All eyes in the golfing world are back in the United States ahead of the 117th US Open. We take a look at everything you need to know ahead of this year’s second Major Championship.
REWIND
Dustin Johnson banished the ghost of Chambers Bay as he won the US Open in dramatic fashion to claim a first Major Championship at Oakmont Country Club.
There was high drama in an infamous final round as Johnson’s ball seemingly moved on address on the fifth green. As the argument raged on TV screens across the world, it was not until the 12th tee when Johnson found out that he may be subject to a penalty at the conclusion of the round.
In the end, while he was eventually docked a stroke for the infraction, it did not matter as Johnson birdied the 18th hole to sign for a final round 69 and a three–shot victory, claiming his maiden Major title after so many near-misses.
It was a disappointing finish for Ireland’s Shane Lowry after he had entered the final round with a two-shot lead, but his tied runner-up finish – alongside the USA’s Jim Furyk and Scott Piercy – was still the best finish of his Major career.
Spaniard Sergio Garcia finished at level par after a 70, which included an excellent chip-in on the eighth, but his hopes disappeared with three consecutive bogeys from the 14th. South Africa's Branden Grace also ended the week four shots behind Johnson after a 71 which included three bogeys in his last five holes.
Australian Jason Day had looked on course to make an unlikely late charge as he eagled the 12th and birdied the 13th but a double-bogey - bogey finish saw him finish two over.
THE FIELD
As the who’s who of the golfing world descend upon Erin Hills for the 117th edition of the U.S. Open, a total of 46 European Tour members are set to encounter the testing conditions in Wisconsin this week.
World Number Two Rory McIlroy, the highest-ranked European in the field, will tee it up alongside former US Open champion Justin Rose and Jason Day to make up one of a number of exciting marquee groups.
Sergio Garcia will look to achieve back-to-back Major victories after the Spaniard clinched a long-awaited Masters title in dramatic fashion back in April, and will be aiming for his third European Tour title of the season, having also won the Omega Dubai Desert Classic in February.
Reigning champion and World Number One Dustin Johnson will begin his defence of the trophy in the company of fellow former US Open winners Martin Kaymer and Jordan Spieth. Meanwhile, Open Champion Henrik Stenson will be one to keep an eye on, along with 22 year old Jon Rahm, who finished tied 23rd as the leading amateur on his US Open debut last year.
Twelve European Tour Members, meanwhile, will be playing the U.S. Open for the first time including Englishman Aaron Rai, who carried his magnificent European Challenge Tour form to Walton Heath to win the US Open Championship International Sectional Qualifier and secure his Major Championship debut. Oliver Bekker, Bradley Dredge, Paul Dunne, Li Haotong, Tyrrell Hatton, Wade Ormsby, Thomas Pieters, Joël Stalter, Brandon Stone, Matt Wallace and Jeunghun Wang are the others.
THE COURSE
Erin Hills will be the first golf course in Wisconsin to host the U.S. Open and was designed specifically for the tournament, in terms of both the challenge to the players and the logistics of the spectators and related support structure.
At 7,693 yards, Erin Hills counts as the second-longest course in US Open history, two yards short of Chambers Bay - although it does stretch to 8,348 yards from the very back tees. This mix of traditional and modern elements as well as a championship test will leave many golfers with the feeling that they’ve never played anywhere like Erin Hills.
A course like none other – designed by course architects Michael Hurdzan, Dana Fry and Ron Whitten – it is routed over the kettle moraine areas left by glaciers, surrounded by wetlands and a river, with ground that consists of glacial till of varied composition of sand and small rock. It will also be the sixth public access course to host the championship joining Pebble Beach, Pinehurst, Bethpage, Torrey Pines and Chambers Bay.
DID YOU KNOW - US OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP
• There are 46 European Tour Members competing in the 2017 US Open Championship. There will be 12 debutants: Oliver Bekker, Bradley Dredge, Paul Dunne, Li Haotong, Tyrrell Hatton, Wade Ormsby, Thomas Pieters, Aaron Rai, Joël Stalter, Brandon Stone, Matt Wallace and Jeunghun Wang.
• The US Open Championship will be staged at Erin Hills for the first time. This is the third course in the last decade to host the US Open for the first time, after Torrey Pines in 2008 and Chambers Bay in 2015.
• Only once in the last five years has a US Open Champion played in the final group on Sunday – Martin Kaymer in 2014.
• Erin Hills is spread across 652 acres of land, approximately four times bigger than the average American golf course.
• This will be the first US Open to be held in the state of Wisconsin and the first in the Midwest since Olympia Fields hosted the event in 2003.
• In 2011, Erin Hills hosted the U.S. Amateur Championship, won by American Kelly Kraft.
• At 7,693 yards, Erin Hills counts as the second-longest course in US Open history, two yards short of Chambers Bay – although it does stretch to 8,348 yards from the very back tees.
• Erin Hills is just the sixth public golf course to host the US Open Championship, after Chambers Bay, Bethpage, Pebble Beach, Pinehurst and Torrey Pines.
• This is the first time since Pebble Beach in 1992 that a US Open course is a par 72 course.
• There are nine players in this year’s US Open who competed in the 2011 US Amateur Championship at Erin Hills: Bryson Dechambeau, Kevin Dougherty, Harris English, Russell Henley, Stephan Jaeger, Jordan Spieth, Jonathan Randolph, Justin Thomas and Peter Uihlein.
• Dustin Johnson will attempt to become the first player to successfully defend the US Open Championship since Curtis Strange (1988-89).
• There will be 11 US Open Champions competing this week.
