PINEHURST, N.C. — Facts and figures for the 114th U.S. Open golf championship:
Dates: June 12-15.
Site: Pinehurst No. 2.
The course: This is considered the masterpiece of Donald Ross, who completed Pinehurst No. 2 in 1907 and continued to refine it until his death in 1948. It has hosted the U.S. Open in 1999 and 2005. Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw renovated No. 2 three years ago by restoring the native sandy areas that were prevalent in the 1930s and 1940s, meaning this U.S. Open effectively will have no rough. Instead, players will face lies in sandy areas covered with loose vegetation and wire brush plants.
Length: 7,562 yards
Par: 36-34_70
Cut: Top 60 and ties after 36 holes.
Playoff (if necessary): 18 holes on June 16.
Field: 156 players
Purse: TBA ($8 million in 2013).
Defending champion: Justin Rose.
Last year: Rose won his first major championship, closing with an even-par 70 at Merion for a two-shot victory over Phil Mickelson and Jason Day. He became the first Englishman in 43 years to win the U.S. Open, finishing at 1-over 281. Mickelson had the 54-hole lead and reclaimed the lead by holing out for eagle on the 10th hole. But he made bogey twice with a wedge in his hand and closed with a 74. It was his sixth runner-up finish in the U.S. Open.
Last time at Pinehurst No. 2: Michael Campbell of New Zealand closed with a 1-under 69 for a two-shot victory over Tiger Woods. He finished at even-par 280 and became the first Kiwi since Bob Charles in the 1963 British Open to win a major. Woods missed an 8-foot birdie attempt on the 16th hole and three-putted from 25 feet on the 17th hole to fall back. It was only the second time he finished runner-up in a major.
U.S. Open champions at Pinehurst No. 2: Payne Stewart (1999), Michael Campbell (2005).
Let's play two: The U.S. Women's Open will be held the following week on Pinehurst No. 2, the first time the men's and women's Opens have been contested in consecutive weeks on the same golf course.
Noteworthy: Gary Player is the only one to complete the career Grand Slam at the U.S. Open.
Quoteworthy: "Someone could put you in the perfect place off every tee and it's still the hardest course you've ever played." — Geoff Ogilvy on Pinehurst No. 2.
Key statistic: Tiger Woods won 30 percent of the majors he played through the 2008 U.S. Open. Since then, he has not played in 25 percent of the majors because of injury. Woods is recovering from back surgery and is not playing the U.S. Open.
Television (all times ET): Thursday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., ESPN. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., NBC Sports; 5 p.m. to 6 p.m., ESPN2; 6 p.m. to 7 p.m., ESPN. Friday, 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., ESPN. 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., NBC Sports. 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., ESPN. Saturday and Sunday, noon to 7:30 p.m., NBC Sports.