PINEHURST, N.C. — This is a special week for Webb Simpson, the 2012 U.S. Open winner who had to earn his way into the field through sectional qualifying because his 10-year exemption expired.
Simpson is a North Carolina native whose family had a house in Pinehurst when he was a child.
“I grew up coming here from Raleigh, just a short drive,’’ Simpson said. “My dad built a home here. I love Pinehurst. We spend a good amount of time here. We’re here a couple weekends a month as a family.
“This was one [U.S. Open] I really, really didn’t want to miss. It was a little harder getting here than normal for me. I had to go qualify. But last Monday, was super exciting and satisfying to get through and to come here and compete.
“This is a golf course that I feel like I know really well. I feel comfortable on it. I just didn’t want to miss the U.S. Open in my backyard.’’
Simpson called having to go through qualifying to get in was “definitely a perspective-shifter because when things are going well, especially when you’re young in your career, and you’re exempt for a few years, you don’t even think about it.’’
Fallout from the Scottie Scheffler arrest last month at the PGA continues. Earlier in the week, there was a picture posted on social media of a guy driving into a Louisville golf club with a fake policeman dragging alongside his car — a mocking of the detective who alleged Scheffler “dragged’’ him while trying to drive away.
“It’s kind of hard not to laugh about the guy who did that,’’ Scheffler said. “Xander [Schauffele] did tell me about it. He got a pretty good kick out of it. That’s part of just having good friends.”
“I don’t love reliving it, but sometimes being able to laugh about it is a good skill, too. When they make jokes, it’s definitely hard not to laugh, especially with some of my good buddies, they’re pretty funny with it.’’
Scheffler, who enters the tournament having won five of his last eight starts, seems oblivious to the pressures of being the No. 1 ranked player, saying, “I don’t feel like there’s much of a target on my back.
“When we start the tournament week, we’re all at even par and it’s not like anybody is out there playing defense. I try not to think about the past too much and I try not to think about the future too much; I just try and live in the present.
“I’m not thinking about my wins anymore. All I’m focused on is this week and getting ready to play. Just because I won last week doesn’t give me any shots against the field this week.’’
There are three players in the field this week who played in the first U.S. Open at Pinehurst — Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Matt Kuchar.
Kuchar will play in his 22nd U.S. Open this week and got in the field through qualifying.
In 1999, he was a 20-year-old amateur at Georgia Tech.
He won the 1997 U.S. Amateur, was the low amateur at the 1998 U.S. Open where his 14th-place finish got him into the 1999 U.S. Open.
Now he’s a 45-year-old PGA Tour veteran with nine wins.
He missed the cut in 1999 and 2005 and tied for 12th in 2014 in the three Pinehurst U.S. Opens.
With Jon Rahm’s withdrawal on Tuesday, there are 12 players from LIV Golf playing this week. Golfers currently on the LIV tour have won six of the past 10 U.S. Opens.
Among the favorites to do it this week include Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Cam Smith, Dustin Johnson and Tyrrell Hatton.
Mike Whan, the CEO of the USGA, was asked on Wednesday if there were plans to provide a pathway for LIV players to get into U.S. Opens in the future since LIV does not get world ranking points.
“There are no out-of-bounds stakes on our field criteria,’’ Whan said. “It’s not a closed field. It doesn’t require a committee or an invitation. If you want to play in this field you’ve got an opportunity to play in this field, and we’re proud of that.
“We’re going to talk about it this offseason, whether or not there needs to be a path to somebody or somebodies that are performing really well on LIV that can get a chance to play in that way [through exemption]. I think we are serious about that. Exactly what that looks like and how that’ll curtail, I’m not just being coy; we haven’t done that yet.’’