US Open Golf 2012: Tough Course Will Haunt Favorites and Field

With the 2012 U.S. Open tournament kicking off on June 14, the biggest talk of the week has been about the tougher Lake Course at Olympic Club in San Francisco, Calif.

Not only is the entire course tougher than before, but there is one hole that has players seeing red; the brutal 16th. At 670 yards long, this par-5 is one of the most brutal holes in tour history and the longest ever at a U.S. Open.

No matter what the player's rank or stature in the sport, a hole that long on top of an already tough layout could be disastrous to scores throughout the tournament.

PGA star Phil Mickelson had no problem telling the media of his displeasure with the new hole and its distance:

"

I believe that you play 15 holes of really tough, tough golf, and you finally get to your first par 5 and it's the toughest hole on the course. I think 16 will play more over par in stroke average than any hole on the course. That would be my prediction. It's definitely the hardest -- arguably the worst.

"

Those are some hard words, but ones that anyone who has seen the hole would echo.

In one of the deepest U.S. Open fields in recent memory, favorites and long shots will be tested like never before. As much as this year’s tournament was wide open before, this new setup could see scores changing drastically from day to day.

While the players may hate the new course layout and the drama it’s sure to cause, this is great news for fans of the sport. People love to see their favorite stars doing well, but seeing them struggle isn’t too far behind.

For as much as Mickelson is leading the charge against the layout of the 16th hole, it will be his driver that could take advantage of the hole and use it to position himself for a weekend win.

Lefty may not have won a U.S. Open yet, but he could have the right feel for this course come Sunday and finally take home the final key piece in his Hall of Fame career.

Check back for more on golf as it comes, and don’t miss Bleacher Report’s Golf page to get your fill of all things PGA Tour.

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