OAKMONT, Pa. — On Thursday morning, the excitement was contagious, as thousands of people walked into Oakmont Country Club on the first day of play at the U.S. Open. Fans said they’ve waited months, even years, for this moment for many different reasons.
“Today felt like Christmas to me,” said Jacob Abramson of Springdale.
A feeling of euphoria could be found in all corners of the Oakmont Country Club on Thursday morning, as thousands of fans flooded into the gates and the championship rounds officially got underway.
“I’ve only been to Oakmont once before when I was like 15, so just excited to see the grounds,” said Stephanie Musto of Cranberry.
“We watch golf every weekend, so it’s pretty exciting to be on the course and see it live,” said Ethan Hank of Charleroi.
For Bill Petulla, it’s a Father’s Day weekend to remember, bringing his three teenage sons to Oakmont for the first time.
“(It’s a) once-in-a-lifetime thing, our first U.S. Open,” Petulla said. “They’re big Bryson DeChambeau fans. We’re looking forward to following him around the course.”
Some fan favorites are noticeably absent from the tournament, which was disappointing to Hank and his brother, Edward, but they were still ready to cheer on some of the biggest names in golf.
“We came to see Tiger, but he’s not going to be here today,” said Edward Hank of Charleroi. “I’m gonna watch Scottie win.”
“I’m really curious how the pros tackle the rough and, of course, the fast greens and quick fairways as well,” said Andrew Brinkley of Omaha, Neb. “I want to be here to be able to enjoy the experience from gates open to gates closed today.”
“I just want a good tournament and see if these guys can break par,” said Stuart Sackett of Seven Fields.
Download the FREE WPXI News app for breaking news alerts.
Follow Channel 11 News on Facebook and Twitter. | Watch WPXI NOW
©2025 Cox Media Group
/cloudfront-us-east-1.images.arcpublishing.com/cmg/XCUXZC2XYZHCRGNNGKFEX6U3LQ.png)
