2012 U.S. Open Championship at The Olympic Club

The 2012 U.S. Open Golf Championship will be played at the historic Olympic Club, located in San Francisco, California. The Championship will be held June 14-17, 2012. First named the “San Francisco Olympic Club”,^[1] it is the oldest athletic club in the United States. Established on May 6, 1860.  Four previous U.S. Open golf championships have been hosted at this venue. They were in 1955, 1966, 1987 and 1998.  With US Open champions named Jack Fleck, Billy Casper, Scott Simpson and Lee Janzen, who will be named the fifth Olympic Club US Open Champion?

The US Open is like nothing else in the golf world, as we know it today the US Open is truly the survival of the fittest.  The people who play in the US Open are the best that golf has, and the course is the toughest that golf will throw at these players all year long.  When a champion emerges on Fathers Day he will have truly been tested by fire, and will be the last man standing.  Very rarely does a US Open finish up like the 2011 US Open, when won man rocks the golf course to its very core.  I do not believe that the US Open scoring record will be threatened again this year.  I believe this year will be one of those US Opens that will have the winner finishing around even par.  Which is what a US Open should be.

The US Open is golf’s most humbling experience.  Average joes can see the pros struggle.  We get to see three or four putts, we get to see guys hacking it out of the rough, or hitting a chip that goes no where.  We get to see doubles, and others, and the occasional stroke of good fortune.  The US Open reminds golfers of how difficult this game is, and why we love it so much.

The US Open like the Masters is something that I never miss.  I love US Open week, and I enjoy watching Sunday with my dad, especially because it is Fathers Day.  To all the dad’s out there whose sons play this wonderful game because of them we thank you this US Open Sunday for introducing us to a game that we all love to hate.

Chicago Golf Guys Two Cents:
The Olympic Club is something of a giant killer, or maybe it just favors the underdog.  The first year the US Open was played at the Olympic Club a man by the name of Ben Hogan came in second to Jack Fleck (Hogan lost in a 18 hole playoff).  The second time a US Open was held at the Olympic club another gentlemen by the name of Arnold Palmer came in second to a personal favorite of mine Billy Casper.  We fast forward to 1987 and the third US Open at the Olympic Club and another giant beaten when Scott Simpson beat out Tom Watson by one stroke.  Another ten years go by and Payne Stewart finishes a close second to two time US Open Champion Lee Janzen (not the same type of giant killer but certainly a more popular player with Stewart over Janzen).

I wonder if one of the giants will overtake this years US Open in San Fransisco at the Olympic Club.  I love the golf played, and although I have my favorites, just really want a good show.  What would you like to see a fan favorite giant like Phil Mickelson win, or possibly a relative unknown catapulting into golf history when all golf gods align on the west coast.  Either way we are in for a good show.