The 2012 U.S. Open gets underway on Thursday with the best golfers in the world teeing it up for their first round on the Lake Course at The Olympic Club. Unlike the limited television broadcast tradition at The Masters, the USGA always allows for full wall-to-wall coverage of America's national championship, with 10 hours of coverage on schedule for the first day.

In addition to the extended schedule, the West Coast venue also enhances the coverage by providing a significant portion of the broadcast during the primetime hours in the east. The USGA is in love with the late primetime coverage, and this is the third time since 2008 that they've been able to push tee times back on the West Coast to provide late coverage in the east. It was a huge success at Torrey Pines in 2008 and that was built on at Pebble Beach in 2010. The next four days at Olympic should be no different.

The first tee time goes off just after 10 a.m. ET, two hours before the broadcast kicks in on ESPN. But USOpen.com will feature live streaming video, specifically of a marquee morning group. That group will of course be the 10:33 a.m. ET tee time of Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson, and Bubba Watson. Follow their group shot-by-shot at from the very first ball at No.9 on USOpen.com's live video page.

Thursday's First Round Broadcast Schedule

12:00-3:00 p.m. ET - ESPN

3:00-5:00 p.m. ET - NBC

5:00-10:00 p.m. ET - ESPN

For all your news and updates in the run up to the 2012 U.S. Open at Olympic, visit SB Nation's dedicated golf hub. Be sure to head over to USOpen.com for even more coverage from the event.