Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods have much in common, including near silence when it comes to criticizing course setups during a major championship. Nicklaus used to say that whenever he heard fellow competitors complain about the course or the weather or other factors out of their control, he could all but eliminate them as contenders. Woods is similarly stoic: everybody has to play the same course, goes the thinking, so why stack negative thinking onto an already difficult task?

Lee Westwood of England, who contended at the U.S. Open and WGC-Bridgestone Invitational, described the tough setup at Oakland Hills as patently unfair after his round of 77.

Then, writes Ed Sherman of the Chicago Tribune, Westwood recalled this moment from his round:

"The native of England said, 'Standing on the 17th tee I asked my caddie if he could hear the sea as I am sure I could hear my holiday calling.' Translated, Westwood doesn't fancy his chances of making the cut."

That's another thing Nicklaus and Woods wouldn't do: predict their demise.