Pinehurst No. 2
U.S. Open
Pinehurst, North Carolina
70
Par
7,588
Yardage
bermuda
Grass Type
290 yds
Avg Drive
Course Overview
Pinehurst No. 2 is a Donald Ross masterpiece and one of the most unique courses in American golf. The course is best known for its turtle-back greens — convex putting surfaces that repel approach shots not struck with precision, sending them into sandy waste areas and difficult collection zones. This distinctive green design makes Pinehurst No. 2 the ultimate test of around-the-green play. Golfers who cannot chip and pitch with precision from tight lies on wiregrass and hardpan will hemorrhage strokes to the field. The course plays firm and fast on its natural sand base, with bermuda grass surfaces that create challenging conditions. The 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst showcased how the course's unique design can identify the most complete golfers while brutally punishing those with short-game weaknesses. For DFS purposes, Pinehurst No. 2 is the one course on the schedule where around-the-green play is the single most important stat, creating a completely different DFS landscape than any other week.
Course Fit Profile
BirdieVantage's course-fit model assigns weights to each strokes gained category based on historical performance data at Pinehurst No. 2. Higher weights indicate categories that matter more for success at this venue.
Key Stats That Matter Here
SG: Around the Green carries the highest weight (0.30) of any course in our model, equal to SG: Approach.
The turtle-back green design creates enormous separation between elite scramblers and poor short-game players.
Approach play (0.30 weight) still matters, but the ability to recover from missed greens is the true differentiator.
U.S. Open conditions amplify the course's difficulty. Expect high scores and a winning total near even par.
Key Holes
A long par-4 with a severely crowned green that is almost impossible to hold from long range. The approach must be precise, or the ball rolls off into the collection areas.
Another demanding par-4 with one of the most difficult green complexes on the course. The turtle-back design punishes anything but a perfect approach.
A long par-3 with a green that slopes away in all directions. Hitting this green in regulation is a significant achievement.
The finishing hole with a crowned green that has decided multiple U.S. Open championships. The approach must be laser-accurate to avoid a difficult up-and-down for par.
Historical Winners
| Year | Winner | Score |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Bryson DeChambeau | -6 (274) |
| 2014 | Martin Kaymer | -9 (271) |
| 2005 | Michael Campbell | Even (280) |
| 1999 | Payne Stewart | -1 (279) |
| 2029 | U.S. Open (scheduled) | TBD |
DFS Strategy for the U.S. Open
Around-the-green play is the most important stat at Pinehurst No. 2. Target golfers who rank in the top 20 in SG: Around the Green.
The turtle-back greens make scrambling crucial. Golfers with elite chipping and pitching from tight lies gain an enormous edge.
Short game specialists like Brian Harman, Shane Lowry, and Cameron Smith are ideal fits for this course.
Avoid golfers with short-game weaknesses, even if their ball-striking is elite. Viktor Hovland and Will Zalatoris are classic fades at Pinehurst.
Top Golfer Fits for Pinehurst No. 2
Golfers whose strokes gained profiles align best with the demands of this course, based on BirdieVantage's course-fit model.
Build Your U.S. Open Lineup
Use BirdieVantage's optimizer with built-in course-fit scoring for Pinehurst No. 2 to generate optimal DraftKings and FanDuel lineups.
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