High School Golf Star Carson Kittsley Soaks In U.S. Open Week at Oakmont—Where Even the Pros Struggle

Fox Chapel junior Carson Kittsley, the reigning PIAA state champ, volunteers as a standard bearer at Oakmont to experience golf greatness firsthand—and share insight into what makes this course the toughest test in golf

Jun 10, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Phil Mickelson and Tyrrell Hatton and Dustin Johnson and Jon Rahm walks up the on the 16th hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open golf tournament at Oakmont Country Club. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images / Bill Streicher-Imagn Images

Carson Kittsley volunteered to be a standard bearer during the 125th U.S. Open this week to get the full range of experiences. The Fox Chapel junior golfer wants to soak in the excellence from some of the world’s best pros as they pursue a major championship.

Kittsley also looks forward to seeing them understand the pains of what it is like to play at the Oakmont Country Club, which has a reputation as the most difficult course in the event’s rotation, when the event tees off Thursday morning.

Kittsley is a member at the club and plays there regularly. 

“I think it’s cool to hear about it,” Kittsley said. “When I play with my friends and we won’t play well, we’ll get upset or won’t be happy about how they played. (The pros) have the same experience. It’s cool to relate to. All the top players struggle, just like us.”

During the WPIAL Class AAA championships at Oakmont last fall, Kittsley shot a 2-over par 73 from the WPIAL tees to tie for fourth place and qualify for the PIAA championships. Kittsley went on to become the Foxes’ first state champion since Frank Fuhrer III won in 1976.

Local high school players get the opportunity of the course and find their own challenges.

The WPIAL has Oakmont in its rotation

The Oakmont Country Club has ties with hosting the WPIALs boys and girls’ championships over the years. Since 2004, the boys’ Class 3A finals have been held there four times. Peters Township’s Colton Lusk shot a 2-under par 141 to win it last fall in an event that feature two rounds, with the first one being played at Southpointe Golf Club.

In Class 3A: Central Catholic’s Jimmy Meyers won in 2018 when he shot an even-par 71. Fox Chapel’s Gregor Meyer won in 2016 when he shot a 70, while Pine-Richland’s Mike Van Sickle won with a 75 in 2004. 

“When I won I relied heavily on my distance off the tee and my putter,” said Meyer, who plays collegiately at High Point. “Luckily for us, the course setup wasn’t nearly as hard as it will be this week. Tucked pins, faster greens and super thick rough will play a large factor.”

For Class 2A: Derry’s Hunter Jurica won at Oakmont in a two-round event that featured a round at Hannastown Country Club.

"(Oakmont) is by far the toughest course I've ever played," said Jurica, who plays collegiately at Saint Francis (Pa.). "The greens are lightning fast and the rough is super thick. When I played there, you don't even think about how tough the golf course is because you're just enjoying yourself because of how prestigious and amazing the golf course is."

On the girls’ side, Mt. Lebanon’s Lindsey Powanda won the Class 3A championship in 2020 by shooting a 5-over par 80. In Class 2A, Quaker Valley’s Eva Bulger won the second of her four consecutive WPIAL championships by shooting a 4-over par 77 at Oakmont.

Plan for disaster

Having a plan is always important for playing at Oakmont. Being willing to throw that out the window when things change is also vital.

“Playing Oakmont is always a test,” Meyer said. “You have to come in with a strict gameplan for how you are going to attack the course and plan for disaster. Bad things will happen out there, but it's about figuring out ways to take advantage of your game and what the course gives to you.”

Kittsley anticipates having players having issues with the greens.

“It’s because of how fast and adulated they are,” Kittsley said. 

Jurica said that he had to stay focused throughout his round to deal with all the challenges. He didn't want to give too many strokes away on the greens.

"The key to winning and playing well there was missing in the right spots and making putts," Jurica said. "I didn't hit it well at all when I played it, but I hit it in great spots to miss and had zero three putts."

Pittsburgh’s PGA event

Oakmont will extend its record this year by hosting the U.S. Open for the 10th time, which is three times more than any other club. Dustin Johnson won the last time Oakmont hosted in 2016 when he shot 4-under par.

It fills a void for professional golf fans in Pittsburgh, which don’t have another annual event to attend.

The area one had the Pennsylvania Classic, which ran from 2000 to 2006 at Mystic Rock, but it went under when its sponsor had to pull out due to financial reasons.

For Kittsley, who is attending his first PGA Tour event, he enjoys the fact this is a once-in-a-decade kind of moment.

“I like the aspect that it's drawn out over several years,” Kittsley said. “It’s cool seeing all the tour pros there. I like to see what they do differently than the average golfer.”

--Josh Rizzo | rizzo42789@gmail.com | @J_oshrizzo