BROOKLINE — Two phrases to explain the make-up of a typical U.S. Open course?
Tough and treacherous.
Keeping drives within the fairway is a should, together with placing properly on the small and deceptively difficult greens.
Any variation from that blueprint normally spells hassle.
That state of affairs received’t change for the sphere of golfers teeing off Thursday within the 122nd taking part in of the championship at The Country Club in Brookline.
Many of the world’s best golfers can be hard-pressed to remain beneath par if they will’t preserve it out of the signature fescue.
The 5 1/2-inch tough lining the fairways and greens on the storied golf course are positive to impress doom for some, to not point out ballooning scores.
After taking part in a observe spherical on Sunday, Phil Mickelson proclaimed: “It’s going to be a brutal test of golf, which is what this tournament is all about.”
The discipline of 156 golfers will embrace 2022 Masters champion Scottie Scheffler, 2022 PGA championship winner Justin Thomas, and most just lately topped Canadian Open champ Rory McIlroy. As for the controversial LIV golf tour, that may have illustration as properly, together with Mickelson, who has captured each main save for the U.S. Open, and two-time main winner Dustin Johnson.
So who will navigate the course the most effective through the four-day main?
Here’s 5 golfers to control:
Rory McIllroy
World Rank: 8
Major wins: 4 (2 PGA Championships, 1 U.S. Open, 1 Open Championship)
Reason to observe: After getting off to a flying begin, McIllroy has fallen right into a fairly important drought on the subject of profitable majors. It’s been eight years since he captured his final main title.
The excellent news?
He involves The Country Club oozing momentum.
He captured the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, closing with an 8-under 62 to complete at 19-under for a two-stroke victory. It was his second win this season.
McIllroy was additionally within the hunt within the two majors performed in 2022, ending second on the Masters, after a blistering final-round 64. But after taking a Day 1 lead at Southern Hills within the PGA Championship, he in the end completed eighth to make him 0-for-his-last 28 majors.
Will he break the streak in Brookline?
Jon Rahm
World Rank: 2
Major wins: 1 (U.S. Open)
Reason to observe: The defending champ received in model a yr in the past at Torrey Pines. He captured his first main by delivering down the stretch with birdies on the seventeenth and 18th holes to shoot 67, and overcome a three-shot deficit to steal a victory from Louis Oosthuizen, who completed one shot again.
Rahm hasn’t precisely set the world on fireplace this yr, however did seize the Mexican Open in late April towards a comparatively weak discipline.
He tied for forty eighth on the PGA Championship, and was tenth on the Memorial the primary week of June, which was the final match he performed.
He’s hit the ball properly off the tee, rating fifth on the PGA Tour with a median driving distance of 318.4 yards. More importantly, with him rating first on tour in greens in regulation (72.34%), that units him up properly this week. He has the form of accuracy that’s wanted at such an unforgiving U.S. Open venue.
Scottie Scheffler
World Rank: 1
Major wins: 1 (Masters)
Reason to observe: He’s the No. 1 participant on the planet, and for good motive.
In the 17 tournaments he’s performed, he’s made the reduce 15 instances with eight top-ten finishes together with 4 wins.
Included within the combine are the Arnold Palmer Invitational, the World Golf Championships Match Play in addition to the Masters, the place he captured the coveted inexperienced jacket in April by taking pictures 10-under par.
He hasn’t accomplished a lot since then, lacking the reduce on the PGA Championship, however when he’s on, he’s confirmed powerful to beat.
In the majors alone, he has 5 top-ten finishes. Don’t sleep on Scheffler.
Justin Thomas
World Rank: 5
Major wins: 2 (2 PGA Championships)
Reason to observe: Amazing what a brand new putter can do for a golfer. Thomas switched putters on the PGA Championship this yr, and never solely loved his finest week of the season on the greens, but additionally captured the Wanamaker Trophy.
He beat Will Zalatoris in a playoff to win his second PGA Championship.
Last week, Thomas, who has eight top-ten finishes this season, wound up third on the Canadian Open.
Armed along with his new Scotty Cameron T5 prototype, he’ll be somebody to be reckoned with at Brookline.
Phil Mickelson
World Rank: 71
Major wins: 6 (3 Masters, 2 PGA Championships, 1 Open Championship)
Reason to observe: Between being one of many chief poster boys for the controversial LIV golf tour, and his many crash-and-burns attempting to win a U.S. Open and land the one main he hasn’t received, Mickelson will garner loads of consideration.
He has a document six runner-up finishes on the U.S. Open and two fourths amongst his 10 high 10s. In all, he’s 0-for-30 at this main.
And if that’s not sufficient motive to concentrate to his thirty first try at attempting to hoist the elusive 18-inch tall, sterling silver trophy, his allegiance with a tour backed by the Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund has put him squarely within the crosshairs with fellow golfers, in addition to followers.
Three extra of curiosity
Matt Fitzpatrick
The Brit received the 2013 U.S. Amateur, which was performed at The Country Club, and has performed very properly this yr within the majors. He was tied for 14th on the Masters, and tied for fifth on the PGA.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris has seven top-10 finishes this yr, profitable twice. He has but to win a serious, shedding most just lately to Thomas in a playoff on the PGA Championship. The man is a birdie machine when he’s on.
Cameron Smith
The 28-year-old, at the moment ranked No. 3 on the planet, has 5 high 10 finishes in majors in his profession. He completed third at this yr’s Masters in April, and thirteenth on the PGA Championship in May. He’s due for a breakthrough.
And the winner is:
Justin Thomas. Who knew he was such an enormous Boston sports activities fan?
Source: www.bostonherald.com