Pennsylvania – The US Open 2016 is taking place at Oakmont Country Club and starts on Thursday. Professionals, amateurs and champions will be competing until June, Sunday 19.

The course is described by one of the players as the hardest course they have ever played. The course’s 8th hole is the longest par three in the US Open history and the 12th hole is the second-longest par five with 667 yards.

According to USGA’s managing director, Jeff Hall, the 8th hole, with a par at three, can play longer than 300 yards. Image Credit: Houston Chronicle
According to USGA’s managing director, Jeff Hall, the 8th hole, with a par at three, can play longer than 300 yards. Image Credit: Houston Chronicle

The closing hole, in his words “may be one of the most demanding 18th holes in the US Open golf.” It has 484 yard, it’s downhill, with bunker complexity and a ditch left from Par four.

Phil Mickelson was the player that described the Oakmont Country Club course as one of the hardest he had ever played. The 51-time champion predicts that even approaching the par a player has a chance to win it all.

Rickie Fowler, a new player and leading member said Oakmont has “crazy” greens and the most challenging bunkers he has ever entered. Indeed, the Oakmont course has the fastest greens in the US Open.

But this is not the first time the tournament is held in Oakmont. In 2007, the US Open was played in Pennsylvania, in the same course, and the Argentinian Angel Cabrera was victorious but five-over the par, which was at 70.

Stressed players

Several players have declared themselves stressed by the challenge that this tournament will represent due to the course and the completion itself.

Jason Day said he was unsure about the week and, in spite of the cold he caught, he will be ready to start. He declared he has never been so stressed in his life. Rory McIlroy says that the US Open put the players under a high quantity of pressure in every shot they hit and that mentally preparation is vital because concentration is needed in the tournament.

McIlroy shows his skills as a pro golfer as the player gets his ball out of the sand pit at Oakmont. Image Credit: Digital Web
McIlroy shows his skills as a pro golfer as the player gets his ball out of the sand pit at Oakmont. Image Credit: Digital Web

For the Californian Ricky Fowler, even if the greens represent a challenge for him, he thinks he has an opportunity to make a difference in Oakmont but first he has to be at the height of the players who had won majors. However, not everything is a challenge

The absence of Tiger Woods rises the odds for Phil Mickelson. The American could become the sixth player to win all four major titles and also the oldest player to win the US open. His birthday is on Thursday, and he will turn 46.

Tee times

In the first round will played Denny McCarthy, Aron Price from Australia and the Swedish Mikael Lundberg and starting at hole 10 Andres Gonzales, Scotti Scheffler and Derek Fathauer.

In the second round will start the English Lee Slattery, Miguel Tabuena from the Philippines and Daniel Summerhays. At hole 10 will play Thitiphun Chuayprakong from Taiwan, Tim Wilkinson from New Zealand and Peter Hanson from Sweden.

Both rounds will start at 06:45 am.

Source: Daily Mail