Date: June 14-17

Site: The Olympic Club (Lake Course)

The course: The Lake Course was designed in 1924 by Willie Watson and Sam Whiting, and then Whiting redesigned it three years later because of significant storm damage. Its main characteristics are sloping, tree-lined fairways as the property works its way down toward Lake Merced. There is only one fairway bunker on the entire course, at the par-four sixth. There have been minimal renovations over the years, except for a new hole created for the par-three eighth that now plays 200 yards and was moved to the right. Hundreds of trees have been removed, opening views down toward Lake Merced.

Length: 7,170 yards

Par: 34-36_70

Cut: Top 60 and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead after 36 holes.

Playoff, if necessary: 18 holes of stroke play on June 18.

Field: 156 players

Purse: TBA ($8 million in 2011)

Defending champion: Rory McIlroy

Last year: Rory McIlroy shattered the US Open scoring record during a soft week at Congressional. He went 35 holes before making his first bogey and became the first player to reach 13-under par until a double bogey to end his second round. No matter. The 22-year-old from Northern Ireland built an eight-shot lead going into the final round and closed with a 69 for a 16-under 268 and an eight-shot win. The 268 broke the 72-hole record by four shots. His 16 under was four better than the record Tiger Woods set at Pebble Beach in 2000. He set or tied seven scoring records for the week.

Last time at Olympic Club: Lee Janzen overcame a five-shot deficit against Payne Stewart and closed with a two-under 68 for a two-shot victory. Janzen got a huge break in the final round when his ball, stuck in a tree on the fifth hole, was dislodged as Janzen was heading back to the tee to play his third shot. It was his second US Open title.

US Open champions at Olympic Club: Jack Fleck (1955), Billy Casper (1966), Scott Simpson (1987), Lee Janzen (1998).

Noteworthy: The four players who have finished second at US Opens at The Olympic Club have won a combined 27 majors. The four winners won a combined seven majors.

Quotes: "Now we are going to get back to where it's not going to be so much fun and games out there. It's going to be hard work." - Johnny Miller on Olympic Club.

Key statistic: The US Open is the only major Tiger Woods has not won in consecutive years.

Coincidence: The US Open champion has played with Phil Mickelson in the opening two rounds twice in the past four years.

Tiger tales: Tiger Woods has gone four years without winning a major. The longest Jack Nicklaus went without a major was five years, a drought that began at age 41.