The Sound Of Silence

MAMARONECK, NEW YORK | Tony from Queens should be here.

Jimmy from the Bronx, too.

And Carmine, Jenny and the guys from Wall Street who are on the Winged Foot waiting list, which is reportedly years long, all of them are missed at this U.S. Open, which began too quietly this morning with Brandon Wu’s tee shot at 6:50 a.m.

U.S. Opens are always special in a bootcamp kind of way. But they’re especially good in New York because, well, it’s New York.

Start spreading the news and all that comes with playing the national championship close enough to smell the pizza slices cooking and hear the cabbies honking.

It’s all missing this year.

No one to pick on Sergio. No one to "booyah" Bryson DeChambeau’s tee shots. No one to bellow their love for Tigah.

And Phil, he has to go alone this time, all pasta and no sauce.

Phil Mickelson, shown Wednesday during a practice round, is not accustomed to quiet time in New York. Photo: Jamie Squire, Getty Images

It’s a necessary sacrifice, obviously, and a familiar one as professi...