The World No 1 is returning to competitive action after two missed cuts at Wentworth and the hugely successful Irish Open at Royal County Down.

McIlroy has been criticised by some commentators for only arriving at the course last Friday afternoon. However, he remains confident of a successful week and issued an upbeat bulletin on his arrival at the controversial course.

“My game is in great shape. I took a whole week off after the Irish Open there a few weeks back and now this week I’ve had a good few days of practice back home in Florida”, McIlroy said.

All eyes will be on McIlroy who has been paired with his Ryder Cup partner, Martin Kaymer. The emergence of Jordan Speith has added real spice to the golfing landscape following the trials and tribulations of Tiger Woods. Speith was a brilliant winner of the US Masters at Augusta and is one of only 11 players who has played competitively at Chambers Bay.

Golf fans are eagerly awaiting the second major of the year with so many players finding form in recent weeks. American favourite Phil Michelson has finished runner-up in the US Open on six occasions and would be a hugely popular winner.

The public links-style course was given the seal of approval by Michelson who said: “It’s everything like a British Open. The exact same grasses. I've never seen this type of fescue in the United States.

“I've never seen greens with fescue grass in the United States. It plays exactly like the British Open plays. The ball runs like the British, you're hitting the same shots as the British, and so it's like a British Open in the U.S.”

Graham McDowell is a former winner of the event, while Shane Lowry has been showing patches of form lately. The Irish challenge is completed by Darren Clarke, who has failed to sparkle on US soil in the majors, while Padraig Harrington narrowly missed out on qualification for the event.