As USGA’s director of player relations, Rosalyn Barnett deals with tasks as large as flying golfers’ families across the world to ones as small as helping locate their lost keys.

It’s a busy but fun job, she said, where she deals with “anything and everything.”

And it’s one she has to plan for years in advance. In the midst of the tournament at Oakmont, she’s already considering the logistics of the 2027 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California.

“None of it is earth-shattering,” Barnett said. “It’s just figuring out who to call next and how we can troubleshoot it.”

This year, she said the USGA introduced a new private dining area with an “enhanced menu” for the 156 competitors in the tournament.

That’s with the help of Susan Lacz, owner of Ridgewells Catering.

Ridgewells has been the catering partner for the U.S. Open since 1993, making this year the company’s fourth appearance at Oakmont. Looking out over the 12th hole on Tuesday, Lacz said she remembers when the course still had trees.

Over the past several years, Lacz said her company has been “stepping up” its offerings with the help of golf nutritionists.

“It’s just a bevy of foods that are healthy, natural, organic and freshly made,” she said.

Among those healthy options, for example, are custom smoothie and egg stations. The shift to healthier food hasn’t eliminated bacon from the menu, however.

As she enters her third decade working the tournament, Lacz said the response from players has been “overwhelmingly positive.”

“Player fitness and performance is so top of mind with these guys,” Barnett said. “We’re really trying to take what they see week to week on the tour and make it seamless this week.”

But the players don’t come alone.

Arriving with a milieu of family members and support staff, she said the USGA also provides hospitality to the player entourages at facilities scattered throughout the course.

That includes things like on-site masseuses and chiropractors for caddies after a long day on the bag and family dining areas for a shared meal with their player at lunch or dinner.

Though the tournament only began its practice rounds on Monday, Barnett said some of the players have been hanging around the course for weeks to scope out the greens.

It’s unclear whether those visits were out of respect, excitement or fear, but Barnett said the players are glad to be back at Oakmont.

“It’s fun going to different venues and taking on new challenges to really enhance the experience for the players but also for the families and their guests, because they truly can’t do their jobs without all this support,” Barnett said.

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