The final time Robert Rock visited Pinehurst he was turned away for being on the incorrect golf course.
Thirty years on, the 47-year-old will arrive in a sponsored courtesy automotive to tackle the daunting take a look at of the 124th US Open, a problem he admits “sounds a bit thick while you say it out loud”.
A two-time winner on the DP World Tour, together with a well-known victory over Tiger Woods in Abu Dhabi, Rock introduced his retirement from skilled golf in October 2022, however couldn’t resist doubtlessly his final probability to enter ultimate qualifying for the US Open.
That meant 36 holes in someday at Walton Heath, with no follow spherical and a foul again, however Rock duly secured his place in his first main because the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
“This will likely be my first four-round event because the Italian Open in 2022,” Rock instructed the PA information company. “I missed the reduce on the Dunhill Hyperlinks a fortnight later so I solely performed three rounds.
“So my first four-round occasion in (practically) two years occurs to be the toughest event going. Which doesn’t make any sense does it? It sounds a bit thick while you say it out loud.
“I do know I’ll take pleasure in it and I’ve acquired no expectations actually. If I crash and burn then I can’t be too stunned, I’m simply not sharp in event play.
“But when I can hit some good pictures and get an honest first spherical in and hopefully get a really feel for the place you by no means know.
“Golf surprises you. If you happen to’d instructed me I acquired to play with Tiger Woods someday I’d have stated that was silly.”
And to beat him when paired collectively within the ultimate spherical in Abu Dhabi?
“Even stupider,” Rock concedes. “Golf has been good to me so I’m not going to count on something. It could possibly be embarrassing or it could possibly be wonderful. Who is aware of?”
THOUGHTS ON PINEHURST
Rock admits he would have thought twice about making an attempt to qualify if the US Open had been at a extra conventional venue, however Pinehurst underwent a renovation earlier than final internet hosting the occasion in 2014 which restored the course to its authentic design.
“I’m glad for that,” Rock stated. “I performed Congressional (in 2011) which I discovered comparatively regular, however I used to be taking part in effectively on the time.
“A yr later I used to be exempt to play Olympic Membership and I wasn’t taking part in effectively. It was brutally arduous and they don’t seem to be tournaments to be taking part in in case you’re not taking part in so much and never taking part in effectively.
“Pinehurst is a special type of technique, there are pictures to play from the waste areas and with a bit of fine fortune right here and there you may get away with some dangerous pictures.
“Across the greens is the ability and that’s what I’m going to have do a little bit of homework on. I’m not anticipating to have the ability to maintain many greens with a six iron when a number of the longer guys are hitting 9 iron, however there’s not so much I can do about that lately.”
As for that aborted journey to Pinehurst three a long time in the past, Rock revealed that it was a case of proper time, incorrect venue on the best way to a event for gamers aspiring to be recruited by an American school.
“We have been searching for Pine Needles, which is about 5 miles away, however pulled up on the turning circle on the entrance of Pinehurst with the little statue (of 1999 winner Payne Stewart) in it,” Rock stated.
“I assumed ‘This isn’t the proper place’ and they also turned us all away.”
