US Open Golf Weather 2015: Updated Forecast Report for Round 1 at Chambers Bay

The 2015 U.S. Open kicks off Thursday from University Place, Washington, and this year, weather will come into play more than ever before.

That's not just because the tournament is being held in the Pacific Northwest—an area known for its abundance of rain—it's due to the fact that Chambers Bay is a links-style course that features a wide-open layout. There are few spots on the course that will provide any sort of relief from the elements—especially high winds.

Interestingly enough, Thursday's weather forecast, via Weather.com, isn't overly intimidating. There is zero chance of rain, and temperatures stretch from the high 50s in the early morning to the mid-70s in the afternoon. The day should be rather comfortable for the tournament's participants; however, there is one caveat for players with late tee times.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

Wind is always a huge factor on links courses like Chambers Bay, and while the morning will only come with gusts around 3 mph, the speed will continue to gradually increase throughout the day. By 4 p.m. PT, winds will reach 10 mph and go as high as 13 mph. While those aren't catastrophic numbers, players will need to account for those gusts and adjust accordingly.

With that in mind, we can speculate that the players with early tee times on Thursday will have the upper hand. That's good news for the likes of Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, but not so much for Jordan Spieth, Tiger Woods and Rickie Fowler.

Here's a look at the notable tee times for the day:

Golfer	Tee Time (ET)
Phil Mickelson	10:33 a.m.
Bubba Watson	10:33 a.m.
Hideki Matsuyama	11:06 a.m.
Matt Kuchar	11:06 a.m.
Henrik Stenson	11:17 a.m.
Dustin Johnson	11:17 a.m.
Adam Scott	11:17 a.m.
Sergio Garcia	11:17 a.m.
Jim Furyk	11:28 a.m.
Martin Kaymer	11:28 a.m.
Rory McIlroy	11:28 a.m.
Brooks Koepka	11:39 a.m.
Patrick Reed	11:39 a.m.
Chris Kirk	11:39 a.m.
Jordan Spieth	5:17 p.m.
Jason Day	5:17 p.m.
Justin Rose	5:17 p.m.
Tiger Woods	5:28 p.m.
Rickie Fowler	5:28 p.m.
Jimmy Walker	5:39 p.m.

So, what are the players in for at Chambers Bay?

Well, the links-style course is unlike any previous U.S. Open venue. We all know what a U.S. Open course looks like. It features narrow fairways, small, ice-slick greens, very thick rough and huge trees lining just about every fairway. Chambers Bay has none of those attributes.

This week, players will be dealing with Open Championship conditions, as Chambers Bay features an open layout that includes wide fairways, enormous greens, few trees and lingering fescue all over the course. There will be no reprieve for any wind gusting off the Puget Sound.

Here's an overview that will allow you to get familiar with the track:

As we could have anticipated, Chambers Bay has been receiving some mixed reviews throughout the week. Phil Mickelson explained why during a press conference, via Bob Harig of ESPN.com:

"

That's because historically it's not like a normal U.S. Open. It's everything like a British Open. The exact same grasses. I've never seen this type of fescue in the United States. I've never seen greens with fescue grass in the United States.

It plays exactly like the British Open plays. The ball runs like the British, you're hitting the same shots as the British, and so it's like a British Open in the U.S.

"

However, Lefty tends to enjoy wide-open courses like Chambers Bay. They suit his game nicely due to huge, forgiving fairways and enormous greens that are advantageous for players with stellar short games. That said, Mickelson has already expressed his affinity for the course.

Charlie Riedel/Associated Press

One player who is very familiar with links courses is world No. 1 Rory McIlroy. The Northern Irishman spends plenty of time across the pond playing in European Tour events, many of which take place on links courses. Due to his bombing drives and precise putting, McIlroy's game is suited nicely for Chambers Bay. He explained during a press conference, via Adam Justice of International Business Times:

"

Every part of this golf course is fescue. It's really like playing a [British] Open championship in the United States ... apart from the fact that it's about 20 degrees warmer. It plays more like a links course than some [genuine] links courses.

I really like the golf course. It sets up well for my game. You've got to hit driver. It's a course where you're going to see a lot of guys hit fairways and hit greens but when you hit greens, you can still be 50, 60 feet away from the pin.

"

Chambers Bay will certainly provide a unique test for golf's most elite players in this year's U.S. Open. We could speculate that players who have spent time on links courses will have the biggest advantage in the tournament, but preparation will also be a big factor in that regard. After all, this course is rather unfamiliar territory for most of the field considering it was just opened in 2007.

Get ready for a wild ride in the Pacific Northwest.