US OPEN RELATED STORIES US Open Home Page US Open Preview Round 1: Unknowns steal the first day spotlight Round 1: Lee Westwood off to excellent start Round 1: Allenby vents frustration with greens Round 1: Tiger Woods in good shape after a 72 Round 2: Appleby leads as Tiger jumps up Round 2: Overnight leaders crash back to Earth Round 2: Players will be watching Tiger Round 2: Harrington back in contention with a 67 Round 3: Stunning finish lifts Woods in to lead Round 3: Westwood not worried about Tiger factor Round 3: Rocco Mediate still in contention Round 3: A nine ruins Phil Mickelson's chances Round 4: Tiger Woods sets up US Open playoff Round 4: Lee Westwood just misses out on playoff Round 4: Big chance looms for Rocco Mediate Round 4: Sunday bonus for some players Playoff: Tiger wins at 19th playoff hole Playoff: Legend of Tiger Woods grows Playoff: Torrey Pines 18th pivotal in Tiger's win Playoff: So close for Rocco Mediate Course Guide: Torrey Pines US Open Scores US Open Latest Odds and Betting 2008 PGA Tour Schedule US Open Roll of Honour 1895-2007 US Open Scoring and other Records Woods - Mickelson - Scott pairing the main attraction Excitement as US Open prepares to start Trevor Immelman hoping to improve US Open luck Length of Torrey Pines only a small factor Tiger Woods reveals knee not fully healed yet Phil Mickelson targets dream victory Sergio Garcia ready for Major breakthrough Angel Cabrera set for US Open title defence Tiger Woods knee fine after US Open practice USGA favouring public courses for US Open Bob Tway to caddie for son at US Open Tiger Woods plays practice round at Torrey Pines Darren Clarke out to prove US Open strategy Davis Love III & Rich Beem qualify for US Open Torrey Pines vandalised ahead of US Open Fourteen gain entry to US Open at Torrey Pines GOLF TODAY TOP STORIES Fred Couples to enlist some unusual help Paula Creamer seeking another home town win Jay Haas on brink of another senior money title Justin Leonard looking to break Texas Open record Father & Son event sign up with Sky Sports GREAT GIFTS FOR GOLFERS The Pocket Golf Professional Golf Breaks to Portugal & Ireland Half Price Golf Vouchers The Father & Son Golf Ch'ship Best Value Golf Insurance

Trevor Immelman hoping to improve US Open luck

Trevor Immelman has never had much luck in the U.S. Open, but he is playing in the perfect place to change that this week.

Immelman comes to Torrey Pines for the U.S. Open not only as a major champion, but also as a player who has won a USGA championship here before.

That was 10 years ago, when Immelman won the 1998 U.S. Amateur Public Links at Torrey Pines with a 3 and 2 victory over Jason Dufner. Much has changed since then, according to Immelman, who won The Masters in April, especially the course.

And with those changes goes any advantage Immelman may have had after winning here before.

“I don’t feel like there’s much of an advantage because the course has changed so much and it was 10 years ago,” he said. “It was just so long ago. The course is a lot longer and the other major thing is that the greens are a lot more severe and undulating and there are a lot more plateaus to the greens.”

Despite the changes, Immelman is still happy to return to the location of his amateur triumph.

“It’s fantastic to be back here. I love California,” he said. “I’ve always enjoyed the golf course. Obviously the views are spectacular. I’ve enjoyed playing the course. I think it’s going to be a great week.”

Immelman comes to the season’s second major after having a great week at the first. He opened The Masters with three rounds in the 60s and held on in the final round to win the green jacket and capture his first major.

All the talk at Augusta was of a Tiger Woods Grand Slam despite the fact that a shot had yet to be hit in a major for the season. Now Immelman is the only one who can accomplish the feat but it hasn’t been mentioned at all here at Torrey Pines this week. In fact, the thought hadn’t crossed Immelman’s mind either before he was asked about it.

“I would be the happiest guy on earth if I did it over the span of a career,” Immelman said of the slam. “I have not even for one second thought about that, no.”

Immelman is coming into the U.S. Open off of his best performance since The Masters. He lost in a playoff to Justin Leonard at the St. Jude Championship last week, so his game appears to be rounding into form. His win at Augusta has also added confidence.

“I think the biggest thing it gave me is that I proved to myself that if I play my best golf, I can win any tournament,” Immelman said. “That’s what I took from that victory. It’s just trying to find a way to play my best golf more often, you know?”