125th US Open starts today at 'scary' Oakmont

The 125th iteration of the US Open starts today at the Oakmont course in Pennsylvania. Widely regarded as the toughest course on the major rotation schedule due to ultra-rapid greens and brutally deep bunkers, Oakmont will challenge the professionals over the next four days like no other destination. 

Oakmont is hosting a major nine years after Dustin Johnson won in 2016 when only four players finished the four rounds under par despite rain and storms softening the course. Angel Cabrera won the previous US Open at Oakmont in 2007 with a five over score. 

The same year, Paul Casey was applauded by his fellow professionals after scoring 66 on the Friday. Acknowledging this, Casey told The Daily Telegraph: "Anywhere else where you shoot a good score and all you get from them is a grunt of ‘well done’. It just shows the difficulty of Oakmont. It bites and it bites hard."

Designed in 1903 by Henry Clay Fownes, the Stimpmeter measures slightly under 15, compared to other courses averaging around 12 or 13 on the PGA Tour. There are 168 bunkers across the 7372 yard course, which is 150 yards longer than in 2016. Oakmont also features the longest par-three in major golf at 289 years. For us mortal amateurs that is a short par-four. 

Justin Rose and Rory McIlroy are reunited two months after their epic US Masters play-off along with Shane Lowry for a tee-time from the 10th at 1240 BST. Rose won the US Open in 2013 at Merion two years after McIlroy won at Congressional. 

Watch live in the UK on Sky Sports Golf with the opening round from 1230.