Despite mud and rain, U.S. Open fans say tournament 'a dream come true'

Luca Fussaro, 14, came out of the U.S. Open with something to show for it.

The Philadelphia native earned a new Apple Watch after sinking a 100-foot putt on his first try as part of a contest at Oakmont’s fan area.

With his binoculars-clad father, Luca said, he had spent two days hiking the 191-acre course, monitoring the players and nearly witnessing a Jhonattan Vegas hole-in-one.

And in spite of scattered rain and the occasional muddy slog, he — and many other eager fans in Oakmont — said the tournament experience still brought plenty of fun.

Visiting from Hartford, Conn., Michael Pacheco said his son, Matt, surprised him with tickets for Father’s Day. Though he said he would have preferred drier conditions, Pacheco said his first time at Oakmont was “beautiful.”

“It’s a dream come true. It’s exactly what I thought it was going to be,” he said.

The rain was no shock, but Pacheco said he was surprised by the golfers leading Sunday’s leaderboard after many familiar contenders found themselves well above par or cut entirely.

Still, Pacheco said he thinks the opportunity for less vaunted golfers to claim the trophy is “good for the game.”

Joe Kirkwood, an Australian- born fan who now resides in Minnesota, said he was also surprised by the leaderboard, but it was good to see players “shine through.”

“They’ve all got the ability; it’s just a matter of putting it together mentally,” he said.

His first time on the course, Kirkwood said he had attended the previous two U.S. Opens at Pinehurst Resort and Los Angeles Country Club. At Oakmont, he said, he appreciated the rolling hills and the the slope of the greens.

Though he appreciated the “village-feel” of Pinehurst, Kirkwood said he enjoyed the hospitality of downtown Oakmont and Pittsburgh.

“Everyone’s very friendly, trying to give you local knowledge, where to go, what to check out, where to have fun,” he said.

Sarah Cumbee said she wasn’t really a golf fan until she met her husband, Andrew, and had her twin boys. Now, she said, the sport has become part of her personality.

Those boys, 6-year-old Rhys and Simon, were born on Father’s Day. To mark the occasion and develop their interest in the game, the two joined their father for the final day of the tournament.

“We’re just out here walking and watching the pros that they hope to be one day,” Andrew said.

Venturing north from Raleigh, N.C., the Cumbees said trekking through Oakmont’s course felt like “going back in time” because of the historic sites scattered throughout the country club.

Bob Denham of Ann Arbor, Mich., said he particularly enjoyed the course’s final hole.

“The walk up to 18 is awe- inspiring. You can imagine being in their shoes, playing it,” he said.

Denham was joined by his two sons, one of whom, Tyler, is a professional golf management student and amateur competitor in Michigan.

Whether as a competitor or an organizer, Tyler said, the tournament had inspired him to return to Oakmont in the future.

“Nothing compares to the U.S. Open. This is the test of golf right here,” he said.

Even though he has been to other championship tournaments, Ed Sadauskas said being at the Open at Oakmont still gave him goosebumps.

Watching the pros struggle, the Virginia native still insisted to his son he could make par on at least a few of the holes at the club.

But beyond tees and greens, Sadauskas said his favorite part of the tournament was striking up simple conversations with other attendees and fellow fathers.

“(It’s like) you’re friends from forever, and you just met. That’s the kind of camaraderie this sport has,” Sadauskas said. “That’s what this is all about, to me it is.”

His day, though slightly damp, was “fantastic,” he said.