The length of the par-3 eighth hole at Oakmont left Collin Morikawa confused ahead of US Open

The par-three eighth hole at Oakmont left Collin Morikawa befuddled in previews. Ahead of the US Open this week, Morikawa was stunned when comparing the distance to par. Normally, par-three holes are among the easiest, but this one had the golfer scratching his head.

This hole sits at 289 yards, which is a little over the typical 250-yard range for a par-three. It is the longest par-three at Oakmont, but it would also be the shortest par-four by a wide margin.

Morikawa said:

"I fully forgot it was a par three. I didn't look at the sign. I think everyone has looked at the sign, I didn't look and I thought it was just another maybe easy par-four."

He added:

"At the end of the day, you just have to hit a good shot. If it is driver, our egos take a hit taking driver, but oh well. If you have to hit driver, you hit driver. If not, walk away with three hopefully."

The average driver distance on the PGA Tour is around 300 yards, which would send the ball well past the cup and probably rolling off the green. Some golfers, like Rory McIlroy or Wyndham Clark, might send it well past.

Morikawa averages 292.6 yards per drive this year, so he might be able to use the driver. Others, like Russell Henley, average even shorter drives, so they might have to use the driver on the hole despite it being a par-three.

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Collin Morikawa reacts to infamous Oakmont rough

Though just in previews, the rough at Oakmont has played a big role in the US Open already. It shocked Tyrrell Hatton. Bryson DeChambeau experienced it, too. Now, Collin Morikawa is up to date with how challenging it is.

Collin Morikawa practiced for the US Open (Image via Imagn)

Morikawa admitted via Golf Monthly:

"Look, I've got a 9-wood. It's like cheating. I told that to myself yesterday, and then I had some lies that were not playable. On a course like this, step number one is to hit it in the fairways, and hopefully we can do that."

The American golfer broke it down even further:

"Look, at the end of the day, when you have really long rough, hitting a 9-iron is going to be more beneficial than trying to hit a 6-iron if the ball is really down just because you need loft to get out of the rough."

Collin Morikawa also said he doesn't think people quite understand how thick the rough is, and he added how difficult it is to play out of them because of the bunkers nearby. It could provide a huge challenge tomorrow and through the rest of the week when the US Open begins.