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The US Open starts Thursday, and because our guessing power is too great to keep bottled up (Note: Nobody here picked Angel Cabrera at Augusta), we give you the FanHouse "Experts" on who will walk away a champion at Bethpage Black.Will Brinson: I actually think Tiger will win, mainly because of the way he played two weeks ago, his ability to dominate Bethpage and because this is a huge moment in his career. He's done nearly everything, but coming back a year after a major surgery to win the same major in which he injured himself, especially after people did the whole (admittedly tired at this point) IS TIGER DONE??? routine for a few weeks/months, would be beyond ridiculous.
That being said, I'm still a Lefty guy. So I'm picking Phil Mickelson.
Michael David Smith: I'm picking Tiger Woods because I think that this is a huge moment in Tiger's career, and I think Tiger is the kind of athlete who thrives in the biggest moments. I expect him to have the kind of performance we'll be talking about for a long time.
Kevin Blackistone: Geoff Ogilvy. If Tiger is playing, is there really any wisdom in picking someone else as the favorite? No. Consider this answer as point to who I think can win if Tiger plays poorly. Why Ogilvy? He's stared down Tiger before and beaten him, and he leads the PGA in par breakers -- and accuracy, not erratic play, is critically important on a course with the tough reputation of Bethpage Black.
Jay Mariotti: I'm going to shock the world and say this obscure fellow, a Tiger Woods something or another, will win the U.S. Open. He will because his body clock knows it's time to win Major No. 15. He will because Jack Nicklaus said he would. He will because his swing is back and he's no longer babying his knee. He will because he won the Open seven years ago at Bethpage Black. And he will because it's New York and the crowds will demand his renewal of greatness.
Stephanie Stradley: Brian Gay. Because he is tough enough to not mind wearing women's sunglasses. Actually, they are golf sunglasses and are unisex.
Actually, I pick Tiger Woods for all the regular reasons.
Ryan Wilson: Here's what I wrote in April prior to Augusta: "My default answer when it comes to the Masters is always Tiger Woods. It's unimaginative but it's also the right one." I'll be replacing "Masters" with "U.S. Open" for this preview, and a month from now, it'll be the Open Championship. You see where this is going.
Maybe we should do away with predicting winners when Tiger's in the field because, well, it's boring. But the alternative -- spending more than 15 minutes analyzing the field and making an educated guess -- is a waste of time. The last three Masters winners? Angel Cabrera, Trevor Immelman, and Zach Johnson. All great players, but nobody you would have had in your Masters pool.
And prior to Tiger one-legging it around Torrey Pines last year for major victory No. 14, the previous U.S. Open champs included: Angel Cabrera, Geoff Ogilvy, Michael Campbell, Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk. Again, the world's top golfers (save Campbell, who has struggled to find his game the past couple years), but none pre-tournament favorites.
So, yeah, I'm going with Tiger. And if I'm randomly selecting a golfer to win, put me down for Greg Kraft.
Shane Bacon: Like Kevin mentioned, it's almost too easy at this point to go with Tiger. Sure, he is due to win, and everything has lined up perfectly for him this week to claim his 15th major championship. That being said, Woods still "only" wins 27 percent of the time, so it isn't like everyone should drop out of the tournament and give the trophy to Tiger. A guy that i really like this week is Henrik Stenson. He took the Players this year over an incredibly tough field and had two top-10s in majors last year. For some reason it feels like a European could take this crown and like Retief Goosen in the early part of this decade, Stenson is a guy that doesn't seem to let everything else rattle him.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
6-17-2009 @ 1:44PM
1rachellee said...
Surprisingly, I am going for the 2nd place winner of the last U.S. Open! You know exactly who I'm talking about....Rocco! Yep! That's right I said Rocco. Reason being is honestly I truely consider him a Legend for his courage and dedication to the game. The point is, he didnt give up and that's what counts. In fact I hear that due to his legacy he is putting the golf clubs away for a second to compete in an exclusive and elite Poker Tournament this September in the world renowned Atlantis Bahamas with many more sports legends. I would love to be there to meet Rocco.
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6-18-2009 @ 11:02AM
Fisher C Allen said...
Hey, I'm with you rachellee. Rocco has my vote! I think he is a talented golfer and an outstanding guy. After the fight that he put up last year he deserves a win. Yeah I heard something about that poker thing in the fall. I would kill to sit and chat with him. What's the name of that poker event?
6-17-2009 @ 3:01PM
Sieben said...
Mickelson says wife wants US Open trophy, guess what Phil,so does the wives or girlfriends of all the other players want the same thing
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6-17-2009 @ 6:01PM
hardmba said...
Who will be the best "Grind it out" golfer in the field at Beth Page? Who has the talent, discipline and mental focus power to make the shots it will take to get through an "unfair" soggy nightmare course? Who won't get thrown off their game when a shot misses the mark because the course is playing so long or the greens are so slow or changes in course condition day-to-day are so radical. Some golfers thrive on adversity such as this. Is that the roar of the gallery crowd I hear, or is it..... a tiger on the prowl.
This should be a great US Open contest to watch. All these guys are tough minded and prodigiously talented professionals who will be tested mightily by this course and the course conditions. They will also probably give each other fits, except for Tiger, who seems to be the only one capable of maintaining a mental state of oblivion to everything on the course except his next stroke for a full 72 + holes....whatever it takes to win. When he is switched on like that, there is no point in anyone else playing. I hope that isn't what happens this week. I'd like to see him sweat, just a little, for his 15th Major. So I am going to root for the underdogs on this list to step it up and give the Great One a run for his money and the trophy. If one or two of them can do that, this will be one to remember for a very long time.
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6-17-2009 @ 6:16PM
Mike said...
Could you make a more unbiased pick come on, Tiger is great and all, but it's not always about the biggest name. Personally, I think Brian Gay has a great shot and btw, those are far from women's sunglasses, although Kaenon makes some pretty good women's and men's sunglasses - they have been proving to stand on their own when it comes to performance. Also would love to see Ogilvy take the Open.
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6-17-2009 @ 6:52PM
raywarner2009 said...
Hey Mike,
I'd also like to see Brian Gay win. But it's not realistic I'm afraid. People choose big names because those players have tried and tested nerves on the circuit. Nobody is as likely to win as Tiger.
But I do love Brian Gay's sunglasses. As you said, Kaenon makes great men's sunglasses and I just bought a pair for myself, and for my dad for Father's Day.
6-17-2009 @ 7:12PM
Eli said...
How is Tiger a biased pick? If it's biased to pick the greatest golfer of all time to win on arguably the biggest stage when his game is peaking, then count me among the extremely biased.
6-17-2009 @ 6:28PM
blegvad said...
The biggest factor this weekend looks like the weather forecast. Four days of rain may turn the greens soft but the short hitters are going to find themselves looking at a whole lot more par fives than there are on the card. Wet sticky rough isn't going to benefit anybody. Is the USGA committed to four rounds? If so, get ready for a possible Tuesday finish with just about anybody on top.
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6-18-2009 @ 11:25AM
jalenknowsbest said...
rachel and fisher, rocco, really?
If you put ANY kind of thought into that prediction you would see how absolutly preposterous that is.
And i heard that poker tourney is $10,000. 10k to play with Rocco, a bit much dont you think?
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6-18-2009 @ 12:18PM
jasondunmore said...
are you KIDDING ME?! have you not heard of the tourny?!? its got everyone from jerry west to troy aikman to reggie jackson. i'm working on getting a ticket myself. this tourny is sicknasty.
6-18-2009 @ 12:27PM
jalenknowsbest said...
its probably not even real shawty, why would all those people want to play poker with you haha
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6-18-2009 @ 1:17PM
Mike said...
I just think we should talk about the best examples of golfers who can defy the obvious picksI mean, it's pretty clear Tiger has a good shot. I'm more interested in who the next greats are.
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6-19-2009 @ 7:57PM
hardmba said...
Ohhhh. Round two underway and this is shaping up very nicely to be the free-for-all I asked for. Tiger's in the ditch and Sergio and Phil are pushing the leaders. How cool is that?! I am excited!
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