But all I really ask is, if someone other than Tiger wins, is it a good test to determine the national champion?
Jeff, I'm not sure you are being serious with that one. Is your tongue in cheek, I can't see on the Internet.
But, my own opinion is that the USGA is bound to set their own unique conditions upon any course they conduct their test. We know that narrow FWs are a given with very difficult rough to extract more severe penalties than regular or even normal competition play. We know that firm and fast conditions will be promoted with the exception of mother nature intervening should big rain occur. Long, gruelling and grinding, with tough firm and fast greens are the tradition of that particular major. So far, that hasn't inhibited Tiger.
The only think I hope they don't go overboard on, is shaving the greens down into the water, like on Torrey 18, or the 14th running down into the ravine and unrecoverable, as we have talked about on another thread. I don't think that firm and fast FWs and greens, nor narrow with high rough is over the top. If someone other than Tiger has a great week, I'm just as happy for that.
But, shaved into abyss making a green a circus act, is. Just like Shinny's (7th?) became one. I hope Torrey 14 doesn't become the one unfair one that Shinny 7 became.