Ground crews spring into action to quell complaints ahead of first ever US Open at Erin Hills

Ground crews have spent the past few days hurriedly cutting back the thick seedhead grass that flanks Erin Hills’ verdant fairways after a number of complaints from disgruntled players

Johnson will hope to defend his title at Erin Hills (Getty)

As the sun rises over Wisconsin on Thursday morning, it will gently warm the fine fescue of Erin Hills that has caused so much controversy ahead of its first-ever US Open this week.

Ground crews have spent the past few days hurriedly cutting back the thick seedhead grass that flanks Erin Hills’ verdant fairways; an assault team of strimmers, blowers and rakes sent out to quell complaints from some players that the rough was simply too punishing. 12-time PGA Tour winner Paul Azinger described it as “brutal”.

But by the time that first tee shot of the weekend flies over the wetland and towards the first pin, some 608 yards away, all the talk will be over. Wisconsin’s first-ever US Open will be underway and 156 of golf’s finest will be competing for the $12m purse.

Or will that be 155? Phil Mickelson may be one of the finest golfers of a generation but not even he can dictate terms to Pacific Ridge High School in San Diego, from where his daughter graduates on Thursday morning.

“I need a four-hour delay,” calculated Lefty, praying for rain as he jets across from California. He may fly, but he is unlikely to seriously compete.

Dustin Johnson is a different matter. The defending champion remains the world No 1 and bookmakers’ favourite. He is the straightest guy off the tee and that is expected to count for a lot this weekend on undulating terrain that will not forgive mistakes.

Johnson is the defending champion (Getty)

Add in Johnson’s several practice rounds in Erin last week and you can see why the market fancies him to repeat. DJ arrived late on Tuesday night after remaining with his wife for the birth of their new baby son, and there would be few better ways to celebrate his arrival than victory over these hills.

But as always there is a merry band of contenders ready to make his life difficult. Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are golf’s smiling young faces and can be expected to be there or thereabouts but what of ascendant star Jon Rahm – who wasn’t even a professional when Dustin won last year’s US Open but is now ranked 10th in the world?

Jason Day, Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia, the man who finally ended that crushing major drought at Augusta, are all well-positioned to challenge whether or not they have to tangle with the rough that has dominated much of the tournament’s build-up.

Sergio Garcia is likely to be in contention (Getty)

“We have 60 yards from left line to right line,” said McIlroy, one of the few to calm the fears over some of the rough. “You’ve got 156 of the best players in the world here. If we can’t hit it within that avenue, you might as well pack your bags and go home. These are the widest fairways we’ve ever played in a US Open.”

Jordan Spieth added: “I don’t think the golf course is unfair, by any means, because of the fescue,” but also argued that the thick grass created “essentially two water hazards – two hazards on each side of every single hole.”

“It means pretty much taking a penalty stroke.”

McIlroy won the US Open back in 2011 (Getty)

For now, though, they have given the grass the green light. They are fine with the fescue and ready for the rough though a thin tee shot on the fourth, where much of the urgent landscaping has taken place, could change that view very quickly.

The only hole that will matter on Sunday night is the 18th, a long par 5 that stretches up towards the shrine on Holy Hill in the distance, with its spire piercing the horizon high above the Erin Hills clubhouse where a victor will be crowned.

An excited Wisconsin, after some last-minute pruning, awaits.