For the second time since 1999, the US Open returns to Pinehurst and there is plenty of intrigue including Rory McIlroy's form.
European Ryder Cup vice-captain Des Smyth previewed the Major for us and he also analysed McIlroy's trait which sees him blow everyone else out of the water when he is winning.
"We haven't seen him go to head-to-head or nip and tuck and come out on top in many of them. But there is no doubt about his talent. You only have to watch him when he's in the mood. He's not a Tiger Woods, he's not a grinder, he's either on it or he's not," said Smyth.
He also gave his take on the Pinehurst No 2 course and believes a player with a "razor sharp" short game will triumph.
"The word is, if you can't pitch, you can't play this golf course because although the rough is not like you see it at other US Opens where it's very thick and near the greens, the fairways are almost impossible if you miss them. This one is more linksy with the way the greens are setup. You're going to have to look towards a player with a razor sharp short game," he explained.
Smyth also looked at the main runners and riders like Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson ahead of the tournament.
Download the brand new OffTheBall App in the Play Store & App Store right now! We've got you covered!
Subscribe to OffTheBall's YouTube channel for more videos, like us on Facebook or follow us on Twitter for the latest sporting news and content.
