Finally, a wide-open US Open with the compelling contenders Pinehurst deserves

In the 25 years since, it was occasionally whispered among the rustling pines that Pinehurst, as a U.S. Open venue, used up all its karma at the very first asking.

The extraordinary drama of Payne Stewart and Phil Mickelson in 1999, followed so quickly by Stewart’s tragic death, spun a wistful web that lingers over Pinehurst to this day. Even with the Stewart statue, captured in mid-celebratory lunge, relocated to the fan village, what happened in 1999 never seems all that far away.

If nothing else, it became the impossible standard for comparison, and it would have taken uncommon events in 2005 and 2014 — on the men’s side, at least — to measure up to such a historic duel.

They did not.

A decade later, going into the weekend, the next U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 finally has the leaderboard it deserves.

And with these contenders, it has a chance to get the finish everyone wants.

There are popular major champions like Rory McIlroy, Hideki Matsuyama and (the increasingly likable) Bryson DeChambeau. There are best-not-to-win-a-major-yet contenders like Patrick Cantlay and Tony Finau. There’s the irrepressible youth of the inevitable Ludvig Aberg. And among those in the next group, four back of Aberg in the lead, there’s Akshay Bhatia and Xander Schauffle and Tyrell Hatton, all within striking distance.

Still, Thomas Detry and Mathieu Pavon are lurking, trying to play the role of Martin Kaymer, the mildly lesser-known European who found himself utterly at home in the Sandhills and upended all expectations.

“I always tend to do better at courses where pars gain on the field,” said Detry, coming off a fourth-place finish in the PGA and a top-20 at the British Open last summer, and with the cut falling at 5-over, par has certainly gotten the job done.

But Kaymer was already running away with things at this point last time out. Detry and Pavon are merely in the mix among what is unquestionably the kind of top eight the USGA and NBC and above all else fans want, a smorgasbord of big names and compelling personalities, everything the first Open here had in excess and the past two lacked.

No offense to Michael Campbell, who held off Tiger Woods in 2005 only to vanish as quickly as he arose to prominence, or Kaymer, whose lead and efficiency turned 2014 into a long slog to the finish, but neither left a fraction of the impression that Stewart and Mickelson did — or, for that matter, Michelle Wie, with her long-awaited Women’s Open breakthrough immediately after Kaymer to salvage the vibes from those back-to-back opens.

Campbell at least had to outduel Woods on Sunday; Kaymer waltzed to a wire-to-wire victory that was less engaging than a tuna-salad sandwich. No chance of that this time around. This is a wide-open Open, anyone’s to win, anyone’s to throw away.

This is the kind of great battle royale among great players a great course is supposed to generate.

And where all these famous names stand Friday night may not mean as much by Saturday afternoon. As difficult as Pinehurst is playing, there are probably another two dozen players who could end up in contention on Sunday, because when everyone’s struggling to save par, the one guy who gets hot and/or lucky, especially early, could make up a lot of ground very quickly.

“If I made the cut and went and shot a 4- or 5-under tomorrow when it’s a little softer, then you’re only four or five back going into Sunday, and you never know,” defending champion Wyndham Clark said after clearing the cut by one shot at 4-over par. “I mean, it’s definitely an outside chance, but at the same time with how difficult this place is, if you get it going and miss in the right spots, a little bit of luck, yeah, you can do it.”

Scottie Scheffler, who barely made the cut, called it “fun,” but more in the sense of enjoying the spirit of the thing, rather than enjoying the round itself. Kaymer made it look easy. The first two days this time around have been anything but, and it doesn’t figure to get easier.

“I’m excited for the test and challenge, and I think it’s going to continue to evolve, especially with the conditions being as hot as they are,” DeChambeau said, echoing Scheffler. “And if the wind picks up, it’s going to be diabolical.”

Things weren’t exactly easy Friday, and the cream was already rising to the top. The stage is set for a wild weekend, very possibly with a pedigreed champion, and after two futile tries, perhaps the Curse of Payne Stewart has finally been lifted.

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