By Mark Lamport-Stokes
UNIVERSITY PLACE, Washington, June 17 (Reuters) - Former champion Graeme McDowell describes it as "a fantastic test" but other players are less effusive about the links-style Chambers Bay layout for this week's U.S. Open.
The par-70 course that stretches along Puget Sound features the biggest elevation changes ever seen at a U.S. Open and with luck of the bounce likely to be commonplace on undulating fairways and greens, it will test players to the full.
"It's a beautiful venue," Swedish world number six Henrik Stenson told reporters while preparing for Thursday's opening round in the second major of the year.