US Open Golf 2016: Tee Times, Date, TV Schedule and Prize Money
The best golfers in the world are set for the 2016 U.S. Open, and whichever one raises the coveted trophy Sunday evening will certainly have earned it. Oakmont Country Club, the host for this year's event, is one of the toughest tests in the sport.
As was the case at the Masters two months ago, the trio of Jordan Spieth, Rory McIlroy and Jason Day is receiving most of the attention ahead of the season's second major. None of them captured the green jacket back in April, however, as Danny Willett pulled away during the final round.
Let's check out all of the key tournament information as the game's biggest stars look to steal the spotlight against a loaded field. That's followed by a preview and championship prediction.
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Tournament Details
Where: Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania
When: Thursday, June 16 - Sunday, June 19
Watch: Fox and Fox Sports 1
Live Stream: Fox Sports Go
TV Schedule
| Thursday, June 16 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Thursday, June 16 | 5 - 8 p.m. | Fox |
| Friday, June 17 | 10 a.m. - 5 p.m. | Fox Sports 1 |
| Friday, June 17 | 5 - 8 p.m. | Fox |
| Saturday, June 18 | 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. | Fox |
| Sunday, June 19 | 11 a.m. - 7:30 p.m. | Fox |
Notable Tee Times
| 8:24 a.m. | 2:09 p.m. | Rory McIlroy | Danny Willett | Rickie Fowler |
| 8:35 a.m. | 2:20 p.m. | Zach Johnson | Bryson DeChambeau | Jordan Spieth |
| 1:36 p.m. | 7:51 a.m. | Hideki Matsuyama | Sergio Garcia | Dustin Johnson |
| 2:09 p.m. | 8:24 a.m. | Phil Mickelson | Justin Rose | Henrik Stenson |
| 2:20 p.m. | 8:35 a.m. | Jason Day | Louis Oosthuizen | Adam Scott |
For a complete list of tee times, visit the PGA Tour's official site.
Prize Money
| Total Purse | $10,000,000 |
| Winner's Share | $1,800,000 |
Event Preview
Oakmont isn't difficult because it's full of tricky quirks. In fact, it's quite the opposite. The general game plan is simple: Hit it long and straight. The execution of that approach is incredibly challenging, however, because the margin for error is so thin.
In many cases, if you come up short, you'll be looking at a long iron shot into the green. That's still a better alternative than going wayward off the tee, though. Missing the fairway into the deep rough is going to ruin the hopes of a lot of golfers this week.
That's all by design. Bob Ford, Oakmont's head professional since 1979, told Bill Fields of PGATour.com that the club and its members embrace the demanding nature of the course.
"Once you become a member here, you just kind of go along with the train," Ford said. "The train is going down the road. We want it hard. We want it fast. We want it impossible, and we're not in favor of low scores."
Those words rung true nine years ago when Oakmont last hosted the event. Angel Cabrera edged Tiger Woods and Jim Furyk by a single stroke to win the title at five over par.
Even in an era where players are in better overall physical condition and the improved technology gives them an even greater edge, this is a course where merely crushing the ball off the tee doesn't make up for weaknesses elsewhere. Virtually every mistake is punished.
It creates a situation where the winner will be the player who's the most consistent rather than somebody who just gets red-hot for 18 holes. Accepting that par is a perfectly fine score isn't in the nature of most top players, but that mentality is necessary to avoid taking too many risks.
Ken Pomeroy's PGA win probability projector places Day as the favorite, followed by most of the usual suspects. Yet it also suggests the odds are equal between one of those marquee names winning it and somebody else coming out on top:
Henrik Stenson is the name that jumps out most aside from the Big Three. He ranks ninth in driving accuracy and seventh in greens in regulation, according to PGATour.com. And while he's not a big hitter, his 68th-ranked placement in distance is good enough to avoid any serious problems.
The fact he missed the cut in each of his last two PGA Tour starts does cause some concern. The good news is that he played the Nordea Masters as preparation for this week and finished fourth, posting a tournament-best six-under 66 in the final round.
Stenson has some impressive accolades on his resume, including FedEx Cup and Race to Dubai championships in 2013. Now it's time for him to add his first major title after nine prior top-10 finishes on golf's biggest stages during his career.
Predicted Champion: Henrik Stenson
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