Justin Rose today survived a rollercoaster final round to win his first major title in the US Open and inflict further misery on Phil Mickelson.

When Jack Nicklaus said that Merion “acre for acre may be the best test of golf in the world”, he certainly wasn’t considering the course from the point of view of tournament logistics.

The halfway cut fell at eight over par, but Ian Poulter was still predicting a “fun weekend” as the weather-delayed US Open looked to get back on track at Merion today.

Rory McIlroy and Tiger Woods ducked and weaved as best they could but tough gal Merion continued to land her punches in what’s turning out to be a fascinating US Open.

Mike Davis is the USGA’s executive director, the man charged with creating the sort of mayhem usually served up to us each year during the US Open championship.

They said it would be a massacre of Merion but the grand old lady of American golf proved more than a match for the game’s elite as only Phil Mickelson managed to lay a glove on her in the early stages of the weather-delayed US Open.

Waterford amateur Kevin Phelan produced a sensational display of control and intelligence to leave a host of superstars in the shade in the first round of the US Open at Merion.

WHEN picking a modern day venue capable of meeting the demands of a US Open, the USGA have recently identified huge properties like Congressional, Bethpage & Torrey Pines, all of which have the course strength, the size and infrastructural capability to allow them to maximise the commercial return from the attendance of 50,000 spectators a day.

Fresh from a cross-country plane journey, five-time runner-up Phil Mickelson today made the perfect start to his bid for a first US Open title on a weather-delayed opening day at Merion.

The contrasting possibilities offered by Merion were soon on show as the 113th US Open got under way this morning, although bad weather was forecast to disrupt proceedings.

On the surface, you’d have to assume that Mike Davis has never stepped foot in the United Kingdom and had the pleasure of navigating a true links.

Experience is everything in a US Open, which is why Pádraig Harrington is a sneaky outside bet to consign his five-year major drought to history and become the third Irish winner in four years.

So what’s it going to be? A thoroughbred major winner with killer course management and length to spare? A major virgin with a hot putter and an even hotter wedge? How about a straight-hitting gut-player with a laser-like long game and a brain?

Graeme McDowell is a poster boy for the power of positive thinking, a master of psychology, a cerebral Grand Slam candidate.

Rory McIlroy isn’t a ham-fisted heavyweight looking to knock seven bells out of Merion with an adrenaline-fuelled attack.

Colin Montgomerie believes Sergio Garcia should be well prepared to face a hostile reception at this week's US Open, even though the Spaniard has taken another step towards settling his differences with Tiger Woods.

Nearly five years have passed since Pádraig Harrington captured his third major title.

Paul McGinley has received an invitation to contest this year’s PGA Championship where fellow Irishman Rory McIlroy will defend the Rodman Wanamaker Trophy.

THIS will be a big weekend on and off the course for several of our leading golfers.