The US Open – The Toughest Four Days In Tournament Golf On The Planet

The 112th United States Open golf championship will be held over the Lake Course at the Olympic Club in San Francisco California. The second major of the year held annually in June is simply the toughest test a golfer will face all year. There is no hiding place in a US Open, as each player is subjected to harshest course set up known possible. You only have to scan through the list of previous winners over the last few years which include McIlroy, McDowell, Glover, Woods, Cabrera, Ogilvy, Campbell, Goosen and Furyk to notice that any type of golfer as long as your game is at its peak that week can take the title. You could argue that while it is the hardest, it is also the fairest major of the year as it puts all golfers on a level playing field.

In previous years the United States Golf Association has set up each course to try and keep the winning score at around level par for the week. Exemptions do occur however as with last year’s tournament played over a rained soaked course where scoring was anything but difficult as Rory McIlroy fired a four round total of 16 under par to vanish the ghosts of the previous year. This year’s course by comparison to previous years is also on the short side as measuring only 7,170 yards it is not the normal 7,500 plus that players are accustomed to, and with the weather for the week expected to be hot, it should be perfect for golf.

The course can broadly be defined as being narrow, with tree lined fairways with small well bunkered greens. It is difficult enough however after last year, which will have left some USGA officials wanting to make amends for one of the highest scores in the Championship’s history. Vindication will be on the cards and I expect the course to be set up to the extreme. Fairways narrower than a supermodel’s waistline and rough thicker than Cornish custard. When you throw in the fact the greens will be like lightening, it should be the ultimate test for a professional.

Firstly therefore a premium has to be put on driving accuracy off the tee. Once you stray off the straight and narrow, a golfer will be punished immensely. Gone are the days of muscling it out of the rough and on to the green in a US Open, sorry boys. With the equipment changes in recent years, it is virtually impossible to get spin on the ball without being in the fairway.

Secondly as each green is small and well guarded it will also be a must to make sure a golfer hits a high percentage of greens in regulations. Putting pressure on yourself to be scrambling every other hole will eventually lead to succumbing to the surroundings, you can only run so good for so long. A good scrambling game is obviously helpful, but giving you two putts for par will relieve the pressure of missing greens, and as it gears towards Sunday, the pressure, and handling of such, will have more of an effect than the actual shots. Not to mention actually putting yourself in a position to actually make birdies.

Based on the above criteria I have drawn up a list of eight golfers that’s game currently fits the requirements. I have also included their best current industry price:

Steve Stricker – 45/1 (Hills, Coral, Betfred, Bet365, Paddy Power)
Tiger Woods – 7/1 (Hills, Coral, Betfred, Stan James, Paddy Power)
Justin Rose – 33/1 (Betfred, Coral, Paddy Power)
Luke Donald – 14/1 (Betfred, Ladbrokes)
Jason Dufner – 30/1 (Paddy Power)
Peter Hanson – 75/1 (Paddy Power)
John Senden – 150/1 (Blue Square, Coral, Hills)
Mark Wilson – 200/1 (Betfred, Coral, Hills)

All the above have consistently been putting the ball in fairway off the tee with Mark Wilson and Luke Donald featuring in the top ten in statistics on the US PGA Tour this year. In regards to the greens in regulation statistics, Jason Dufner, Justin Rose, Tiger Woods and John Senden find themselves in the top ten.
For all the names on the list it may well be worth opting for Steve Stricker as the number one pick, who’s temperament and steady style for the game fits perfect for a US Open. It would no doubt cap the career of a once journeyman who turned his game around to become in recent years one of the most consistent performers on tour. If this fairytale where to come true it would be the second time at a major this year the winner has shown his true emotions for the world to see, as like Bubba Watson at The Masters before him, Steve Stricker is one for the waterworks, and if were to start, I'm sure there would be many in the gallery following suit.

Paddy Power are paying ¼ 1-2-3-4-5-6-7, so I would advise to back the selections where they are top price to back there; Stricker, Woods, Rose, Dufner, Hanson.

Magic Marve and JJMSports

Happy Punting!

@JJMSports