A golf course with a 6-lane highway? Welcome to the US Open at Oakmont, where I-76 somehow blends in

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — For a six-lane interstate carving its way through a world-famous golf course, the Pennsylvania Turnpike at Oakmont is surprisingly unintrusive.

From an overhead view, the sight is somewhat jarring — a wide expressway and railroad track dividing the course essentially in half. At ground level, however, the road is not much of a distraction. In fact, it can't be seen from much of Oakmont's layout.

“And honestly, you don't even really hear it,” Oakmont historian David Moore said. “It's amazing how quiet it really is.”

Moore is an expert on this small stretch of the Turnpike — or Interstate 76, if you prefer. Its path through the course at Oakmont — the site of the U.S. Open this week — was originally just a train track.

“One of the old history books here talks about how until diesel-powered trains came through, there'd be soot all over the first green, the ninth tee and all that," Moore said. "They'd be driving by and set off all the smoke and just cover the place.”

This is not the Road Hole at St. Andrews. There's nothing quaint about the Turnpike at Oakmont. It also isn't — or at least, it shouldn’t be — a factor in the course of play.

With its slick greens and ferocious rough, Oakmont is difficult enough without adding a forced carry over a bunch of 18-wheelers.

Holes Nos. 2-8 are to the east of the highway and all the rest are to the west. The first green and ninth tee, as well as the second tee and eighth green, converge on the two sides of the Turnpike, near a couple footbridges that allow fans to cross over the road.

The biggest reason the roadway blends in when you're on the course is because there's an elevation change down to the highway. So the Turnpike presents largely as a gap in the middle of the course — if it’s perceptible at all.

There is no giant screen to prevent wayward balls from flying onto the road. The holes closest to the highway on the west side are generally perpendicular to it. Those on the east are more parallel, but it would take a pretty extraordinary miss to reach the Turnpike.

That's not to say it can't happen. Moore tells the story of Cary Middlecoff hitting a ball toward the highway on No. 10 before withdrawing in disgust in 1953. Thirty years later, it was Tom Weiskopf on No. 8 working his way into Oakmont lore.

“He flared one off to the right, it landed in a passing train, and it ended up in Cleveland," Moore said. "The running joke around here: It was the longest tee shot ever hit.”

The more realistic concern the highway creates is for fans. Even with a second footbridge added between the 1994 and 2007 U.S. Opens, there's still a potential bottleneck in that area as fans cross over the traffic below — which on Thursday included some drivers honking their horns as they passed by golf's third major of the year.

Foot traffic wasn't excessively slow, but it was enough of a slog that bouncing back and forth between one side and the other wasn't advisable.

Near the bridges, the highway is flanked by a wall on the west side and some fencing on the east. The wall seems to do a better job of suppressing the noise from below, but on both sides, you might hear the road before you can see it.

If you're looking for a decent view without crowding onto a bridge, the area behind the 10th green has a nice vantage point of the highway as it descends north toward the Allegheny River. A grandstand at the green on No. 12 offers a view of the Turnpike going the opposite direction.

For the most part, the sheer size of Oakmont turns even a major roadway — which can take cars all the way to Philadelphia in one direction and Akron, Ohio, in the other — into something of an afterthought.

“You don't really see it," Moore said. "Twelve is really like the only hole where you look over it.”

AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf

Dustin Johnson uses a pedestrian bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which divides Oakmont Country Club, during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Dustin Johnson uses a pedestrian bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which divides Oakmont Country Club, during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

Vehicles travel along the Pennsylvania Turnpike passing under a pedestrian bridge splitting Oakmont Country Club during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

Fans use a pedestrian bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which divides Oakmont Country Club, during a practice round ahead of the U.S. Open golf tournament Wednesday, June 11, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Carolyn Kaster)

J.J. Spaun walks across a bridge over the Pennsylvania Turnpike, which runs through Oakmont Country Club, during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament Thursday, June 12, 2025, in Oakmont, Pa. (AP Photo/Charlie Riedel)

DALLAS (AP) — Tyrese Maxey had 34 points, 10 assists and eight rebounds, Joel Embiid scored 22 points and the Philadelphia 76ers beat the Dallas Mavericks 123-108 on Thursday night.

Rookie guard VJ Edgecombe, the one-and-done player from Baylor playing 100 miles from his college campus for the first time, scored 23 points two nights after hitting a 3-pointer in the final seconds of a 139-136 overtime victory at Memphis.

Oft-injured Anthony Davis returned for Dallas after missing two games with a sore adductor muscle. The 10-time All-Star finished with 13 points and eight rebounds as the Mavs matched their season worst with a fourth consecutive loss.

Rookie No. 1 overall pick Cooper Flagg scored 12 points for the Mavericks, who were led by Max Christie's 18 points.

Former Maverick Quentin Grimes, part of a different trade last season soon after the infamous swap of Luka Doncic for Davis between Dallas and the Los Angeles Lakers, had 19 points, seven rebounds and three blocks.

The 76ers were up six when Grimes had a steal and dunk to trigger his 11-point fourth quarter, when he made all three of his 3-point attempts and had one of his blocks.

Paul George scored 14 points, starting and ending a 17-2 run that gave Philadelphia a 44-37 lead in the second quarter.

The Mavericks shot 65% in the first, taking a 33-27 lead before shooting 38% the rest of the way. Davis and Flagg combined to go 11 of 28 from the field.

Maxey was 14 of 24 with a mix of long-range shooting and deft driving in another strong road performance against his hometown team. Edgecombe finished 9 of 14 as the Sixers shot 53%.

76ers: At the New York Knicks on Saturday to finish a five-game trip.

Mavericks: Host the Houston Rockets on Saturday.

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/NBA

Philadelphia 76ers center Andre Drummond, left, is guarded by Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Dallas Mavericks forward Cooper Flagg dunks on the Philadelphia 76ers during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Philadelphia 76ers guard Tyrese Maxey (0) tries to steal the ball from Dallas Mavericks forward Anthony Davis (3) during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)

Philadelphia 76ers guard Vj Edgecombe (77) shoots the ball against the Dallas Mavericks during the first half of an NBA basketball game Thursday, Jan. 1, 2026, in Dallas. (AP Photo/Julio Cortez)