Jun. 15, 2010
The PGA TOUR travels to Pebble Beach Golf Links for the U.S. Open. Here's how the PGATOUR.COM experts sized up the top contenders in the year's second major:
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EXPERT PICKS
How it works: Our experts from PGATOUR.COM select the player they think will win this week's event. By using a draft process, no two picks can be the same. The player who wins the previous week picks last the following week.
SLEEPER PICKS
Of the players who didn't make the cut for our top picks, which have the best chance as sleepers? Here's how our experts see it. Click here |
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| Expert picks: U.S. Open |
Casey
Black |
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PHIL MICKELSON.He's fallen short in the U.S. Open several times, but this is the year he wins it all. The 2010 Masters champ -- and three-time AT&T Pebble Beach winner -- would take over the top spot in the world rankings with a victory in his home state. |
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Helen
Ross |
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 | LEE WESTWOOD. It didn't take Sunday's playoff victory to get my
attention. Westwood has finished second or third in the last three majors -- and he tied for fourth at THE PLAYERS Championship last month. He's nothing if not overdue.
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| If Ross had the top pick ... Mickelson |
Brian
Wacker |
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TIGER WOODS. At some point, Tiger is going to start playing like Tiger and I'm not going to pass up the opportunity that this week is the week he does. He loves Pebble Beach and it suits his game. If he plays smartly and keeps the ball in the fairway, he wins.
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| If Wacker had the top pick ... Woods |
Lauren
Deason |
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JIM FURYK. Furyk won the U.S. Open in 2003 and has finished as runner-up in two of the past four years. The two-time winner in 2010 has also missed just one cut in 14 starts at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
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| If Deason had the top pick ... Mickelson |
John
Swantek |
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LUKE DONALD. Missed his last 3 U.S. Open cuts, but all on monster courses that were just too long for him. The 7,000-yard Pebble Beach, where he owns a strong record, suits his game perfectly. Best on TOUR in scrambling and sand save percentage. |
| If Swantek had the top pick ... Mickelson |
Anne
Szeker |
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BEN CRANE. One win, four top 10s. Tied for 12th is his worst finish in last four starts. Eleventh in driving accuracy, 9th in putting, 6th in scoring, 12th in scrambling. Crane is peaking just in time to rock Pebble Beach.
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| If Szeker had the top pick ... Mickelson |
Mike
McAllister |
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ERNIE ELS. Els has two U.S. Open wins but hasn't finished inside the top 10 since 2004. I'm not entirely sure what to expect this week, but he's probably the safest pick at this point.
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| If McAllister had the top pick ... Furyk |
Ryan
Smithson |
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STEVE STRICKER. I don't care. Tom Kite didn't play great when he won at Pebble in 1992. All it takes is good concentration and a hell of a putting stroke. Don't tell me this guy can't win a major, even with a bum shoulder.
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| If Smithson had the top pick ... Mickelson |
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| Standings after Week 23 |
LAST WEEK: Ryan Smithson earned his fifth win of the season when Lee Westwood captured the St. Jude Classic title:
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| Position |
Name |
Wins |
Top-5s |
Top-10s |
Top-25s |
FedExCup points |
| 1 |
Ryan Smithson
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
5 |
6 |
9 |
13 |
3267.83 |
| 2 |
Brian Wacker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
6 |
6 |
8 |
1675.03 |
| 3 |
Helen Ross
Chief of Correspondents, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
2 |
4 |
9 |
1569.48 |
| 4 |
Lauren Deason
Editorial Coordinator, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
2 |
3 |
11 |
1342.22 |
| 5 |
Mike McAllister
Managing Editor, PGATOUR.COM |
1 |
1 |
6 |
10 |
1226.49 |
| 6 |
John Swantek
Host, On The Tee |
1 |
1 |
2 |
8 |
1226.08 |
| 7* |
Anne Szeker
Site Producer, PGATOUR.COM |
- |
3 |
3 |
5 |
643.66 |
| 8* |
Casey Black
Host, PGA TOUR Today |
- |
1 |
- |
- |
276.50 |
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