By Mark Garrod, PA Sport Golf Correspondent, Chicago

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US Open officials have hit back at Padraig Harrington's statement that the winner at Olympia Fields on Sunday will be the most boring man in the field.

"I suppose Padraig is entitled to his opinion," said championship committee chairman Fred Ridley.

"I think part of the test, though, really is the psychological aspect of it, the ability of the player to control his game and emotions and realise that he's going to run into adversity during the round.

"I think that's part of what's involved in identifying a champion. So in my view that's not boring."

The man who hits most fairways and finds most greens is exactly the player the United States Golf Association wants as its champion golfer.

Chief agronomist Tim Moraghan says: "The Masters has its greens, the British Open has the wind and the PGA has the heat. The main ingredient of the US Open is challenging rough.

"The whole key is accuracy off the tee - I know people say that's boring golf, but it's not very boring when you hit it in the middle of the fairway and middle of the green. That's what you are supposed to do."

And Tom Meeks, the USGA's senior director rules and competitions, adds: "We set out with the aim of challenging the players with narrow, firm and fast fairways, severe rough and greens as firm and as fast as you can get them.

"We are looking for the best player in the world. We are trying to challenge the best player in the manner that we know, which has been used in the past and we will continue to use in the future.

"We don't want to back up just to make the players happy. If we didn't get players unhappy and criticising us, then we didn't do a very good job at setting up the Open."

Getting to the green then will be a test in itself on the 7,190-yard par 70 lay-out. But getting the ball in the hole will not be easy either.

Moraghan states that anyone facing a four-footer to win at the weekend "had better be a good putter" and Meeks comments: "You have to set the holes on the edge - as difficult as you can make them.

"I think the players respect that, though. Even though they might complain, I think they would be disappointed if we didn't make it as challenging as possible."