10 fascinating facts about the US Open Golf Championship which you probably didn't know

The US Open Golf Championship will be held at the prestigious Los Angeles Country Club from June 15-18, 2023. The US Open, as one of the major tournaments on both the PGA Tour and the European Tour, attracts the world's best golfers competing for glory and a large reward.

This year's championship prize money totals an astonishing $17.5 million, demonstrating the tournament's status and relevance in the golfing world.

As we prepare for this year's championship, here are 10 fascinating facts about the tournament that you probably didn't know.

#1 Phil Mickelson's potential Career Grand Slam

If Phil Mickelson wins the tournament, he will have completed a Career Grand Slam. This remarkable feat has only been accomplished by five players in the Masters era.

#2 Tiger Woods seeking 4th U.S. Open victory

A victory for Tiger Woods would be his fourth U.S. Open championship win, which will enable him to join the ranks of five other men who have four U.S. Open titles each. Woods previously won the tournament in 2000, 2002 and 2008.

#3 Rory McIlroy's historic low total

With an amazing 268 at the Congressional Country Club in 2011, Rory McIlroy set a new record for the lowest aggregate total in US Open history.

#4 The humble beginnings

Horace Rawlins, an English professional golfer, won the first U.S. Open Championship in 1891. Rawlins was awarded $150, a gold medal, and custody of the US Open Trophy. In comparison, the 2018 champion took home more than $2 million.

#5 The legacy of Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, the site of this year's U.S. Open, has a special place in golf history. It hosted the second-ever U.S. Open in 1896 as one of the five founding clubs of the United States Golf Association in 1895. The club would not host the renowned championship again until 1986, nearly a century later.

#6 Expansion of the championship schedule

In 1930, the United States Open expanded its schedule from two to three days. The first two days each contained 18 holes, while the third day had the final two rounds.

#7 Television broadcasting begins

The United States Open became the first golf championship to be broadcast on television in 1947, allowing the event to reach a significantly larger audience.

#8 Four 18-hole rounds introduced

The current format of four 18-hole day rounds was established in 1965 and has since become the tournament's staple.

#9 Surpassing the $1-million purse mark

The US Open set a notable milestone in 1993 when the total purse surpassed $1 million for the first time. This underlined the tournament's growing financial and prestige appeal.

#10 Record-breaking entrants

The 2004 United States Open attracted a record-breaking 10,127 entrants, the most in the championship's history. This shows the event's widespread popularity and competitive nature.

With these intriguing facts, the excitement for the forthcoming US Open Golf Championship at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club keeps growing day by day.