Thursday 16 June 2016 09:34, UK
Paul McGinley discusses how the weather could play a key part in this week's US Open, and looks at those likely to impress at Oakmont.
Oakmont is a quintessential US Open course, in the way it's set up with its juicy rough and very firm, fast greens. A lot of the greens slope away from you, and it's everything like I remember from watching US Opens on TV as a youngster.
Having walked the course a couple of times already, I can tell you it's exactly the examination needed for the players. What I'm really interested in seeing though is how the week is shaping up after the expected weather during the first two days.
All of the big three will come in with a lot of confidence and for all of those you could write a really strong case for them ending the week as champion.
If the rain comes on Thursday as forecast, where they're expecting as much as two and a half inches, that will make the scoring a lot closer to par and maybe even slightly under par. It'll be easier for the players, as the fairways become wider and the greens become bigger as they'll be softer.
Come Friday night, we'll have a much clearer picture, before a weekend where we expect the fast greens and tough conditions to return as it dries out. To quote an old soccer phrase, this week has the potential to be a tournament of two halves - and it'll be a challenge for the field to deal with that.
There are a huge number of players coming into this week in good form, and you can't discount anybody, as the standard is just so good.
Dustin Johnson, with the quality of golfer he is, certainly has the talent to win a major. He's had three golden opportunities to claim one, and is a player whose best chance is possibly going out four or five groups behind on the final day and setting a good, solid score early.
For me though, I think you've got to look at the world's top three, who have all won recently. Jordan Spieth's here defending his title and he'll find a way of tackling this golf course, where the speed of the greens should play into his hands. Spieth is such a great competitor, and he proves that time after time by the way that he wins.
For Jordan to win in Texas, after what happened over the back nine at Augusta shows his mental resilience and quickly puts any doubts people may have had.
There's nobody who has gone through the game of golf, from Jack Nicklaus to Tiger Woods, who hasn't been scarred by the game in some way or another and Jordan is no different, as great of a competitor as he is.
Jason has won seven times in his last 18 starts and he's the hottest player in the game at the moment. He's in the purple patch of his career and his CV is ready for another major championship.
Rory will also be buoyed by his win at the Irish Open, followed by changing back his putting grip in Memphis and having one of his best ever putting weeks statistically on the PGA Tour.
All of the big three will come in with a lot of confidence and for all of those, you could write a really strong case for them ending the week as champion.
