The US Open starts tomorrow at Shinnecock. Let’s get a thread going. We might as well start with predictions and then keep it going for a watch-along/rehash thread.
I’m predicting Tiger. Courageous, I am not. I know he’s been in a slump (for him) but I think he’s due. It’s a long course and he doesn’t spray it too much off the tee I think he’ll be there on Sunday.
Sergio has been hot lately too, though and who’s to say Lefty can’t get two in a row. I also thjink that Vijay Singh is a dark horse just because he’s always a dark horse.
Well that’s my two cents to start. Let’s talk golf.
Duval is making his come-back at the US Open. Oh well, just thought I would let everyone know, I predict he misses the cut.
Daly is up to 13th on the money list, good luck to John. K.J. Choi is going to win a biggie someday soon. Freddie Couples has been on the leaderboard a lot lately. If I had to bet money, I’d probably take Els or Singh.
Something called David Roesch is off to an early lead at three under through eight. Jeff Maggert, Dudley Hart and Jay Haas are right behind him at two under. Tiger lurks at one under.
In other news, David Duval has come roaring out of the gate at plus four through seven (what happened to him anyway? Remember when he used to be good?).
Ernie is at plus two through five but he’ll pull himself back into it.
I’m not exactly sure what happened to Duval. I guess he had some “personal” problems. How does that go? It’s more difficult to live with success than failure?
I think it was a shoulder. Part of the time was that, part loss of desire.
Tiger HAS been spraying it wildly lately off the tee. He’s also lost 2 weekend leads, something he hadn’t done in years. But don’t count him out, even if he is 55th.
Haas is older than dirt, and Maggert is no kid either. Lot of possibles, but I’ll take …Els, over Mickelson.
BTW, saw in the paper today, is Els wins, and Tiger does not finish in the top 6, Els gets the #1 world ranking.
Heard the course is looking tough this year, a few friends have been watching practice rounds, and going today. (and one of them got thru the first cut at the Pub links regional last year, he knows what he’s talking about)
Mickelson is off to a nice start. 68 yesterday, and -4 today thru 16.
Not that a guy at even would be out of it going into the weekend, but if Phil’s in at -6, that’s not something you feel too good about having to make up.
If Phil is -6, -7, the cut could lose a few people too… if he goes to 7, another 72 by Tiger will fail to make the cut (assuming the 10 shot rule). That rain yesterday may have helped.
I still think that Tiger and Sergio are going to get into the red numbers by the end of the day but now that the psychological monkey is dead for Mikkelson he may just take his lead to the wire. Approach shots are going to be critical on this course and Lefty has a great short game.
Mickelson’s game just seems so solid and under control. 7 birdies against only 1 bogey through the first two rounds. Compare to Weir: 9 birdies, but 6 bogeys and a double.
Go Phil. Nothing I would like to see better than Phil win more than one major this year (hell, win them all Phil).
Did everyone see the comical reply of Jimenez’s 9 on the par 3 11th Friday? Teed off too solid, ball rolled off the back of green. Now if you’re in back of the green on 11, your looking UP about 20 feet to the hole. He takes is swing, ball goes to the back edge of the green, rolls back down again to where it started (repeat this 5 (yes 5) times). He finally slams the ball hard enough to make it onto the green, and it zips past the hole. He two putts for a 9.
There are some intriguing names at the top of that leaderboard. Phil, Els, Goosen, Singh. It could make for an entertaining sunday.
It doesn’t look like Tiger’s going to break out this weekend but you never know when he could go nuts and shoot a 62 or something. Then it would get really interesting.
Saw a bit of the highlight show on ESPN tonight. Phil was hitting some nice knock-down approach shots today, those should come in handy if/when the wind picks up and the course starts playing as it was intended. I mean, two guys are at -6 on Friday, and Els made four straight birdies on the front nine today – Is this the U.S. Open or the friggin’ Public Links Championship?
(Being hyperbolic for effect, those guys impress the hell out of me)
