PGATOUR.com's experts make their U.S. Open picks
The PGATOUR.com experts appear to be in almost total agreement when it comes to picking a winner for this weekend's U.S. Open. They appear a bit more split when it comes to choosing a sleeper.
T.J. Auclair
PGATOUR.com Interactive Producer
Pick: Tiger Woods
Yes, I realize he only tied for second at the Masters after having won the two previous majors since his missed cut at Winged Foot in the 2006 U.S. Open, but call me crazy -- I still think Tiger will get the job done at Oakmont. If there’s just one flaw that could stand in Tiger’s way this week it will be poor driving. While it plays a shade less than 7,400 yards, Oakmont is not a bomber’s course. The rough goes from uh-oh to brutal to unforgiving to relentless in just a few paces. If Tiger can stay away from the thick, gnarly stuff, he’ll be on step closer to catching Jack Nicklaus on Sunday.
Sleeper: Carl Pettersson
I like the Swede’s game. He has just one top-10 in 2007 -- a tie for eighth at the Verizon Heritage -- but hasn’t missed a cut in his last nine starts. Pettersson’s record in the majors isn’t overly impressive. His lone top-10 in 10 starts was a tie for eighth at the 2006 British Open. But for some reason, I feel like he’ll have a great week at Oakmont. It’s simply a hunch.
Brett Avery
The Fantasy Insider
Pick: Tiger Woods
He’s hitting the driver so-so, the putter has him flummoxed and Oakmont is the kind of place that will expose every weakness by the fourth hole. Good thing for him his weaknesses are more readily overcome than everyone else. Mr. Roadrunner, please meet the 155 guys who are imitating Wile E. Coyote this week. And enjoy the birdseed the USGA has piled up on every tee.
Sleeper: Arron Oberholser
Churning along at 38th in the Official World Ranking and remarkably cut-free since that WD from the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship. Anyone who spent time on the sofa nursing a bulging spinal disc the way he did earlier this year isn’t looking to go toe-to-toe with an Open setup. But he began with a 76 two years ago at Pinehurst No. 2 and tied for ninth in his debut, then bounced from a first-round 75 to tie for 16th
last year at Winged Foot. He¹s got the look. Now he needs a bit more seasoning -- and an uncompromising week for his back.
Lauren Deason
PGATOUR.com Editorial Coordinator
Pick: Luke Donald
This is a tough call, with the obvious choices like Tiger Woods, Ernie Els, Retief Goosen and Jim Furyk in the field. But I’m branching out and going with Luke Donald, who has quietly had a solid year, finishing in the top 10 five times, including second twice and tied for 10th at The Masters. Not to mention, he’s proven to be a good putter (finished 22nd in putting average in 2006) and adept at scrambling (third in 2006), both key qualities to have to become a U.S. Open winner. Donald’s best showing at the U.S. Open was a tie for 12th at Winged Foot last year, so perhaps this is the tournament where he sheds the “hasn’t won a major” label.
Sleeper: Arron Oberholser
Since he returned in late February from a back injury that forced the 2006 AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am winner to withdraw from the season-opening Mercedes-Benz Championship, Arron Oberholser has finished in the top 30 five times, including three top 10s. In his two previous U.S. Open starts, Oberholser tied for ninth and 16th in 2005 and 2006, respectively. Will he win? Maybe not, especially when he has to go up against the typical U.S. Open contenders. But he ranks 33rd in 2007 in sand save percentage and fifth in scrambling, a key facet for previous U.S. Open winners.
Melanie Hauser
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Tiger Woods
Because everyone thinks he can't. Seriously. The buzz is all about how this isn't a Tiger course. OK. We readily admit he has to keep it in the fairway and those putts that have been skirting the hole have to fall. But he thrives on tough. And while we're at it, he can multi-task. Thinking about becoming a father doesn't cancel out trying to win a third Open.
Sleeper: Colin Montgomerie
Love him or hate him, you watch him. He almost won here in '94, just split with his longtime caddie Alistair McLean who was with him for so many of those "almosts" and picked up an experienced Oakmont caddie and former steelworker who knows these greens. He hits it straight and if he doesn't let the course get to him … Sure, we never know which Monty will show up on a given day, but we know he'll be battling all the way.
Dave Lagarde
PGATOUR.com Correspondent
Pick: Ernie Els
Now this would be the perfect way for the Big Easy to return to the PGA TOUR's winner circle for the first time since 2004. I love his U.S. Open record with seven top 10s -- including a pair of victories, the first at Oakmont in 1994 -- in 14 starts. Has been chomping at the bit to thrust himself back into the discussion about the world's best players. The return to Oakmont, where he owns a treasure trove of memories, just might be the spark he needs.
Nationwide Tour Pick: Chris Smith
It's about time for this three-time Nationwide Tour graduate to get his game in gear as he looks to become the first player in Tour history to use the Nationwide Tour as his avenue to the PGA TOUR four times.
John Maginnes
PGATOUR.com Contributor
Pick: Tiger Woods
Let me go out on a limb and pick Tiger. Circumstances beyond his control prevented Tiger from putting his best foot forward a year ago. Sunday will be the last Father's Day for Tiger before he becomes one of the day's honorees. This one will be for Earl. Tiger wins in a landslide.
Sleeper: Allen Doyle
You want a dark horse. In his career Man-O-War lost one race. The name of the horse that beat him was named "Upset". This is where we get the common term. If Allen Doyle, the U.S. Senior Open champion the last two years wins this week it would be the greatest upset in the history of golf. I don't think that Allen will win but he could very well play well on a firm fast golf course. Look for him to make the cut and possibly sniff around for a couple of days.
Helen Ross
PGATOUR.com Chief of Correspondents
Pick: Jim Furyk
To make this interesting, we probably should have had everyone pick someone other than Tiger Woods. Of course, the game’s No. 1 player is the odds-on favorite with two wins and a second in the last three majors. But I’m going with the local boy, Jim Furyk, who won the 2003 U.S. Open and tied for second at Winged Foot last year. He comes to Oakmont with confidence, too, after that playoff loss to Rory Sabbatini at the Crowne Plaza Invitational at Colonial in his last start.
Sleeper: John Rollins
His U.S. Open record admittedly isn’t stellar, but John Rollins is a player who hits fairways and greens, which is key in this national championship. He ranks 50th in driving accuracy, 70th in greens in regulation and 20th in putting. As the talented Virginian gets more comfortable on this stage -– he tied for 20th at Augusta National two months ago -- he could be a factor.
Dave Shedloski
PGATOUR.com Senior Correspondent
Favorite: Tiger Woods
As much as we wanted to go off board with Aaron Baddeley or another secure selection like Jim Furyk, we had to take the chalk here. A colleague explained it clearly. "If you had a gun to your head and had to pick a winner, who would you want to bet your life on?" Wow. Yeah. It's Woods. How about this? Hank Haney, his teacher, likes the way he's hitting it. Then there's this. Since Woods won his last Open in 2002, the Open champion has missed the cut either the year prior or two years prior. Woods, of course, missed his only cut in a major as a professional last year at Winged Foot. Hmmmm.
Sleeper: Tim Clark
Tied for third two years ago on a very intractable layout that was heavy on short game and putting challenge -- Pinehurst No. 2. Anhyone who can shoot even par there has to know how to control his shots and his emotions. The question is his health. He withdrew from the Memorial Tournament with a neck problem that has plagued him since last year. But his last start, at Colonial, produced a tie for 12th, and he generally does well on tough greens -- like at Augusta National Golf Club.