US Open Golf 2012: Latest News on Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and More

The U.S. Open begins on Thursday at the Olympic Club in San Francisco. It's the second major tournament of the season and an elite field of golfers will tee it up with hopes of capturing one of the sport's most sought-after titles.

It's one of the toughest tests the players will face all year. Only twice since 2000 has the winner carded a score of double digits under par. The last time it was held at this course in 1998, Lee Janzen won with a score of even par.

So the world's best golfers are in for a wild ride throughout the weekend. Let's take a look at some of the latest news about the most talked-about players in the field.

Tiger Woods

Woods enters the event riding a wave of momentum after his comeback victory at the Memorial two weeks ago. He's finally found some consistency with his retooled swing and appears ready to contend for another major title.

Michael Whitmer of the Boston Globe reports Woods still has his sights set on Jack Nicklaus:

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"Well, Jack did it at 46, right?" Woods said, referring to the final major Nicklaus won, the 1986 Masters. "So I’ve got 10 [years]. [Tom] Watson almost pulled it off at 59.

"It can be done. We can play for a very long time. That’s the great thing about staying in shape and lifting weights and being fit, is that the playing careers have extended."

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It's certainly an attainable goal, especially if Woods can win at least one of the final three major events this season. Making sure he stays healthy for an extended period of time will eventually become a bigger concern than his play on the course.

Phil Mickelson

Even though Mickelson has three top-10 finishes in his last six starts, he enters the U.S. Open after withdrawing from the Memorial. He seems to be back on track following a week off and is excited for his grouping with Woods, according to ESPN.

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"I just feel very inspired when I play with him," Mickelson said. "He brings out some of my best golf. I hope that he continues to play better and better and I hope that he and I have a chance to play together more in the final rounds."

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Bubba Watson, who won the Masters a couple months ago, will join the two superstars to form the marquee group of the first two rounds. If Mickelson does thrive while playing alongside those other contenders, he'll give himself a mental edge on the weekend.

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy broke out of a recent funk with a seventh-place finish at the FedEx St. Jude Classic, but is still searching for the form that made him so dominant at the beginning of the season. He's also looking to defend his championship from last year.

ESPN's Bob Harig states the Northern Irishman faces an uphill battle to accomplish that feat. No golfer has won two straight U.S. Opens since Curtis Strange 23 years ago. Only six players in the tournament's history have gone back-to-back.

It's impossible to doubt McIlroy's ability. He has a picture-perfect swing and has won enough events to warrant the hype that surrounds him. His level of play will have to go up a couple notches to outlast this week's talented field, however.

Andy Zhang

Zhang isn't a household name. At least not yet. But the 14-year-old China native will become the youngest player to participate in the U.S. Open, and will look to begin his journey toward turning his potential into actual ability.

Despite all the extra attention, he's still just a teenager, as a tweet from Rick Reilly illustrates:

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Asked 14-year-old Andy Zhang what's the coolest part about being in the U.S. Open? ... "All the free candy!"

— Rick Reilly (@ReillyRick) June 12, 2012"

Between the difficult course and top-notch field, Zhang will be hard-pressed to have much success in his first major appearance. That said, it should be a tremendous learning experience as he keeps looking toward the future.