"You got the sense the membership is very pleased that their track is kicking some tail rather than the other way around."

In reading about Byeong-Hun An's win at the U.S. Amateur Sunday, Sean Martin notes:

An beat Ben Martin, 7 and 5, on Sunday, but both players struggled in the final because of pressure, typical USGA conditions and an inconsistent breeze.

In the final, a hole was halved with double bogeys, another was won with bogey, and pars were good enough to win many holes. An played 31 holes Sunday in 9 over par, while Martin was 15 over.

In the time I watched Sunday, it was surprising and frankly disturbing to see the bermuda rough playing such a prominent role in a Mike Davis-controlled setup. Especially compared to the highly successful 2007 PGA Championship, and considering that the GCSAA fact sheet said the planned rough cut was 2.25". 

Earlier in the week, Ryan Herrington addressed the membership euphoria over the brutal conditions and high scoring.

One club member, who preferred to remain nameless to make sure the nameplate on his locker isn't unceremoniously removed, said that the course is playing better--and by better he means tougher--than when it hosted the PGA Championship in 2007. "And don't even think about comparing it to the Open in 2001," said the member. "That was a bit of a joke. The guys then would have begged to play it like this."

And...

My member friend only smiled as the discussion continued on the course's difficulty. You got the sense the membership is very pleased that their track is kicking some tail rather than the other way around. I was talking with someone the other day who noted that Oakmont CC members are probably the most sadistic group when it comes to having their home course playing so hard on a daily basis that will make you want to take up tennis. He went on to say that the folks at Southern Hills could be distant cousins of the Oakmont folks. I'm starting to agree.

Well either way you cut it, I'm sure the Southern Hills folks are giddy that the extreme setup measures produced a worthy champion in Byeong-Hun An.