The Olympic Club, San Francisco, Calif. (http://www.olyclub.com/)

PAR AND YARDAGE

The Lake Course of The Olympic Club will be set up at 7,170 yards and will play to a par of 34-36-70. At the previous U.S. Open championship at the Olympic Club, the Lake Course was a par 70 and played at 6,797 yards. For the 2007 U.S. Amateur Championship, the Lake Course was 6,948 yards and was a par 35-35-70.

ARCHITECT

Sam Whiting designed the modern layout of the Lake Course, which opened in 1927. Revisions to the course, prior to the 1955 U.S. Open, were supervised by Robert Trent Jones.

U.S. OPEN PHILOSOPHY

The USGA strives to make the U.S. Open the most rigorous, yet fair and complete, examination of golf skills, testing all forms of shotmaking. The USGA prepares the course after careful consideration of 14 factors. The complete philosophy statement can be found at www.usopen.com. The course can truly be called “the toughest test in golf.”

WHO CAN ENTER

The championship is open to any professional and any amateur golfer with a USGA Handicap Index® not exceeding 1.4. The deadline for entries is April 25.

ENTRIES

In 2011, the USGA accepted 8,300 entries. A record 9,086 entries were accepted for the 2009 U.S. Open.

LOCAL QUALIFYING

Local qualifying, played over 18 holes, will be conducted at 109 sites between April 30-May 17.

SECTIONAL QUALIFYING

Sectional qualifying, played over 36 holes, will be conducted at two international sites on May 21 (Japan) and May 28 (England) as well as 11 sites in the U.S. on June 4.

CHAMPIONSHIP FIELD

The starting field of 156 golfers will be cut after 36 holes to the low 60 scorers (and ties).

SCHEDULE OF PLAY

Eighteen holes of stroke play are scheduled each day from June 14 (Thursday) through June 17 (Sunday). In case of a tie after 72 holes, an 18-hole playoff will be held on June 18 (Monday), beginning at noon (EDT).

2011 CHAMPION

Rory McIlroy, a 22-year-old from Northern Ireland, became the youngest U.S. Open champion in almost a century with a record-breaking performance at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md. last year. McIlroy won by eight strokes with a 72-hole total of 268 (16-under par). In the process, he set or tied 12 U.S. Open records on the second-longest course in Open history at 7,574 yards. McIlroy, who shot all four rounds in the 60s, became the second consecutive U.S. Open champion from Northern Ireland.

THE CROWN

Since 1991, Tiger Woods, Retief Goosen and Graeme McDowell have finished better than 40th in trying to defend their U.S. Open crown. McDowell tied for 14th at last year’s U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club after winning the 2010 title. Goosen tied for 11th in 2005 after holding a three-stroke lead after 54 holes. Woods tied for 12th in 2001 after his win in 2000 at Pebble Beach and tied for 20th in 2003 after winning the previous year. In 2009, he tied for sixth in defending his 2008 title. Six champions have missed the cut during this period, including Angel Cabrera in 2008.

WHAT THE WINNER RECEIVES

Among the benefits enjoyed by the U.S. Open winner are:

*A U.S. Open exemption for the next 10 years

*An invitation to the next five Masters Tournaments

*An invitation to the next five British Open Championships

*An invitation to the next five PGA Championships

*An invitation to the next five Players Championships

*Exempt status on the PGA Tour for five years

QUALIFYING FOR THE OTHER MAJORS

The top 10 finishers (and ties) are exempt for next year’s (2013) U.S. Open. The top eight finishers (and ties) are invited to next year’s (2013) Masters Tournament.

HISTORY

This is the 112th U.S. Open Championship. The U.S. Open, which was first played in 1895, was not contested for two years (1917-18) during World War I and for four years (1942-45) during World War II. The youngest winner of the U.S. Open was 19-year-old John McDermott, who won in 1911; he is among eight players age 21 or younger who have won the U.S. Open. The oldest winner is Hale Irwin, who was 45 and playing on a special exemption when he won his third U.S. Open title in 1990. Irwin earlier won in 1974 and 1979.

There are four four-time U.S. Open winners: Willie Anderson (1901, 1903, 1904, 1905); amateur Robert T. Jones Jr. (1923, 1926, 1929, 1930); Ben Hogan (1948, 1950, 1951, 1953); and Jack Nicklaus (1962, 1967, 1972, 1980).

Only five players have won the Masters and U.S. Open titles in the same year: Craig Wood (1941), Hogan (1951, 1953), Arnold Palmer (1960), Nicklaus (1972) and Tiger Woods (2002).

U.S. OPENS AT THE OLYMPIC CLUB

This is the fifth U.S. Open Championship and the 10th USGA championship to be conducted at The Olympic Club (Lake Course).

In 1955, Jack Fleck defeated four-time Open champion Ben Hogan in a playoff. Fleck, a municipal-course professional in Davenport, Iowa, who was playing his first full year on the tournament tour, birdied two of the last four holes to tie Hogan at seven-over-par 287. He shot 69 in the 18-hole playoff and never trailed, as Hogan carded a 73.

In 1966, Billy Casper won his second U.S. Open in a playoff with Arnold Palmer. Casper trailed by seven strokes with nine holes to play in the final round, but rallied to match Palmer at two-under-par 278. In the playoff, Palmer led by two shots after nine holes, but Casper erased the lead with a 50-foot birdie at the par-3 13th. Casper finished with a one-under-par 69, while Palmer shot 73.

Scott Simpson birdied the 14th, 15th and 16th holes of the final round in winning the 1987 U.S. Open and overtaking Tom Watson. Simpson’s 72-hole total of 277, three under par, was one stroke better than Watson’s 278. They were the only players to better par for the championship.

Lee Janzen made four birdies and no bogeys over the final 15 holes to capture his second U.S. Open in 1998 at The Olympic Club. Janzen, who finished at even-par 280 for a one-stroke win, came from seven strokes behind Payne Stewart, the largest come-from-behind victory after 54 holes in 25 years. He earned a share of the lead with birdies on the 12th and 13th holes, before carefully navigating pars the rest of the way. Stewart bogeyed the 16th, but had a chance to tie Janzen on the finishing hole. His 25-foot birdie putt slid inches below the hole.

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS AT THE OLYMPIC CLUB

Championship Years and Winners

1955 U.S. Open – Jack Fleck def. Ben Hogan, 287 (69) - 287 (73)

1958 U.S. Amateur – Charles Coe def. Tommy Aaron, 5 and 4

1966 U.S. Open – Billy Casper def. Arnold Palmer, 278 (69) - 278 (73)

1981 U.S. Amateur – Nathaniel Crosby def. Brian Lindley, 37 holes

1987 U.S. Open – Scott Simpson by one stroke over Tom Watson, 277-278

1998 U.S. Open – Lee Janzen by one stroke over Payne Stewart, 280-281

2004 U.S. Junior Amateur – Sihwan Kim def. David Chung, 1 up

2007 U.S. Amateur – Colt Knost def. Michael Thompson, 2 and 1

USGA CHAMPIONSHIPS IN CALIFORNIA

The 2012 U.S Open is the 69th USGA championship and 12th Open to be conducted in California. The state has hosted all 13 USGA national championships. The 1948 U.S. Open at Riviera Country Club was the first Open to be held in California, as Ben Hogan won by two strokes over Jimmy Demaret. Some of the sport’s greatest players have won U.S. Opens in California, including Jack Nicklaus (1972), Tom Watson (1982) and Tigers Woods (2000, 2008).

U.S. OPENS IN CALIFORNIA

Years, Courses and Winners

1948 U.S. Open – Riviera Country Club, Los Angeles (Ben Hogan)

1955 U.S. Open – The Olympic Club, San Francisco (Jack Fleck)

1966 U.S. Open – The Olympic Club, San Francisco (Billy Casper)

1972 U.S. Open – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (Jack Nicklaus)

1982 U.S. Open – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (Tom Watson)

1987 U.S. Open – The Olympic Club, San Francisco (Scott Simpson)

1992 U.S. Open – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (Tom Kite)

1998 U.S. Open – The Olympic Club, San Francisco (Lee Janzen)

2000 U.S Open – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (Tiger Woods)

2008 U.S. Open – Torrey Pines Golf Course, San Diego (Tiger Woods)

2010 U.S. Open – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links (Graeme McDowell)

FUTURE U.S. OPENS

June 13-16, 2013 – Merion Golf Club, Ardmore, Pa.

June 12-15, 2014 – Pinehurst (No. 2) Resort & Country Club, Village of Pinehurst, N.C.

June 18-21, 2015 – Chambers Bay, University Place, Wash.

June 16-19, 2016 – Oakmont (Pa.) Country Club

June 15-18, 2017 – Erin Hills, Erin, Wis.

June 14-17, 2018 – Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, Southampton, N.Y.

June 13-16, 2019 – Pebble Beach (Calif.) Golf Links

LONGEST PAR 4s in U.S. OPEN HISTORY

525 yards – 7th at Bethpage State Park (Black Course), Farmingdale, N.Y., 2009

523 yards – 18th at Congressional Country Club (Blue Course), Bethesda, Md., 2011

520 yards – 1st at The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif., 2012

515 yards – 6th at Torrey Pines (South Course), San Diego, Calif., 2008

514 yards – 9th at Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course), Mamaroneck, N.Y., 2006

LONGEST PAR 5s in U.S. OPEN HISTORY

670 yards – 16th at The Olympic Club (Lake Course), San Francisco, Calif., 2012

667 yards – 12th at Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pa., 2007

642 yards – 5th at Southern Hills Country Club, Tulsa, Okla., 2001

640 yards – 12th at Winged Foot Golf Club (West Course), Mamaroneck, N.Y., 2006

636 yards – 9th at Congressional Country Club (Blue Course), Bethesda, Md., 2011

THE LAST TIME IT HAPPENED AT THE U.S. OPEN

Rory McIlroy – the last foreign winner (2011)

Curtis Strange – the last to defend title successfully (1989)

Francis Ouimet – the last winner who won the Open on his first attempt (1913)

Jerry Pate – the last winner to win the Open on his second attempt (1976)

Rory McIlroy – the last start-to-finish winner with no ties (2011)

a-Robert T. Jones Jr. – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole and win by one stroke (1926)

Tiger Woods – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole (2008)

Tiger Woods – the last winner to birdie the 72nd hole to force a playoff (2008)

Geoff Ogilvy – the last winner without a round in the 60s (2006)

Rory McIlroy – the last winner with all rounds in the 60s (2011)

Rory McIlory – the last winner between ages 20-29 (was 22 in 2011)

Graeme McDowell – the last winner between ages 30-39 (was 30 in 2010)

Payne Stewart – the last winner over age 40 (was 42 in 1999)

Angel Cabrera – the last defending champion to miss the cut (2008)

Hale Irwin – the last winner after receiving a special exemption (1990)

Lucas Glover – the last winner to come through sectional qualifying (2009)

Orville Moody – the last winner to come through local and sectional qualifying (1969)

John Goodman – the last amateur to win the Open (1933)

TELEVISION COVERAGE

The U.S. Open will receive at least 30 hours of coverage. NBC will air at least 16 hours of coverage throughout the championship and ESPN will air at least 14 hours over the first two days of play.

(All times PDT)

June 14: ESPN: 10 a.m.-12 noon, 2-7 p.m.; NBC: 12-2 p.m.

June 15: ESPN: 10 a.m.-12 noon, 2-7 p.m.; NBC: 12-2 p.m.

June 16: NBC: 1-7 p.m.

June 17: NBC: 1-7 p.m.

June 18 (if 18-hole playoff is necessary); ESPN: 9-11 a.m.; NBC: 11 a.m. to conclusion