OAKMONT, Pa. — With its length, heavy rough, deep bunkers, and super-slick putting surfaces, Oakmont Country Club is proud of its hard-earned reputation as perhaps the most difficult golf course in America.
The US Open touts itself as the game’s toughest test. For the ninth time, tournament and track are partnered again, with Oakmont the site of this week’s 116th US Open. The last time the US Open was held here in 2007, Angel Cabrera won at 5 over par, the tournament’s highest winning score in relation to par since 1974.
Rain is in the forecast for Thursday and Friday, which could soften the course and lower scores. Barring that, an over-par winning total, maybe approaching Cabrera’s 285, is the safe assumption.
“I don’t think anyone’s going to be in the red come 72 holes,’’ said Jordan Spieth. “It will be a challenge, but I’m certainly looking forward to it.’’
Spieth is the defending champion, having won his first US Open last year at Chambers Bay in University Place, Wash. He was ranked No. 1 in the world then, having captured the Masters and US Open, starting a run that currently includes five consecutive major championship finishes of fourth or better.
He tied for fourth at last year’s British Open, was second at the PGA, then tied for second in his bid to defend at this year’s Masters.
Nobody has won back-to-back US Opens since Curtis Strange followed his 1988 win at The Country Club with another victory in 1989. All Spieth has to do to join that short list — Willie Anderson (1903-05), Bobby Jones (1929-30), Ralph Guldahl (1937-38), and Ben Hogan (1950-51) also won at least two straight US Opens — is beat 155 others on a course that swallows golf balls straying off line and creates doubt and potential doom on even the shortest putt.
How brutally tough is Oakmont? A caddie broke his left ankle Tuesday falling into a bunker. He was helped out by Jason Day, the top-ranked player in the world.
“It’s a great test of golf,’’ said Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion who won the 2011 US Open and is ranked No. 3 in the world. “Every shot you hit, you’re under pressure to hit a great shot, because you can’t really miss it.’’
Spieth hasn’t missed many shots in majors since the start of 2015. But a pair of misfires cost him a second straight Masters two months ago. Taking a five-shot lead to the 10th tee in the final round, Spieth coughed it up in a hurry. Bogeys at Nos. 10 and 11 led to the 12th hole, where he pumped two balls into Rae’s Creek and made a quadruple-bogey 7. He lost to Danny Willett by three.
Much has been made about Spieth’s meltdown, and whether it would have any kind of negative impact on his long-term golf, especially in major championships. We’re about to find out, but in Spieth’s mind, it’s over. He beat back whatever demons grew from the 12th hole by winning at Colonial in his third start after the Masters.
“I moved on,’’ said Spieth. “We went and won, and I think that was really big for us to actually win a tournament. Not just contend, but to actually close one out.
“Now I can draw on those last few holes, the pressure that I felt. Honestly, I think it’s out of our heads now, just from that one experience at Colonial.’’
One thing that could work in Spieth’s favor this week — even though history is against him — is that he doesn’t feel as though he’s defending a championship. That is unlike the Masters, which is played at the same venue every year and has longstanding traditions, such as the reigning winner hosting the champion’s dinner on Tuesday night of tournament week.
Spieth has no such duties this week. He’s been able to focus on his work and learn all about a course that frustrates almost all who play here.
“It just honestly feels like a normal week that I got here earlier for, and I’m preparing maybe harder for,’’ said Spieth, who tied for 57th at the Memorial two weeks ago in his only start after Colonial.
“I had a week off. I got my legs under me after a four-week stretch. I feel very confident about my game right now.
“I wish the tournament started tomorrow.’’
Spieth might be the only one. He’s trying to do something only five men have done before him, and he’s eager to prove that what happened on that Sunday at Augusta National remained at Augusta National.
Everybody else? Oakmont is starting to get into some heads.
“Trepidation, I guess,’’ said McIlroy, when asked to describe the prevailing pretournament emotion. “Excitement is a good way to describe Augusta, but it really depends, the venue that you play a US Open.
“This week it’s definitely . . . it’s not excitement. It’s definitely not that. Yeah, trepidation.’’
Michael Whitmer can be reached at mwhitmer@globe.com. Follow him on Twitter @GlobeWhitmer.
