Rankings, shmankings; Make it Mick and Strick – U.S. Open
BETHESDA, Md. – There have been some questions about the injured Tiger Woods missing this U.S. Open, but on that subject, by and large, a big sigh of indifference has swept Congressional Country Club. It has been conceded, however, that his absence – or at least the absence of the old Tiger Woods – has left this the most open U.S. Open in many years.Time was not long ago that the handicappers established Woods as a prohibitive favorite and left things at that, just putting numbers on other guys in hopes of attracting some bets. Woods would go off at 2-1 or 3-1 or some absurd figure, and the rest would be somewhat more realistic. Now, without their centerpiece, they’ve been dizzy trying to set the field.
Possibly the most prevalent setting – and certainly the safest – was an outright surrender to chalk. Namely, world No. 1 Luke Donald and world No. 2 Lee Westwood at 12-1, both Englishmen. Such daring reflects one interesting fact – the last five majors have been won by other than Americans. And these include world No. 3, Germany’s Martin Kaymer. This is supposed to indicate that Americans have a less than encouraging chance to win this U.S. Open.
One reason the Americans haven’t cracked the majors in the last five tries is that Phil Mickelson is forever going on bursts of haywire golf, mostly with his tee shots. He can escape beautifully from lots of places, but then, he can get himself into places he couldn’t buy his way out of. There’s always a proviso attached to Mickelson, and it’s this – if he can keep his driver quiet, or better yet, in the bag, and his putter is halfway obedient, he could stroll away with the Open.
If he can get it from Steve Stricker, who’s been one of the hottest golfers around. Stricker, rock-steady, won the Memorial two weeks ago, and has three other top-10 finishes.
Donald hasn't done well at Congressional, but that was the old Donald. He doesn't have great length, but his accuracy should compensate for that. Matt Kuchar could be a dark horse pick if his play hadn’t lifted him out of that category. He still has the boyish smile, but he's really grown up.
Korea’s K.J. Choi is in the hunt so often that the thinking is he’s bound to break through eventually, and Rory McIlroy has more than enough game, but the question is, did he leave an important part of it in that crash at the Masters.
Others have a promise about them. Lee Westwood, No. 2 in the world, seems to glitch his way through the majors, either playing well until the final round, or playing so-so until the final round, when it’s too late. Jason Day, the young Aussie, impressively finished second in the Masters, but Augusta National’s rough is only wispy and Congressional’s is another but. Defending champion Graeme McDowell had a dandy 2010, but he’s been limping along since March.
South Africa’s Charl Schwartzel, as winner of the Masters, is the only golfer with a chance at the Grand Slam this year. The guy who beats Congressional will have to drive it at fairly long and fairly straight, and Schwartzel is outside the top 50 in both pursuits. Augusta National has forgiving rough. Congressional does not. Judging from those circumstances, the Grand Slam would seem to be safe for another year.
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