I've never thought about what Ross might do to #2, and I can't seem to get interested in speculating on that question. On the otherhand, I have often thought about what changes I would make. My short answer is, ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. At least, I am sure I would not make any changes to accommodate professional competitions, if those changes had a detrimental effect on the members and resort guests who play the course every day.
After giving the question much consideration, I have now thought of one change I would make. I would fill in the small pond which fronts the sixteenth (par 5) tee. That pond is completely out of play except for topped and extremely short tee shots (especially by women). In other words, it only punishes those tee shots that already in big trouble. By eliminating that one pond, Pinehurst #2 will have a legitimate claim as the best course in the world with no water on it.
My friend, Brad Klein, asserts that during the 1999 U.S. Open none of the fairway bunkers were in play. I have thought about that alot, and I can not completly agree, at least with his use of the word "none". Maybe its a matter of semantics. Here is my version: I would group the bunkers on #2 into three categories: greenside, fairway, and forward. Regarding forward bunkers, many holes on #2 have bunkers that are 30-80 yards short of the greens, a little too far to be considered greenside and too far to fit my definition of fairway. I figure a bunker needs to be at least 100 yards out to be considered a fairway bunker. These "forward bunkers" can be found on holes number 1,2,3,5,11,12,14,16, and 18. They are major obstacles for most average players who find themselves faced with that proverbial "toughest shot in golf". However, they are no problem for expert players, who rarely land in one. Almost all of the fairway bunkers are in play for the players who play the course most days. To prove that point (at least to my satisfaction), I walked the entire course late day before yesterday. My theory was that if there were a fresh rake mark in a bunker, someone had been in the bunker that very day. I found only four fairway bunkers on the entire course which had seen no action that day.
Now to Brad's point about the fairway bunkers not being in play during the Open. My definition of being "in play": A bunker influences the club and/or the line chosen by the player. The fairway bunkers on #1 and #2 are NOT in play, except perhaps a few very long hitters on #2 and maybe a few short hitters on #1. On #3 almost all players hit an iron off the tee to keep it short of the bunker on the right about 100 yards out. On #4, the short-medium hitters had to be wary of the bunker on the left off the tee. There is no fairway bunker on #5 (the toughest hole on the course, and maybe the planet). #6 is a par 3. On #7, like #3, many played short of the cluster of bunkers on the right, although all of them probably could have carried them. The lone fairway bunker on #8 is NOT in play. #9 is a par 3. The small fairway bunker on the right on #10 is NOT in play for anyone, but the fairway bunkers on the left about 110 yards out caused most players to lay-up short of them except for those very long hitters who tried to reach the green on the 600yd hole. #11 has a bunker on the left which is NOT in play. I didn't watch a lot of play on #12, but I have to believe that from the new back tee the bunker on the right must have been a factor for many.
On #13, some players hit driver over the cluster of bunkers on the right, but many hit a fairway wood or iron to the left.
I suppose the bunkers on #14 and #16 were a factors for only some of the field. The lone bunker on #18 is NOT in play.
I would not object to adding a total of 3 or 4 bunkers on holes where the existing bunkers are not in play for the touring pros, but I would oppose moving existing bunkers which play an important role for most players. Given the fact that only one player broke par in the 1999 Open, I really don't see any need to change the course for the 2005 Open, and I sure would not change it for the "regular" players.