It’s U.S. Open time and we all know what that means: thick rough, torturous greens and only one happy player come Sunday night. But that’s not all.
If it’s a major and this is the major of majors it’s time for the Links Life Golf Crew Picks!
All the boys at Links Life Golf took hours and hours pouring over data doing their best Mark Broadie imitation to finally come up with their best guess at the 116th U.S. Open winner.
On the tee….currently holding the Jack Nicklaus Medal, G. Rennie
The return to Oakmont this year is a call for nostalgia as this most penal of the USGA’s rota reminds of the greats who have battled here in the past. And what is more nostalgic than a resurrection of the term The Big Three? The golf world has been a flutter with this reincarnation of the Jack, Arnie, Gary trio for the past year as Jason, Jordan and Rory have vied for the top spot in world golf. So I’m going with the flow and picking all three.
Jason Day- he is on a wining spree (7 of 18) that demands attention, if not comparison with some of the games past greats. He drives it great, scrambles great, and putts it great. Yet his most awe inspiring trait is the mental strength he has displayed during this past years run to greatness. He can win on any type of course (Whistling Straits and TPC Sawgrass couldn’t be more dissimilar ) and he’s ready for Major #2.
Jordan Spieth- has exorcised the demons of his Masters collapse with his win at Colonial last month. Oakmont demands patience and good thinking on the course and Jordan has, at the ripe old age of 22, already established himself as one of the great minds in golf history. Some early season shaky driving and iron play haven’t been totally corrected but that won’t matter too much. A pristine short game and unrivaled putting game will be the key to success for Speith.
Rory McIlroy- the World #3 seems to be a bit chuffed with his place in the world ranking and all the attention Jason and Jordan have garnered, attention he thinks is rightly his. I think Rors is still some way from being a confident putter but he is the best driver and fairway metal player in the game. Angel Cabrera won here in 2007 with 128 putts for the championship. Cabrera said of his run to the championship “nobody could putt these greens well” so a two putt green approach for Rory this week won’t hurt him.
Phil Mickelson- we all know Phil’s story, six runner up finishes in the one championship he prizes above all others. During a telecast of Live from the U.S. Open on Golf Channel, Frank Nobilo opined that we might consider the U.S. Open Phil’s best major given all the top 10’s he’s managed. I don’ t think Phil would agree with his opinion but I’m buying it today. What better story than Phil completing the career grand slam!
Rickie Fowler has had a Jekyll and Hyde season and he’s the top 10 golfer I think will miss the cut.
And my long shot pick is Jim Furyk who knows how to play this course (tied 2nd in 2007) and is way below the radar.
G. Rennie just got penalized for slow play!
Next on the tee… not holding anything but his own…Big Dick
BD likes the Phil Mickelson story to have a storybook finish at Oakmont. He loves Rory’s long ball. He knows Spieth is as smart as hell and thinks Bubba Watson can bend it with out breaking it.
In a tribute to his favorite golfer, Bob Tway he likes his son, Kevin as his dark horse. He really could be the next Bob Tway.
And he put the whammy on Hideki Matsuyama to miss the cut.
Next on the tee… The holder of not one but two albatrosses, the Crazy Canuck, Gordo
Rory is tops on his list, eh. He thinks Sergio Garcia actually has a shot at his first major, eh. Zach Johnson, a fairway machine is in Gordo’s camp, eh. And he likes William McGirt (he just really likes saying McGirrrrt) eh.
His dark horse has a real shot here, David Lingmerth and selects the most major of the major head-cases, Dustin Johnson to miss the cut, eh.
Next on the tee…The holder of the largest collection of golf shirts…the NON-holder of the Golden Club, the only golf industry administrator that doesn’t play golf, (Tiger has played more than he has this year)…Lil Skins
Lil Skins goes with some chalk here but not all. He thinks Rory is back on the major train. He likes Day to add another trophy and get another commercial with his son on Father’s Day. And in a bold prediction has Dustin Johnson winning his first major…wow. Of course he goes with Phil the Thrill hoping he gets that career grand slam.
In another brash pick he’s tabbed Bryson DeChambeau as his dark horse, a bold move.
But as bold as all his other picks were this is the shocker: Spieth to miss the cut…yowser. So much for that bounce back win I guess. Bold move son, bold move.
Next on the tee…holder of the largest collection of clubs that he can’t find, The Greek
The Greek gets right to the point but it usually takes a nudge or two to get him lubed up. He likes Spieth, Rory, Martin Kaymer and Phil to do it at Oakmont. His dark horse is McGirt and he likes Bubba to be able to spend the weekend with his kids.
Next on the tee…Me, Big Skins
Like G. Rennie I love the New Big Three. Jason Day when on drives it so well, chips is so well and putts it so well. So well, I picked him. Jordan Spieth won’t play Oakmont like Day but he could putt the damn eyes out of those greens. Spieth has a mind like Nicklaus and a putter like Crenshaw. Momentarily, I hesitated on selecting him but he’s got it all going now. Rory McIlroy can drive it as good as Day and his long approach game might be a hair better. 280 yard three woods to greens are no problem for Rors. His decision to go back to conventional putting grip will help him get it done. Listening to Adam Scott say how confident he is was enough for me, I was convinced. He can drive it with the best and his new putter could be just enough. Hitting fairways is a premium and he does that well.
I decided to get off the Phil Train so I wouldn’t jinx him. Prove me wrong Phil…please.
My dark horse is Duf… Jason Dufner. He’s got his stuff together and may be hanging around come Sunday.
I had a hard time with a top fifteen player to miss the cut….Henrik Stenson…just not feeling or playing well.
Good luck boys….and Phil too.
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