The US Open returns to San Francisco in 2012, with the season’s second Major getting under way on June 14.
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Americans have won all four previous US Opens at this venue, which could throw a spanner in European dreams of a third straight victory, after Graeme McDowell and then Rory McIlroy consigned 40 years of failure for our continent to the history books.
Anyone expecting a re-run of McIlroy's record-breaking -16 winning total will probably be disappointed. Lee Janzen's winning total here in 1998 was level par, and the best previously was three- under.
McIlroy's remarkable score owed much to an easier than usual layout, and so long as we don't see more unseasonal wet weather in June, this major should revert to its usual gruelling nature.
So expect to see a tournament specialist, just like Janzen or 1987 champ Scott Simpson. Mickelson and Jim Furyk spring to mind as obvious candidates.
