Multiple outlets describing the start of this U.S. Open say the usual level of public criticism is not as prominent as in recent editions. Yahoo Sports frames the opening round as unusual because the expected pattern of “cursin’,” “kvetchin’,” and complaints appears muted. Golf.com similarly notes that the tournament environment was thought to be set up for another controversy often linked with USGA-controlled changes or conditions, but that the early evidence is the opposite. According to Golf.com, players “like it,” indicating that course setup and/or conditions are being received more positively than anticipated.
Taken together, the reports focus less on a specific technical rule dispute or one identifiable incident, and more on an overall shift in player sentiment during the first round. Both sources emphasize that, while past U.S. Opens have often been accompanied by notable grumbling, the opening day atmosphere does not match that expectation, with more approval and less public pushback.
