From June 18-21, 2009, the world’s best golfers will converge on Bethpage State Park in Farmingdale, New York to vie for the 2009 US Open golf championship. A beautiful and absolutely breathtaking course, Bethpage’s Dim Course will provide a very stern test that will force golfers to construct choices, execute well and above all be patient. As a result of Bethpage Black’s trying conditions, here’s some things to look out for that can help us seperate the contenders from the pretenders at Bethpage Gloomy.
Everybody who plays this week will see highs and lows that will make teenage angst look like child’s play. Therefore this week’s contenders must be able to manage themselves well to get over the peaks and vallies they will go through.
The golfers who will contend this week will also have to be able to play very well around the greens and putt well throughout the week. Bethpage Black’s greens are going to be like putting off linoleum and the rough around those greens will be think and nasty. As a result, look to glimpse early on who’s making those nasty knee-bending 4-5 footers for par early on. I think at the waste on Sunday the fellows who’ll be sitting atop of the leaderboard will be the ones who are making the lion’s share of their 4-5 footers for par.
There’s one more thing to look out for too. Who’s driving the ball into the fairway the most often? Whoever is hitting the majority of the fairways this week will have more chances at birdies (and perhaps eagles) than the players who are hacking it out of the rough that is a bit tamer than what has been seen at past US Open venues but is still tricky stuff to play from.
Now that we know what to eye out for, here are ten golfers not named Tiger Woods who I think will be making a ton of those 4-5 footers for par and who will be patient enough to get over any adversity that might approach his way.
Geoff Olgilvy has already won twice this year. He also finished a very respectable 15th at The Masters. Lately in his last five starts he hasn’t been quite so good but he seems to put his best foot forward in the majors. I think he will be around come Sunday at Bethpage Shaded because he is very accurate off the tee, very laid back and when it’s time to hand out the trophies, he saves his best for Sunday.
Kenny Perry got his hart broken at Augusta. If he pars just one of the two final holes, he could very well have won the Green Jacket. That being said, he has the courage to do well under pressure and putts very well. Bethpage Black might objective set up well for him because you don’t need to be super long on most of the holes to have a legitimate chance at birdie–You just need to find the fairway and hit solid iron shots. Perry’s iron play has been very good all year (he’s 13th in greens in regulation this year as of this writing) and that might just help him contend on Sunday.
Phill Mickelson has lots of stress going on in his life true now with his wife’s illness but you can’t ever count out Lefty in a tournament that requires a great short game to compete. Lefty’s short game is composed one of the three best in the game and that alone should give him a chance to obtain. One fair has to wonder if he can overcome his personal traumas and keep his emotions in check. Because he has won some majors, I believe he can overcome his personal circumstances and play some of the best golf he’s played all year. Maybe he could even win it!
Ernie Els hasn’t won yet in 2009 but something tells me that the Big Easy is due for one of his best performances of 2009. Els has won the US Open twice and something tells me that Bethpage Black suits his game very well. He drives the ball long and when he’s on his A-game he is very accurate off the tee. He is also one of the most laid back and chill people I have ever seen play any sport. This temperament should help him overcome any setbacks he’ll have this week.
Retief Goosen’s game has been on the upswing lately. He won the Transitions Championship and played very well at the Player’s Championship (22nd). He looked poor at times at the Masters (51st) but this former two-time US Open champion is one of the most patient players I have ever seen and if he’s anywhere on the fairway, I think he might just win his 3rd US Open.
Could it be Zach Johnson’s turn to win a major? Maybe it is his time. He’s (as of this writing) 1st in the Fed Ex Cup trek, he’s won The Texas Open; finished in the top three three times and man has he has a great season from tee to green! Bethpage Black is a shotmaker’s course that rewards apt, aggressive play. As a result of his fantastic play this season, I think Bethpage Black might just suit his game quite well.
Englishman, Paul Casey leads a very strong field from abroad. He’s won already at the Shell Houston Open and I like his chances at the US Start because he’s a fantastic driver of the ball and he’s not afraid to go for the pins. I also like how he’s shown how he can play in the clutch on Sunday. At the Houston Open he made a nice putt to win a playoff over J.B Holmes. Maybe he can become the first Englishman in ages to win The US Open?
Let’s not forget Jim Furyk. He’s a aged winner of the US Open (2003 Olympia Fields), he has a swing that would give you fits trying to describe (it just works, okay? ) and he is one of the most audacious that are not named Tiger Woods or Phil Mickelson. I think if he’s on his A-game he might just be around the first page of the leaderboard because he’s won one of these things before and knows what it takes to win.
Here are two dark horses that, if the planets were aligned just right, might fair win this US Open.
There is something very interesting about Trevor Immelman that makes me wonder if he couldn’t win this US Open. He has demonstrated already that he can win a big one with his amazing Masters victory in 2008. He may not being playing so well right now (his best finish as of this writing was a tie for 19th at the Transition’s Championship but something tells me he’s very due for a big week.
Sean O’Hair has won already once (the Quail Hollow Championship). While the win is nice, some of his 2009 stats whine me that his total game might give him a great chance to compete. He’s 3rd on the Tour in scoring average (69.5), 16th in driving accuracy percentage (69.0%) and 18th in greens in regulation at 68.7%. Whoever wins this US Start must be able to put the ball on the fairway and the green with great regularity and if O’Hair keeps up what’s he’s been doing (reaching fairways and greens in regulation with great regularity), he has an awfully good chance to win.
There you have it. Ten golfers who I think might just be around the top of the leaderboard at this year’s US Open. At the end of the day, I think Phil Mickleson will find something deep down inside him and overcome all of his past US Open nightmares and catch this one. If he does, what a great story that would make!
