My only frame of reference is my father who had played in a couple PA Amateurs at Oakmont in the 80's...he went back to watch a bit in '94. As he walked through an entrance gate by the 3rd green Els was putting from a spot that required absolute caution and touch. He said Els took the putter back so far he expected the ball to go off the green...and it ground to a halt right next to the hole.
I remember this Open fairly well. It was unusually hot and humid in the Burgh that June. I have a friend who worked the grounds crew during that Open and he has some fun videos of the event. He did say there were crew men standing by each green, ready to syringe if necessary, and that as the last group passed each hole, they were quick to start watering the greens to keep them (barely) alive.
I have a few recollections from watching his video. One was how many trees there were.
Another was watching someone shoot back and forth across the green on some roller thing, rolling the greens.
I suspect many of the stories surrounding green speeds at Oakmont are urban legends of a sort. They are undoubtedly fast, all of the time, but are probably quicker in one's mind than in any reality, past or future.
I sure don't recall ANYONE'S putts stopping next to the hole, at any event I've attended at Oakmont. More than any place I can recall seeing, it just never seemed like anyone's putts ever stopped near the hole. In it, sure, but other than that, it seemed like everyone's putts settled at best about 3 feet away.
Of course, I may be suffering from one of those aforementioned urban myth recollections...