The US Open at Oakmont is proving to be a psychological warfare zone where professional golfers are breaking down faster than Silicon Valley startup employees during crunch time.

When Golf Gets Savage

Sam Burns emerged as the unexpected hero, leading the tournament with a jaw-dropping 5-under 65, while other top players crumbled under the course’s relentless difficulty. Scottie Scheffler, the world’s No. 1 player, looked more like a frustrated startup CEO than a golf champion, battling just to salvage a 71.

Meltdown Central

Rory McIlroy went full drama mode, flinging clubs and smashing tee markers, embodying the pure frustration that Oakmont seems designed to invoke. The course isn’t just playing golf; it’s playing mind games. Thomas Detry summed it up perfectly: avoiding double bogeys became his entire championship strategy.

The Emotional Rollercoaster

Viktor Hovland provided some comic relief, somehow maintaining a “nice mental state” while experiencing wild swings between brilliant shots and catastrophic mistakes. His attitude? “If I would’ve done this at another tournament, I might have lost my mind”. Peak millennial energy right there.

By the end of the day, only three players remained under par, proving that Oakmont isn’t just a golf course - it’s a psychological thunderdome where only the mentally toughest survive.