The toughest of them all!

There are many tournaments to look forward to during a calendar year, but mid-June every year offers golf fans the chance to witness the ultimate test - the US Open.

On October 4, 1895 the first US Open Championship was conducted by the United States Golf Association on the nine-hole course of Newport Golf and Country Club.

Ten professionals and one amateur started in the 36-hole competition, which were four trips around the Newport course in one day. The surprise winner was Horace Rawlins, 21, an English professional who was the assistant at the host course. Rawlins scored 91-82 - 173 with the gutta-percha ball.

Prize money totalled $335, of which Rawlins won the $150 first prize. He also received a gold medal and custody of the Open Championship Cup for his club for one year.

In 1913, the US Open really took off when Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old American amateur, stunned the golf world by defeating famous English professionals, Harry Vardon and Ted Ray, in a playoff. Another surge in the championship's popularity coincided with the amazing career of Georgia amateur Bobby Jones, who won the US Open four times (1923, 1926, 1929, and 1930).

The tournament is now one of the biggest and most prestigious in the world as one of the four 'Majors' and is played at a different venue around the US every June over 72 of the most testing holes in golf.

Being an Open means that the tournament is open to everyone, amateurs and professionals alike and many preliminary qualifying rounds are keenly contested across the US prior to the tournament proper; everyone dreaming of taking their place in one of golf's strongest fields, with the superstars of the game.

In 2002, the Black Course at Bethpage State Park, New York, became the first municipally-owned golf course to host a US Open. At the time, the 7,214-yard, par-70 layout, given a major facelift by Rees Jones, was the longest in Open history. This year the championship returns, with the course set to stage an even sterner test for the world's top players.

The parkland-style course more than proved itself as a major-championship venue, with only champion Tiger Woods finishing the 72-hole competition under par at 277 (-3).

Many players believe it is the toughest championship venue not only on the US Open rota, but in the world of golf. Some minor alterations have been made for the 2009 US Open, but the course should essentially feature the same challenging characteristics that the world's best golfers faced seven years ago.

Last year at Torrey Pines we witnessed one of the finest tournaments in recent memory with an inspired Rocco Mediate pushing the injured Tiger all the way in 91 holes of unbelievable, nail-biting golf.

For Woods to complete victory whilst playing with a badly injured knee was one of the greatest sporting achievements I have ever seen. He paid a high price for that victory; nine months out of the game and reconstructive surgery.

But now he is back, and he will surely still be the man to beat. Many contenders have emerged over the past year as potential successors to his throne. I canvassed opinion from the Royal Golf Club's professionals for potential winners; Sergio Garcia, Lee Westwood and Anthony Kim were mentioned as possible winners.

Surely the form player so far this year, Paul Casey, who is now ranked world number three following his victory at Wentworth last month, must be one of the favourites and would be my tip. Maybe Padraig Harrington could emerge from the doldrums after a miserable year so far - we all know he loves a major!

The toughest courses usually bring the cream of the field to the top and over four days and 72 holes of gruelling championship golf, consistency, physical fitness and mental strength triumph over everything else.

The US Open is always a stern test, par is all of a sudden a good score again and it is not everyone's cup of tea. It certainly won't be a birdie fest, but, come Sunday evening one thing is for sure, the US Open champion will be crowned, and whoever it is will be a very worthy champion.

Enjoy!