By Dave Tindall

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While the American public shows a typically half-hearted interest in the USA's good showing in the World Cup, there's no such indifference towards their national golf championship.

The excitement across the other side of the pond is intense ahead of the 102nd US Open at Bethpage State Park in New York with a number of fascinating storylines waiting to be written.

Can Tiger Woods take the second step in his bid to do a genuine Grand Slam? Can a European win the US Open for the first time since Tony Jacklin in 1970? Will Retief Goosen become the first man to defend since Curtis Strange in 1990? Or will Phil Mickelson bag his elusive first Major?

The action gets under way at 7.15am local time (12.15pm in England) on a course that the large majority of the field hadn't set foot on until earlier this week.

The Black Course at Bethpage State Park is the first public course to host a US Open but don't for one minute think that scores will be low.

The USGA, paranoid as ever about someone shooting the lights out, have used all the usual tricks. As a result the Black Course looks like being a typical US Open layout with tight fairways, thick, gnarly rough and slick greens.

The players are clearly wary of the challenge ahead. "What idiot said that?" spluttered David Duval after it was suggested that the US Open scoring record could go this week.

Colin Montgomerie says "anything under par would be exceptional" so this looks like being another war of attrition.

Monty's chances of being the last man standing are under threat from a bad back which caused him to postpone a second practice round. But his biggest challenge could be the crowds.

The Scot's tempestuous relationship with US golf fans almost reached breaking point at the World Match Play Championship earlier this year when he stormed off the course and threatened never to play in the States again.

A rethink in the cold light of day led to a change of heart and now Golf Digest are issuing the galleries this week with "Be Nice To Monty" badges. It could prove a helpful gimmick but amongst the thousands of wisecracking New Yorkers with a bellyful of beer there's surely going to be a few who won't be nice to Monty. Hopefully they will prove me wrong.

Monty gets under way at 8.35pm local time alongside former US Ryder Cup stars Mark O'Meara and Craig Stadler.

Others with early starts, who you might see on the early leaderboards, include Sergio Garcia (7.45am), Phil Mickelson (7.55am) and Ernie Els (8.15am).

But the name they'll all be looking for is Tiger Woods. The world number one is a late starter on Thursday, teeing off at 13.35pm (18.35pm British time) alongside Northern Ireland's Darren Clarke and fellow American Chris DiMarco.

Woods has a surprisingly poor record in US Open first rounds, shooting 74 on four occasions and once carding a 76.

But if he does start well, then watch out. He opened with a 65 when scoring his amazing 15-shot victory at Pebble Beach in 2000 and the year before finished third at Pinehurst after posting a first round 68.

If Woods gets a flyer, it will be near impossible to reel him in on a course where birdies will be hard to find.