Playing vs. resting the week before the U.S. Open

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Jun. 3, 2008

Do you increase your odds of winning the U.S. Open if you rest the week before? Or are you better off fine-tuning your game by playing the week before? Since 1980, the results are basically split. Of the 28 winners, 15 rested the week before, while 13 played in a tournament on either the PGA TOUR or the European Tour. Interesting enough, two-time winners Retief Goosen, Lee Janzen and Curtis Strange have been successful with both approaches.

However, of the 10 players who have won a tournament the week before winning a major, none have ever done it at the U.S. Open (click here for chart).

Taking Sides: Our writers debate the proper approach

Play or rest?
U.S. Open winners since 1980
Year U.S. Open winner Play the
week before?
Last start before winning
the U.S. Open (Result)
2007 Angel Cabrera No AT&T Classic (MC)
2006 Geoff Ogilvy Yes Barclays Classic (T18)
2005 Michael Campbell No Celtic Manor Wales Open (T15)
2004 Retief Goosen No Memorial (T8)
2003 Jim Furyk No Memorial (T24)
2002 Tiger Woods No Memorial (T22)
2001 Retief Goosen Yes The Compass Group European Open (T5)
2000 Tiger Woods No Memorial (Won)
1999 Payne Stewart Yes FedEx St. Jude Classic (MC)
1998 Lee Janzen No Kemper Open (T21)
1997 Ernie Els Yes Kemper Open (MC)
1996 Steve Jones No Memorial (MC)
1995 Corey Pavin Yes Kemper Open (P2)
1994 Ernie Els Yes Buick Classic (2)
1993 Lee Janzen Yes Buick Classic (T3)
1992 Tom Kite No Memorial (T7)
1991 Payne Stewart Yes Buick Classic (T17)
1990 Hale Irwin No Kemper Open (T3)
1989 Curtis Strange Yes Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic (T15)
1988 Curtis Strange No Kemper Open (T29)
1987 Scott Simpson Yes Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic (T35)
1986 Raymond Floyd Yes Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic (T12)
1985 Andy North Yes Manufacturers Hanover Westchester Classic (MC)
1984 Fuzzy Zoeller No Kemper Open (T35)
1983 Larry Nelson No Kemper Open (T76)
1982 Tom Watson No Memorial (T16)
1981 David Graham No Memorial (MC)
1980 Jack Nicklaus Yes Atlanta Classic (MC)
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