinnecock's demand for near-perfection will sharpen his focus. “It's a great analogy, and I definitely believe that as well,” Conners said. “I feel like around here you know exactly what you have to do. You have one option, and if you don't execute it, you're going to be in trouble.”
Taylor also endured a tough week at his home event, though an eagle at the 18th on Sunday offered a silver lining. Despite his game looking strong, results have been elusive, most notably at the PGA Championship where he played in the second-to-last pairing but faltered with six bogeys on the back nine.
“It's one of those things, it just hasn't happened this year,” Taylor said. “I just have to work on the patience, and let it happen.”
For Yellamaraju, it's been a wildly successful rookie year. He enters the week as the top Canadian on tour, 44th in FedEx Cup standings, 11 spots ahead of Taylor and 40 ahead of Conners. After a T8 finish at TPC Toronto, he remains grounded.
“I knew that regardless of what happened last week, this week is completely different,” he said. “It's a one-of-a-kind golf course, and it's a U.S. Open, so you don't really play a tournament like this very often.”
A Serious Affair
These all-Canadian major practice rounds often provide light moments, but fun was absent as all three understood the challenge ahead. “It is nice to have one of these days together, for sure,” Yellamaraju said. “Obviously, we all want each other to do well, but I'm usually pretty focused on what I'm doing, and they're the same way. I respect that.”
