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2013 U.S. Open: Players fear, respect Merion

It was a long first day in Merion; longer for those who couldn't climb their way out of the rough. For a course that was chastised for its size prior to the U.S. Open, Merion is providing a challenge to some of the players, and they are more than willing to admit it.

It was a long first day in Merion; longer for those who couldn't climb their way out of the rough. For a course that was chastised for its size prior to the U.S. Open, Merion is providing a challenge to some of the players, and they are more than willing to admit it.

"I think that anybody in that commentary box has never given this golf course enough respect," said Ian Poulter. "They were joking around, laughing at 63s and 62s and just look at the board. I mean they need to respect this golf course. It's brutal.

"Yes, we're making birdies on those short holes, but look what we have to contend with out there on those long holes. It's not easy."

Justin Rose found the rough to be the most irritating aspect of the course during his disappointing start.

"You can't win a U.S. Open on a Thursday, but you can certainly lose one," he noted. "Pin placements weren't extreme. I don't think that they tucked them beyond sort of what I thought was fair. Must just be the rough, because I looked at the leaderboard today and I said... the course is holding up really well. And I guess it still has."

"The rough's thick and you get into some of those greens... it's easy to let the ball get away from you."

"There's some nasty rough out there," Rickie Fowler concurred in his press conference. He also cited Merion's ability to call on every club in his arsenal. "That's what's fun about this course. You get to hit a lot of different clubs off the tee."

Jay Don Blake, the Open's oldest contestant, is playing Merion for the first time, and is refuting the picture that was painted for him. "Everybody said it's going to be a great golf course, it's going to be short," he said. "There's nothing short about it."

Bubba Watson succinctly surmised the golfers vs. Merion mentality: "There's a couple of guys under par. By the end of the week Merion is going to win."

Poulter agreed. "No one is going to get around this golf course without making mistakes."

Philly.com has complete coverage of the 2013 U.S. Open at Merion Golf Club.