updated 3:04 a.m. ET June 12, 2009

FARMINGDALE, N.Y. - Facts and figures for the 109th U.S. Open golf championship:

Dates: June 18-21.
Site: Bethpage State Park (Black Course).
The course: The Black is one of five 18-hole courses at Bethpage State Park, the largest public golf facility in the country. Robert Moses, president of the Long Island State Park Commission, brought in A.W. Tillinghast to design the courses, although parks superintendent Joe Burbeck is credited as the architect, with Tillinghast as the consultant. The Black opened in 1936. The price for a state resident is $50 during the week, and $110 for out-of-state players.

Length: 7,426 yards.
Par: 35-35—70.
Format: 72 holes of stroke play.
Cut: Top 60 and ties, and anyone within 10 strokes of the lead after 36 holes.
Playoff, if necessary: 18 holes of stroke play on June 22.
Field: 156 players (142 professionals, 14 amateurs)
Purse: TBA ($7.5 million in 2008).
Winner’s share: TBA ($1.35 million in 2008)
Defending champion: Tiger Woods.

Last year: Woods had not walked 18 holes since the Masters and, unbeknownst to the public, played with a double stress fracture in his leg and on a left knee with torn ligaments that would require season-ending surgery a week later. He holed a 12-foot birdie putt on the final hole Sunday to force an 18-hole playoff with Rocco Mediate, birdied the 18th hole Monday to extend the playoff, then won with a par at No. 7, the 19th hole. It was his 14th major, and one Woods said was “probably the best ever.”

Last time at Bethpage Black: Woods opened with a 67 on his way to a wire-to-wire victory. He had a four-shot lead going into the final round, three-putted the opening two holes and saw his lead cut to two shots by Phil Mickelson on the back nine. Woods reached the 13th hole in two for a birdie and closed with a 2-over 72 for a three-shot victory.

Changes: The course has been stretched by 212 yards. Perhaps the most significant is at No. 9, which is 42 yards long and a bunker has been installed at the left corner of the driving area. The par-4 seventh (525 yards) is now longer than the par-5 fourth (517 yards).

Noteworthy: This is the 18th time the U.S. Open has been held in New York, more than any other state.

Quoteworthy: “When you play well, the people tend to get behind you. When you don’t, nobody notices, and they don’t care. But at least they don’t boo you like at Yankee Stadium.” — Justin Leonard, on the gallery at Bethpage.

Key statistic: Phil Mickelson has never finished worse than fourth in his four U.S. Opens held in New York.

Television (all times EDT): Thursday and Friday, 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. ESPN; 3 p.m. to 5 p.m., NBC; 5 p.m. to 7 p.m., ESPN. Saturday, 2 p.m. to 8 p.m., NBC. Sunday, 1:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m., NBC. Monday playoff (if necessary), Noon to 2 p.m., ESPN; 2 p.m. to conclusion, NBC.

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