The US Open begins today amid a sea of tensions across the sport.
Much of the recent focus in golf has been on the LIV Golf Series, with defections and bans dominating discussions rather than drives and putts. For this week at least, players on both sides of the divide are back competing against each other.
Rory McIlroy has positioned himself as the defender and poster boy of the PGA Tour and he arrives in high spirits this week, having won the Canadian Open on Sunday, as he looks to end his eight-year major drought.
Jon Rahm is the defending champion, after his victory at Torrey Pines 12 months ago, while world number one Scottie Scheffler will be eyeing a fifth win of 2022 and a second major, after he put on the Green Jacket earlier this year.
One man not in the field is Tiger Woods, who has decided to skip the event.
When is the US Open?
The third golf major of the season gets underway today on Thursday, June 16, with the first players on the tee at 11:45am BST.
Assuming there are no serious weather delays, the fourth and final round will conclude on Sunday, June 19.
You can look at the full first-round tee times right here.
Where is the US Open being played?
For the first time in 34 years, The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts hosts a major championship.
Nick Faldo lost out in a play-off on that occasion, as Curtis Strange won the 1988 US Open, and the course was also the venue for the ill-tempered 1999 Ryder Cup.
Matt Fitzpatrick won the 2013 US Amateur here and the Englishman will be hoping for a similarly successful performance this week.
“It’s been on my radar since it was first announced a few years ago,” Fitzpatrick said.
“The first goal was to make sure I was in the field, and now it feels special to be going there thinking that I’ve got a chance to win.
“I’ve played there quite a few times since the Amateur in 2013, including last year. It’s great to be playing at a US Open venue that I know so well.”
As ever at a US Open it is expected to be a tough test with penal rough, while the players will have small, sloping greens to contend with.
Are LIV Golf players allowed to compete?
Players that were involved in the inaugural LIV Golf Series event in London last week will be allowed to compete at the US Open.
All those that played have been banned by the PGA Tour, though a number already resigned their membership, however the USGA has decided not to follow suit in blocking players from teeing it up. That means the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Sergio Garcia are all in the field.
“We pride ourselves in being the most open championship in the world and the players who have earned the right to compete in this year’s championship, both via exemption and qualifying, will have the opportunity to do so,’’ the USGA said in a statement last week.
“Regarding players who may choose to play in London this week, we simply asked ourselves this question — should a player who had earned his way into the 2022 U.S. Open, via our published field criteria, be pulled out of the field as a result of his decision to play in another event? And we ultimately decided that they should not.’’
How to watch the PGA Championship
TV channel: The US Open will be broadcast live on Sky Sports Golf and Main Event.
Coverage on Thursday begins across both channels at 1pm BST, running for 12 hours, with Featured Groups and various hole-by-hole options also available on the red button.
Live stream: Sky Sports subscribers can stream the action live on mobile, tablet or desktop via the SkyGo app.
Latest odds
Rory McIlroy: 10/1
Jon Rahm: 12/1
Justin Thomas: 12/1
Scottie Scheffler: 16/1
Patrick Cantlay: 18/1
Cameron Smith: 22/1
Sam Burns: 22/1
Xander Schauffele: 22/1
Matthew Fitzpatrick: 25/1
Will Zalatoris: 25/1
