Field Study: A look at each player in the U.S. Open field

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Chris Condon

Phil Mickelson looks to capture the second leg of golf's Grand Slam this week at Pebble Beach.

Jun. 16, 2010
By Helen Ross, PGATOUR.COM Chief of Correspondents

PEBBLE BEACH, Calif. -- There are 156 hopefuls who will tee off on the spectacular and scenic Pebble Beach links in the opening round of the 110th U.S. Open on Thursday. But only one will survive the test that none other than Tiger Woods says is the toughest major to win and get to hoist that big silver loving cup as the champion.

Barring a playoff, we'll know his identity on Sunday night. In the meantime, here's a quick look at every one of the players the field. (players listed in order of Official World Golf Ranking).

MORE PLAYERS: Expert Picks | Sleepers | Power Rankings | Fantasy Insider | Inside the Field

Field Study: 2010 U.S. Open

Rk.	Player	U.S Open starts	Best finish
1	Tiger Woods	15	Win (2002, 2002, 2008)
This isn't the same player who won by 15 shots at Pebble Beach in 2000 -- but if we learned anything from that one-legged U.S. Open win in 2008, it's never count him out.
2	Phil Mickelson	19	2nd (1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009)
Five runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open might have lesser men wrapping a 1-iron around their necks. Not Mickelson -- he's back with momentum and a chance to claim No. 1 in the process.
3	Lee Westwood	10	2nd (2008)
He's finished third or better in the last three majors -- missing playoffs by a stroke or two -- and he's coming off a win in Memphis. Think he's ready?
4	Steve Stricker	15	5th (1998, 1999)
He picked up his eighth TOUR win earlier this year, and his fairways and greens game is suited to the U.S. Open. But how is his shoulder?
5	Jim Furyk	15	Win (2003)
For five years, he was the odds-on pick with one win and two seconds at the U.S. Open. He hasn't finished higher than 33rd the last two years, but Furyk is a two-time winner this year.
6	Luke Donald	6	T12 (2004)
He broke a four-year victory drought in a big way with a tie for second, a win in Madrid and a third place in his last three starts. This confident shotmaker could prosper at Pebble.
7	Ernie Els	17	Win (1994, 1997)
The two-time U.S. Open champ was a distant second to Tiger Woods at Pebble Beach in 2000. The FedExCup leader is a two-time champ in 2010, too, but he's looking for his first Open top-10 in six years.
8	Ian Poulter	6	T12 (2006)
The colorful Brit played like gangbusters up until the Masters, winning his first TOUR event in the process. In three starts since Augusta, he's missed two cuts and finished 76th so you have to wonder.
9	Paul Casey	7	T10 (2007)
He lost to Ian Poulter in the finals of the WGC-Accenture Match Play but followed with two top-10s. The big events haven't been kind so far -- he missed the cut at the Masters and THE PLAYERS.
10	Rory McIlroy	1	T10 (2009)
That 62 he threw out on Sunday at Quail Hollow was an attention-getter as McIlroy won his first TOUR event. The kid is fearless and he's a major-in-waiting.
12	Martin Kaymer	2	T53 (2008)
The young German won in Abu Dhabi in January but only has two top-10s. His ball-striking hasn't been up to par -- he ranks 165th on TOUR in fairways hit and 140th in greens in regulation.
13	Robert Allenby	12	T7 (2004)
The Aussie, whose victory drought is nearing a decade, has done everything but win again this year. He's been runner-up twice, most recently, at THE PLAYERS, but only has five top-10s in 55 major starts.
14	Padraig Harrington	12	5th (2000, 2006)
He's posted three top-10s in 11 starts this season. It's hard to tell what kind of impact that arthroscopic surgery a month ago will have on the three-time major champ.
15	Camilo Villegas	5	T9 (2008)
His win at The Honda Classic is one of five top-finishes for the young Colombian, including a tie for eighth last week in Memphis.
16	Zach Johnson	6	T45 (2007)
His win at Colonial is his only top-10 in a consistent season. Last week's tie for 12th at TPC Southwind shows he's ready, but the Masters champ hasn't played at Pebble Beach since 2004.
17	Retief Goosen	12	Win (2001, 2004)
Interestingly, his two U.S. Open wins mark his only two-top 10s in the major, although Goosen has finished sixth or better four times on TOUR this season.
18	Geoff Ogilvy	6	Win (2006)
He successfully defended his title in the first event of the season before welcoming his third child in February. He's still looking to regain some momentum, though, and hasn't had a top-10 since.
19	Hunter Mahan	4	T6 (2009)
He won in Phoenix earlier this year and tied for eighth at the Masters, but Mahan comes to Pebble Beach off two missed cuts.
20	Y.E. Yang	1	MC (2009)
Before he won the PGA, Yang's major record was dismal with five missed cuts in seven starts but that tie for eighth at the Masters proves he's no one-hit wonder.
21	Lucas Glover	4	Win (2009)
The affable South Carolinian snapped a string of three missed cuts with that win at Bethpage Black last year. He's got two top-10s in 2010 but often has been one round away from a really good finish.
22	Tim Clark	7	T3 (2005)
He made his first TOUR win a big one when he won THE PLAYERS Championship last month. He has three top-10s in seven starts at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
23	Robert Karlsson	4	T4 (2008)
He won in Qatar earlier this year and nearly picked up his first win on this side of the Atlantic last week -- losing in a playoff in Memphis.
24	Sean O'Hair	3	T23 (2009)
Another player who's been one round away from a win in 2010, O'Hair has tied for 12th in two of his last four starts.
25	Charl Schwartzel	3	T30 (2007)
Ernie Els' protg could surprise. He won twice in his native South Africa and has two top-3 finishes on the PGA TOUR this year.
26	Henrik Stenson	3	9th (2009)
The Swede hasn't been able to build on last year's success but he does have top-10s in four of the last eight majors.
27	Kenny Perry	11	T3 (2003)
He turns 50 in August but shows no signs of going quietly. Perry has top-25 finishes in his last four starts.
28	Stewart Cink	14	3rd (2001)
Another player who's been one round shy of a really good finish, Cink is coming off a tie for eighth at the Memorial.
29	Dustin Johnson	2	T40 (2009)
So what if the USGA is setting up the golf course. Johnson has won the last two tournaments played at Pebble Beach.
30	Matt Kuchar	7	T14 (1998)
His best U.S. Open finish came when he was an amateur -- but don't count Kuchar out. He's had an enormously consistent year with five top-10s, including one second, two thirds and a tie for eighth.
31	Angel Cabrera	10	Win (2007)
He's third in driving distance but 181st in accuracy. Not to mention, he's never played at Pebble Beach before.
33	Nick Watney	3	T60 (2008)
Solid tee-to-green, he should have gained some confidence at Augusta National where he tied for seventh in his best major performance.
35	Alvaro Quiros	1	MC (2009)
The big-hitting Spaniard won in Spain and was second in Qatar earlier this season but this is his sixth major and he's only made one cut.
36	Sergio Garcia	10	T3 (2005)
His only top-10 this season came at the WGC-Accenture Match Play. The stats don't bode well -- he's hitting 59 and 64 percent of his fairways and greens, respectively, and he ranks 144th in putting.
37	Graeme McDowell	4	T18 (2009)
The Northern Irishman comes to Pebble Beach on a hot streak -- he tied for fourth in Madrid and won the next week in Wales in his last two starts.
38	K.J. Choi	9	T15 (2009)
The steady South Korean hasn't missed a cut all year and he tied for fourth at the Masters.
39	Ross Fisher	2	5th (2009)
A three-time winner on the European Tour, he led all four majors at one point in 2009 with his best finish coming at the U.S. Open. The 2010 season hasn't been as kind.
40	Ben Crane	4	T53 (2008)
He's only had one top-10 in 15 previous majors, but Crane is playing extremely well this season -- winning in San Diego and finishing 12th or better in his last four starts.
41	Adam Scott	8	T21 (2006)
He ended a two-year slide with a victory at the Valero Texas Open last month. Scott also made his first appearance at Pebble Beach and should have gained confidence after a third-round 64.
42	Edoardo Molinari	1	MC (2006)
The Italian has finished fourth three times on the European Tour this year and made waves on this side of the Atlantic with a tie for second at Bay Hill.
43	Francesco Molinari	1	T27 (2009)
He's done something his brother hasn't -- cashed a check at the U.S. Open. That was the second of his three career majors, and he made the cut in all of them.
44	Miguel Angel Jimenez	9	T2 (2000)
The ageless Spaniard, who won in Dubai earlier this year, finished in a tie for second, 15 strokes behind Tiger Woods in his signature victory at Pebble Beach.
45	Rhys Davies	1	MC (2007)
He's only played in two previous majors but the Welsh rookie is proving himself with a win and four other finishes among the top three in 2010.
46	Ryo Ishikawa	0	N/A (N/A)
The 18-year-old phenom graduated from high school earlier this year and won his seventh event on the Japan Tour.
47	Scott Verplank	17	T7 (2007)
Ties for fifth in his last two starts should be confidence builders.
48	Peter Hanson	3	T18 (2009)
The Swede, who has yet to miss a cut on either side of the Atlantic Ocean in 2010, picked up his third European Tour victory earlier this year in Mallorca, Spain.
49	Louis Oosthuizen	0	N/A (N/A)
The young South African has played in seven previous majors, making just one cut, but this is his first U.S. Open.
50	Thongchai Jaidee	1	T74 (2009)
This will be his 11th major -- and his first U.S. Open. Earlier in 2010 he reached the quarterfinals of the World Golf Championships-Accenture Match Play Championship.
51	Hiroyuki Fujita	0	N/A (N/A)
The 41-year-old veteran has a win and two runner-up finishes on the Japan Tour this year.
52	Bo Van Pelt	3	T31 (2004)
Well on his way to a career year, Van Pelt has finished fifth or better in four of his last six starts.
53	Ryan Moore	4	10 (2009)
His third top-10 of the season, a tie for fifth at the Memorial Tournament, should send him to Pebble Beach with confidence.
54	Yuta Ikeda	0	N/A (N/A)
A four-time winner on the Japan Tour in 2009, this 24-year-old is playing in his third major in less than a year.
55	Kevin Na	0	N/A (N/A)
The Californian came close to winning his first TOUR event earlier this year, tying for second at Bay Hill but he hasn't finished in the top-10 since.
56	Michael Sim	1	T18 (2009)
Highlight of the season is a tie for second in San Diego while the lowlight is that shoulder injury that caused him to withdraw from his first Masters.
57	Oliver Wilson	3	T23 (2009)
The Englishman has finished second nine times on the European Tour -- maybe he can draw inspiration from his alma mater, Augusta State, which recently won the NCAA golf championship.
58	Heath Slocum	3	T9 (2008)
His three top-10s this season have come in his last six starts, including solo sixth at Memphis last week.
59	Brian Gay	6	MC (latest: 2009)
He's a cumulative 51 over at the U.S. Open but he tied for 16th at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am earlier this year.
60	Soren Hansen	2	T6 (2009)
A two-time winner on the European Tour, the Dane has posted four top-10s this year.
61	David Toms	14	T5 (2007, 2003)
That final-round 65 last week has to have been a confidence builder.
63	Vijay Singh	16	T3 (2009)
The big Fijian would love nothing better than to validate that special exemption and win the third leg of the career Grand Slam.
65	Soren Kjeldsen	2	T52 (2005)
He's played in 11 majors and only cracked the top-10 once at the 2009 PGA Championship.
66	Steve Marino	2	MC (2007, 2008)
He's racking up top-20s this year like they are going out of style but still seeks his first PGA TOUR win.
67	Stephen Ames	8	T9 (2004)
The 2010 season hasn't been up to the Canadian's usual standards with a single top-10, although he did tie for 15th last week.
68	Mike Weir	11	T3 (2003)
Looks like his short game will have to carry him through this week. Weir ranks 175th in driving accuracy and 184th in greens in regulation.
72	Simon Dyson	2	MC (2005, 2009)
He's only had one top-10 all season but it came in his next-to-last start.
73	Brian Davis	2	T61 (2003)
The Englishman hasn't played in the U.S. Open since 2004 but he comes in with good karma after two runner-up finishes this season.
74	Rory Sabbatini	8	T51 (2007)
The transplanted Texan from South Africa hasn't been able to follow last year's success and only has one top-10 this season.
75	Ricky Barnes	5	T2 (2009)
A year ago, he was a darkhorse. This year Barnes enters the U.S. Open on a hot streak with four top-10s in his last seven starts, including his last two.
78	Ross McGowan	1	77th (2008)
The Englishman picked up his first European Tour win last year but has started slowly in 2010 with just one top-10.
80	Davis Love III	20	T2 (1996)
He survived sectional qualifying to make the field. A win would complete the storybook ending.
84	Jason Dufner	3	T40 (2006)
Dufner broke a string of three straight missed cuts with a tie for 15th at the St. Jude Classic presented by Smith and Nephew.
88	Jerry Kelly	8	T7 (2007)
He's made 11 straight cuts but has yet to crack the top-10.
90	Toru Taniguchi	6	MC (latest: 2008)
He's only broken 70 once in 12 rounds at the U.S. Open but he does have a win and a runner-up finish in Japan this year.
93	Justin Leonard	15	T12 (2002)
It's been a sub par year for the 1997 British Open champ whose best finish is a tie for 17th at The Honda Classic.
94	John Senden	1	MC (2004)
A solid ball-striker -- ranking 44th in driving accuracy and 37th in greens in regulation -- his putter (141st) has held him back this year.
95	Marc Leishman	0	N/A (N/A)
Last year's PGA TOUR Rookie of the Year has had a solid sophomore season with a tie for second in San Diego.
96	Ben Curtis	6	T30 (2004)
He's had 18 rounds under par and 18 above this year with a tie for sixth at Bay Hill his best of the season.
99	John Rollins	6	T42 (2007)
A solid season with seven top-25 finishes could be even better when he starts putting four rounds together.
100	Derek Lamely	0	N/A (N/A)
He may not have the flash of some of the other PGA TOUR rookies but he does have a win at the Puerto Rico Open presented by Banco Popular.
103	Brandt Snedeker	4	T9 (2008)
He has cooled off a bit after a hot start that saw him post top-20s in his first four starts, including a tie for second in San Diego.
107	Simon Khan	1	MC (2009)
He closed with a 66 to win for the second time on the European Tour and become the first sponsor's invite to win the BMW PGA Championship.
121	Gareth Maybin	0	N/A (N/A)
The Northern Irishman nearly picked up his first European Tour victory earlier this year when he tied for second at the Ballentine's Championship.
127	Paul Goydos	9	T12 (1999)
The Californian made a run at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am earlier this year before posting his second straight top-five of the season.
130	Tom Watson	30	Win (1982)
He performed magic at the 17th hole at Pebble Beach on Sunday in 1982. Can the 60-year-old conjure up some more this week?
134	James Morrison	0	N/A (N/A)
The Englishman had a fiesta in Spain -- winning and posting a pair of top-six finishes earlier this year.
147	David Duval	15	T2 (2009)
This Cinderfella nearly won last year's U.S. Open and he tied for second at Pebble Beach earlier this year.
169	Brendon de Jonge	0	N/A (N/A)
The man from Zimbabwe came close to delighting the fans in his adopted home town of Charlotte when he finished fourth at Quail Hollow.
175	Stuart Appleby	13	T10 (1998)
He enters the U.S. Open on a string of four straight missed cuts.
176	Kaname Yokoo	4	T57 (1999)
Since losing his TOUR card in 2004, he's played predominantly in Japan where he has five wins.
180	Aaron Baddeley	4	T13 (2007)
A tie for third at the Valero Texas Open is the lone bright spot this season for the young Aussie.
191	John Mallinger	4	T49 (2005)
The Long Beach native has only cashed two checks in 16 starts on the PGA TOUR this year.
200	Shaun Micheel	6	T28 (2004)
On the comeback trail, the 2003 PGA champ has two top-five finishes in 2010, including a tie for fourth at home in Memphis on Sunday.
203	Milko Ilonen	0	N/A (N/A)
The first man from Finland to win on the European Tour, Ilonen has three top-10s this season across the pond.
204	Rafael Cabrera-Bello	0	N/A (N/A)
He shot a final-round 60 to win his first European Tour event last year but has struggled to duplicate that success in 2010.
218	Bob Estes	13	T11 (2005)
His best finish of the season, a tie for eighth, came Sunday at Memphis.
221	Alex Cejka	3	T60 (1996)
He tied for 10th earlier this year at Pebble Beach.
228	Azuma Yano	1	T27 (2009)
The 32-year-old has won three times on the Japan Tour.
229	J.J. Henry	5	T26 (2007)
The affable veteran has found that second TOUR win elusive but a solid performance in major-championship conditions in Charlotte should give him a boost.
241	Trevor Immelman	5	T21 (2006)
The 2008 Masters champion still hasn't found his rhythm after off-season wrist surgery.
267	Pablo Martin	1	T30 (2007)
The former Oklahoma State All-American won a European Tour event as an amateur and added his second title earlier this year.
273	Tom Lehman	17	T2 (1996)
He plays predominantly on the Champions Tour now, where he won the season's first major, the Senior PGA Championship, and has four other top-five finishes.
275	Chris Stroud	3	MC (latest: 2009)
He followed up his best finish of the season, a solid tie for 10th at THE PLAYERS, with three missed cuts.
280	Bobby Gates	0	N/A (N/A)
He has a win and two other top-10s to stand third on the Nationwide Tour money list.
293	Steve Wheatcroft	0	N/A (N/A)
The former walk-on at Indiana has cashed four checks this year, hitting six figures with his tie for third in Puerto Rico.
295	Matt Bettencourt	1	T10 (2009)
The 2008 Nationwide Tour Player of the Year has had a rough sophomore season with a tie for 39th, his highest finish, and a string of six straight missed cuts coming to Pebble Beach.
298	Gary Boyd	0	N/A (N/A)
A rookie on the European Tour, Boyd has three top-25 finishes.
356	Mathias Gronberg	2	T74 (2001)
The Swede has struggled this year with a tie for 21st in New Orleans, his best finish.
373	Jim Herman	0	N/A (N/A)
He's eighth on the Nationwide Tour money list after a win at the Moonah Classic.
385	Rafael Echenique	0	N/A (N/A)
The 29-year-old from Argentina has missed his last three cuts on the European Tour.
391	Gregory Havret	0	N/A (N/A)
He beat Phil Mickelson in a playoff for one of his three European Tour wins.
392	Harrison Frazar	3	T54 (2002)
He's missed 10 of his last 12 cuts, but finished a respectable 16th and 17th in the other two.
403	Rich Barcelo	0	N/A (N/A)
This is only Barcelo's second major start, and his first since 2005.
414	Rikard Karlberg	0	N/A (N/A)
The 23-year-old Swede currently splits time between the European Challenge Tour and Asian Tour. This is his first major championship.
425	Paul Sheehan	0	N/A (N/A)
A five-time winner on the Japan Tour, the 33-year-old Aussie came close to his sixth earlier this year when he tied for second at The Crowns.
428	Charles Warren	1	T37 (2000)
He's seen Pebble Beach in U.S. Open conditions, shooting 14-over that week.
433	Rocco Mediate	14	2nd (2008)
The last time the U.S. Open was played in California, he lost to Tiger Woods in a 19-hole playoff.
451	Arjun Atwal	0	N/A (N/A)
Atwal, who has one top-10 each on the PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour this year, played a practice round with Tiger Woods on Tuesday.
453	Terry Pilkadaris	0	N/A (N/A)
The 36-year-old Australian plays primarily on the Asian Tour where he has won three times.
483	Craig Barlow	4	T26 (2005)
He's got two top-10s in eight starts on the Nationwide Tour this year.
492	Daniel Summerhays	0	N/A (N/A)
From a distinguished golfing family, he finished second in Athens, Ga. on the Nationwide Tour earlier this year.
528	Jean-Francois Lucquin	1	T54 (2009)
In his last six starts he hasn't finished higher than 32nd and he's missed two cuts.
548	Steve Allan	4	T28 (2005)
He lost his TOUR card last year after finishing 243rd on the money list. He tied for 10th in the Moonah Classic on the Nationwide Tour earlier this year.
561	Kent Jones	5	T48 (2009)
Journeyman had some success on the Nationwide Tour earlier this year with top-10s in Panama and Colombia.
655	Jason Gore	3	T49 (2005)
He captured hearts playing in the final group in Pinehurst on Sunday -- and you've got to root for him at Pebble Beach, too. After all, he got married on the 18th green.
698	Deane Pappas	0	N/A (N/A)
He's been playing predominantly in his native South Africa after three seasons on the Nationwide Tour.
707	Michael Campbell	11	Win (2005)
In 13 rounds on the European Tour this year, his low score is a 74 while he hasn't broken 80 in four on the PGA TOUR.
734	Gary Woodland	1	T47 (2009)
He's had limited success this year playing both the PGA TOUR and Nationwide Tour, making the cut in just three of eight events.
774	Matthew Richardson	0	N/A (N/A)
The 24-year-old Englishman is currently playing the Canadian Tour. He was bothered by back and hip injuries before surviving sectional qualifying for the U.S. Open.
776	Hugo Leon	0	N/A (N/A)
A participant on the "Big Break X," Leon is just the fourth player from Chile to compete in a PGA TOUR event.
805	Fred Funk	20	6th (2004)
The reigning U.S. Senior Open champ has been slowed by a knee replacement this year.
952	David Frost	13	T15 (1986)
His rookie season on the Champions Tour has been a solid one, highlighted by a tie for second at the Senior PGA Championship.
979	Eric Axley	5	T9 (2008)
He has yet to cash a check in three PGA TOUR and two Nationwide Tour starts.

Not ranked
NR	Jason Allred	1	MC (2006)
NR	Eric Compton	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Jon Curran	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Kent Eger	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Travis Hampshire	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Kenny Kim	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Alex Martin	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Dan McCarthy	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Blaine Peffley	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Jason Preeo	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Mark Silvers	0	N/A (N/A)
NR	Jerry Smith	3	MC (latest: 2005)
NR	Ty Tryon	0	N/A (N/A)

Amateurs
--	Byeong-Hun An	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Bennett Blakeman	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Joseph Bramlett	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Russell Henley	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Morgan Hoffman	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Scott Langley	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Ben Martin	1	MC (2009)
--	Kevin Phelan	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Andrew Putnam	0	N/A (N/A)
--	Hudson Swafford	0	N/A (N/A)

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