Chambers Bay will not suit every player at this weeks US Open but Rory McIlroy has embraced the challenge posed by a links-style venue that suits his power game and high ball flight.
The Northern Irish world number one saw the par-70 layout for the first time on Saturday 13 June and was stunned by its British Open feel with huge sand dunes, fescue grass, undulating greens and semi-blind shots from several fairways.
I really didnt know what to expect when I got here ... its a pure links golf course, four-times major winner McIlroy told reporters on Tuesday before heading off for another practice round.
Every part of this golf course is fescue. Its really like playing a [British] Open championship in the United States ... apart from the fact that its about 20 degrees warmer. It plays more like a links course than some [genuine] links courses.
I really like the golf course. It sets up well for my game. Youve got to hit driver. Its a course where youre going to see a lot of guys hit fairways and hit greens but when you hit greens, you can still be 50, 60 feet away from the pin.
Dry and mainly sunny conditions have been forecast for the rest of the week at Chambers Bay, which will result in a firm and fast course on which McIlroy says the ability to hit high approach shots into raised greens will be a major factor.
A place like this can separate the field a lot. This is the sort of golf course that if youre just slightly off, itll magnify that. But itll really reward people that are hitting good shots and are confident and their short games are sharp.
McIlroy will tee off in Thursdays opening round with last years winner, Martin Kaymer of Germany, and South Korean Yang Gunn, the US amateur champion.
For Tiger Woods, it has been seven years since he won the last of his 14 major titles and he heads into his weeks US Open with his game under a glaring question mark after struggling for most of this season.
Woods will tee off in Thursdays opening round under a cloud of uncertainty after posting the worst score of his professional career, a 13-over 85, at the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago.
He has recorded just one top-25 in five starts on the 2014-15 PGA Tour, a tie for 17th at the Masters, while continuing to work on the latest swing change of his career, this time with consultant Chris Como.
With his game in complete disarray, Woods carded an 11-over-par 82 to miss the cut by nine shots at the Phoenix Open in February, then withdrew from the Farmers Insurance Open the following week after 11 holes because of tightness in his back.
