PHILADELPHIA (AP) – Merion Golf Club’s rich history is undeniable. Now, the club that boasts Jones, Hogan and Nicklaus among its past champions is prepared to add to its honor roll.

The venerable course once thought to be too short and too compact to stage the USGA’s marquee event is back in the spotlight and less than a year away from hosting the 2013 U.S. Open.

The Open’s return to Merion has been a long time coming – 32 years to be exact. The primary question facing the membership and the USGA was whether the course could challenge the long-hitting, modern day player and accommodate the trappings that go with an Open.

And after more than a decade of preparation and a number of successfully staged championships, the membership and USGA are confident on both counts.

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