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Just like we did with Augusta, we present your Sleepers for the U.S. Open. Bethpage Black is 7,426 yards of pure nastiness, and will play to a gruesome par of just 70. It is one of the toughest tests in golf, and will be home to the best golfers in the world this weekend. So who are the sleepers you should bank on when the big boys tee up on Thursday? Here's a list of five.
Graeme McDowell -- Best Finish: t-30 -- He hasn't missed a cut on American soil in 2009, and had his best finish at last week's St. Jude. In the last four years at major championships, McDowell has missed only one cut, at the '07 British, and has never missed the cut at the U.S. Open. Not exactly the longest of hitters, McDowell's skills are around the green and that will be helpful with the slick Black greens that are sure to have some guys using words not allowed on this website. While most will be looking at Rory McIlroy as the Northern Ireland golfer to break through, I like McDowell.
Brian Gay -- MC -- Sure, he has never made a cut in five attempts at the U.S. Open, even missing the cut when the tournament was held at Bethpage Black in 2002, but this is a different man. He has three wins since February of last year, and is currently eighth on tour in putting. He has two wins in his last five starts, but has a missed cut and withdrawal after an opening round 80 at the Players. Putting is key at the Open, but so is getting the ball on down the fairway, something Gay isn't so great at (averaging a shade over 270 yards per drive). If he can stick to his game, like Zach Johnson did at Augusta in 2007, he has a chance to make some noise. If the distance bothers him, consider him toast.
Martin Kaymer -- t-53 -- Seven events in the United States this year and only one missed cut (sadly, at Augusta), Kaymer is a young player that BOOMS it off the tee. Germany's prodigal son once fired a 59 and has two wins in Europe at just 24 years old. He has yet to really get comfortable in the majors, but, as a long shot, you have to love his ability to create birdies when there aren't a lot around.
Luke Donald -- t-12 -- Here is another guy that doesn't necessarily kill it off the tee, but when on, can score like Justin Timberlake in Amsterdam. He seems to finally be finding his game after wrist surgery kept him out of the Ryder Cup last season, with three top-15 finishes in his last four tournaments including a tie for second at the Verizon Heritage. England has been waiting for Donald to break through in a big event, and although the British seems to fit his game better, it wouldn't be crazy to see him hitting fairways and greens and using his brain to dominate Bethpage.
Steve Stricker -- 5 -- What more can you ask for? A veteran with not much to lose, who can roll the flatstick like a machine, hits the ball decently far and has a win to his credit this season. Stricker has had some success at the U.S. Open, finishing in the top-10 three different times and nearly doing it at Bethpage in '02, when he was tied for 16th. His top-10 at the Masters earlier this year shows that the 42-year-old can compete in the big tournaments, so don't be surprised if he is around during the weekend.
