Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Oscar Riley.

All three will be at Pebble Beach for the US Open next week, and for Bermudian Riley, it will be the opportunity of a lifetime.

The Port Royal Golf Course employee is being sent to the second major of the year to work on the grounds crew who will be tasked with keeping the course in pristine condition.

And while Riley is expecting to have to be at 'the top of my game', he can't wait to get started.

"I'm excited, I'm excited," he said. "I actually play golf too, and I kind of grew up on this golf course (Port Royal), I've been playing here since I was 11.

"I know that Pebble Beach, for a golfer, is almost Mecca, and I guess I never envisaged myself going to play, or even seeing the place. So this opportunity coming up is very exciting, I'm really looking forward to it.

"I won't know what I'm doing until they actually give us stuff to do. It may be raking bunkers, or they may have me cutting rough, we'll just have to see how it goes.

"But whatever they give me, I'll be happy. I'm going to go, give it my best, and enjoy the views while I'm out there."

Riley leaves for the US today, and knows that from the moment he arrives, he'll be expected to hit the ground running, during what he expects will be a crazy week.

"I'm expecting it to be crazy, it's the US Open, thousands of people are going to be there just to watch the golf.

"I'm thinking that means I've got to be on top of my game, I'm going to help get that place in prestine condition. I'm expecting it to be somewhat intense, somewhat hectic, wild, crazy, and fun. I'm going to have some fun too."

When he does get some free time though Riley is planning on doing his bit for Bermuda tourism, and that includes having a quiet word with Tiger Woods.

"If it's run anything like how we do the Grand Slam here, by a certain time, all the workers are off the course anyway," said Riley.

"I'm sure I'll get a day or two to rub some shoulders. And I tell you what, I'm even going to help Dr Brown out, and if I get close enough to Tiger I'm going to whisper in his ear 'Bermuda's a nice place to visit'. I'm going to give us a little plug.

"I know that I have to make sure I take a camera. Because after seeing the tournament on tv, and seeing all the vistas and the cliffs, if I get an opportunity I'm going to take five minutes and take some shots.

"I know when I get older, and if my kids get into golf, I can tell them 'see where I've been'. This is the be all and end all of the sport."

Riley isn't the first Port Royal employee to be sent to work at a major tournament, and he doesn't look like being the last.

"We sent a few guys away last year to the US Open, and to the PGA Championships, the board have been right behind it as well, helping with the training and development of these guys," said Steve Johnson, Port Royal's Director of Agronomy.

"The more guys that are exposed to these situations, and tournaments, can only help us. And in the end it will benefit the course here, and that's what it's all about.

"Working at these tournaments gives the guys an insight into that little bit extra that is needed to present a golf course to tournament standards, but it also helps them realise that they are working at a world class golf course here, week in, week out, as well.

"All superintendents are after the same thing, but not all go about it the same way, and if they come back with some knowledge, or ideas that we can implement, then it benefits everybody."