PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. — You don't want to be in the wrong spot here.
When navigating Pebble Beach, golfers have to account for a number of factors beyond their control. First, there's the wind, which will always come from the same direction as the course is nestled against the bay but could change speed to make the already difficult holes even harder.
Next, there is the always challenging USGA setup. In this year's U.S. Open, the association has narrowed the fairways, and in Round 2, made the pin placements a little more tricky.
In Thursday's first round a record 17 eagles were carded, passing the single-day mark of 13 set in 1983; 39 golfers shot under par; and the stroke average (72.66) was the lowest of any of the six U.S. Open championships at this course.
It was only a matter of time before things got more challenging.
While a few golfers managed to have exceptional rounds — including the 36-hole leader Gary Woodland — there were fewer low scores as the conditions became increasingly harder.
"It's getting firmer, I mean, big time," Chesson Hadley said after his group finished in the early afternoon. "Every day I feel like it's gotten, you know, 10% firmer every single day."
Tiger Woods agreed.
The 15-time major champion finished his round with two consecutive bogeys and gave fair warning to the golfers that still had not taken the course. He stressed the greens where a little quicker.
"It's so important to be below the hole, because above the holes, they're a little tough to make," he said.
Justin Rose, who sits two strokes behind Woodland in second place (7 under), echoed both players' sentiments.
He also had an early start after jumping to the top of the leaderboard Thursday. Rose got on the course much earlier Friday and played through a mist that didn't clear up until he made the turn.
"(The mist) kept moisture on the golf course on the front nine," he said. "The greens were maybe a step or two firmer with your iron shots than they would have been yesterday, yesterday morning, I imagine. I think the wind is picking up, from what I can see out there right now. But if the marine layer burns off a bit and you get a breeze this afternoon that will change the golf course really fast."
The marine layer, or fog, had been as constant as the waves crashing along the beach. It obstructed the views of the water from the more inland holes and made for a cold evening as the rest of the field trickled in. The ones who entered the clubhouse later all noticed the firmer greens as well.
Now, all they can do is wait to see if Pebble Beach will show its teeth over the weekend.
"I think it's going to continue to get a little tougher. Pebble is a unique golf course," said Graeme McDowell, who sits tied for 11th place (3 under) and is trying to become the first to win two U.S. Opens at the same course since Jack Nicklaus. "It hasn't shown its teeth yet.
"I said it yesterday, say it again, you have to be careful what you wish for out here, because you could be out there tomorrow thinking there's the teeth and I don't really like them anymore."