For at least two of that sturdy quintet at least.

On an Erin Hills course measuring an extraordinary 7,741-yards from the tips, Australia’s two most recent major winners, Day and Scott, will each start among the warm favourites to claim America’s national championship.

Certainly, both were making positive noises with regard to their prospects of becoming the first player from Down Under since Geoff Ogilvy in 2006 to come out on top in what is universally regarded as the toughest of the four Grand Slam events. Well, this year at least, maybe not quite as tough as it could have been.

After hearing howls of protest from some of the more delicate souls in the 156-man field and seeing a torrential downpour soak the premises early on Tuesday, the USGA deigned to do away with much of the Amazon Forest-like rough lining the uncharacteristically wide fairways.

Adam Scott plays a practice round on the Erin Hills course, which he says sets up well for his game. PHOTO: Jamie Squire/Getty Images.

Common sense at the US Open? Who would have thunk it?

“I'm excited for this week,” said Scott, the 2013 Masters champion. “The course sets up well for my game, I believe. Plus, so far this year the two weeks that I count as big tournaments and focus on, the Masters and the Players, have been my best results and my best play. So I hope that trend continues this week.

“My long game certainly lifted last week in Memphis, which I was really happy to see. So I'm seeing progress in my game. But this is the week I want to peak. My long game is at the level I like to see it, especially on a course where it will be tested more than anywhere else this year. And generally my short game improvements this year have been good. So it would be a great week to put it all together.”

Day, the 2015 US PGA champion, was equally effusive about his chances of breaking the current string of six consecutive first-time major winners. Although the Queenslander has not won in more than a year – his last victory was the 2015 Players – he arrived in Wisconsin on the back of a play-off loss to Billy Horschel at the Byron Nelson Classic in Dallas and a steady T15 finish at the Memorial Tournament in his adopted home of Ohio.

And he was happy enough to hear that some members of the field were already moaning and groaning about Erin Hills’ perceived difficulty.

Jason Day says he hopes the course plays really tough. PHOTO: Streeter Lecka/Getty Images.

As many as 14 of the 18 holes ask the players to hit blind or semi-blind shots. Neither, of course, are prevalent on the PGA Tour, where the ability to hit the same shot time after time after time tends to be rewarded more than any combination of creativeness and imagination.

“When you hear a player complain, that's one less guy you have to worry about at the start of the week,” Day said with a broad smile. “Attitude makes for at least 25 percent of your performance. So if you have the right attitude going in, great. But you still have to execute and know that there's a lot of other players out there with equally good mind-sets.

“Everyone is going to run into some sort of trouble out there; everyone. It's a matter of how you handle yourself in those moments. I'd much rather the course play harder than easier. Tough conditions, windy conditions, rain – whatever it is, as long as it's harder. I feel like I play a lot better in conditions like that.”