Tiger Woods says Merion may ‘abuse’ golfers at US Open

Tiger Woods knows Merion is going to pose a severe challenge to the world’s best golfers.

The fairways can’t get any greener. That means Merion Golf Club can’t be any more ready to host the U.S. Open — the first major championship there in 32 years.

The famed Main Line course isn’t the only anxious one, either. Tiger Woods was asked about the challenges the famed East Course might provide for the world’s elite golfers.

While Woods admitted that some holes would play short, he was quick to point out the dangers lurking around every dogleg.

“Merion will do very well for the U.S. Open,” Woods told reporters. “It’s going to have some holes that they [the players] are going to abuse the golf course with, but they’re also going to have some holes on the golf course that are going to abuse them.”

Remember, the knock on Merion was that it was way too short to ever host a U.S. Open. Those that have played it have dismissed those fears as nonsense.

“It’s not one of the golf courses that are in the middle road. It’s either tough or they’ll birdie the hole,” said Woods, who played it for the first time Tuesday. “Merion is a great golf course. I’d love to still have the golf game to go play it.”

Webb Simpson, who won last year’s Open, showed Merion similar love last month.

“What I remember about Merion is the second that you think I got an easy hole, an iron and a wedge, is the second that you probably will make a mistake,” he said.