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Power Rankings: U.S. Open
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June 15, 2015
By Rob Bolton , PGATOUR.COM
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Rory McIlroy seeks his second U.S. Open victory this week at Chambers Bay. (Streeter Lecka/Getty Images)
As many hats as Mike Davis wears for the United States Golf Association -- Executive Director, course setup guy, bouncer (think Webb Simpson's TV interview at Olympic Club in 2012) -- perhaps his most valuable is the unofficial role spawned by the first two: Promoter.
Supported by the breadth of the USGA and its confidence in his talent, intellect and experience, Davis sells the U.S. Open like nobody's business. He's thinking outside the box before we're even aware of the boundaries. He's as much a risk-taker as is he playful with his rhetoric. Like any successful leader with conviction, you know exactly where you stand on an issue after learning of his opinion.
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From the graduated rough of yesteryear to the doubleheader at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, Davis and Co. ain't afraid to push the envelope. Next up on that evolutionary process is arguably the most extreme golf course in modern U.S. Open history.
Chambers Bay in University Place, Washington, west of Tacoma and hard against the Puget Sound, was designed by Robert Trent Jones, Jr. It turns just eight years young this month. It look like a links layout, and it projects to play like one, but elevation changes, massive variations in yardage on several holes and trouble absolutely everywhere will yield frustration and high scores. It's why Davis didn't mince his words when he averred that contenders will to invest the time to study and learn as much of the nuance as they can.
The 2010 U.S. Amateur was contested here. Of the 156 committed to the 115th edition of the U.S. Open, 11 gave Chambers Bay a spin in that event, but the course itself was a test drive for this week's major. Quite a bit of work has been done since to improve playability. The U.S. Open is supposed to reveal the best golfer, so one of Davis' goals was to eliminate as much of the luck factor, particularly the bad.
This isn't just another golf tournament, but not only because it's the U.S. Open. The first word out of Chambers Bay years ago was that it was the course with no water and only one tree on it. While true, the setup could be misinterpreted as a logic problem. For example, holes 1 and 18 will play as either a par 4 or par 5, each opposing the other's par to retain overall par at 70 in every round. Only eight holes feature a singular yardage (like most courses), so there is a difference of 516 yards between the shortest and longest tees. While it won't play this long -- the maximum measurement is 7,906 yards -- Davis will have all the flexibility that he and his team needs to create angles, manufacture drama and prepare for wind.
If there's a bone thrown at the field, it's that the greens average a healthy 8,700 square feet. Still, undulations, many of which would be described as swales, shrink the targets. The wide-scale absence of knowledge of the greens favor ball-strikers and allow the opportunity for average putters to emerge. Fine fescue grass is featured throughout the property.
Patience, imagination and one's love for the challenge are unquantifiable, but they are going to be the primary assets necessary to succeed this week. And who knows, the deviation from the norm just might reset the reasons why they love to play this game.
Aside from a chance for rain early on Friday, the weather should cooperate throughout the tournament. Temperatures will climb into the upper 70s, maybe even touching 80 on Sunday. They'll be accompanied by light-to-moderate winds that may blow from a northerly direction on the weekend. The prevailing breezes come out of the west.
POWER RANKINGS: U.S. Open
RANK PLAYER COMMENT 1 Rory McIlroy Rested, and that matters. Winner at TPC Harding Park and Quail Hollow recently; six wins in last 11 months. Ridiculous stats support world's best.
2 Jordan Spieth Lot made of his caddie's knowledge, but Spieth has performed well everywhere. Leads TOUR in adjusted scoring, par-4 scoring and proximity from rough.
Lot made of his caddie's knowledge, but Spieth has performed well everywhere. Leads TOUR in adjusted scoring, par-4 scoring and proximity from rough.
3 Hideki Matsuyama Worst aspect of his game is putting, which is neutralized here. Lights out elsewhere and ranks seventh in scrambling. T5 in last start at Memorial.
Worst aspect of his game is putting, which is neutralized here. Lights out elsewhere and ranks seventh in scrambling. T5 in last start at Memorial.
4 Phil Mickelson Second attempt at the career grand slam. T3 in Memphis is third top five in last five starts. Already on record for stating his affinity for Chambers Bay.
Second attempt at the career grand slam. T3 in Memphis is third top five in last five starts. Already on record for stating his affinity for Chambers Bay.
5 Billy Horschel Continues to pour it on. Since Match Play, four top 20s in as many starts; T8 in Memphis. Confident and peaking at the perfect time.
Continues to pour it on. Since Match Play, four top 20s in as many starts; T8 in Memphis. Confident and peaking at the perfect time.
6 Justin Rose Win (New Orleans) and two seconds since T2 at the Masters. Confident ball-striker whose average putting doesn't hurt him here.
Win (New Orleans) and two seconds since T2 at the Masters. Confident ball-striker whose average putting doesn't hurt him here.
7 Rickie Fowler All he does is play exceptionally well in the biggest events. Since 2014 Masters, top 15s in all five majors and all four WGCs. Won PLAYERS last month.
All he does is play exceptionally well in the biggest events. Since 2014 Masters, top 15s in all five majors and all four WGCs. Won PLAYERS last month.
8 Henrik Stenson Currently 10th in fairways hit and second in greens in regulation. Also leads the TOUR in scrambling from the rough. T13 in Sweden in last start.
Currently 10th in fairways hit and second in greens in regulation. Also leads the TOUR in scrambling from the rough. T13 in Sweden in last start.
9 Patrick Reed Boosted by some course knowledge via 2010 U.S. Amateur, but commands the big stages, anyway. One of the best on TOUR around greens.
Boosted by some course knowledge via 2010 U.S. Amateur, but commands the big stages, anyway. One of the best on TOUR around greens.
10 Brandt Snedeker Snapped out of a funk with a T2 at Colonial and T6 at the Byron Nelson. Strong short game. Sixth in strokes gained: putting; third in scrambling.
Snapped out of a funk with a T2 at Colonial and T6 at the Byron Nelson. Strong short game. Sixth in strokes gained: putting; third in scrambling.
11 Jim Furyk The 2003 U.S. Open champ has three top fives in last five starts, including win at Harbour Town. Leads TOUR in proximity; 12th in greens hit.
The 2003 U.S. Open champ has three top fives in last five starts, including win at Harbour Town. Leads TOUR in proximity; 12th in greens hit.
12 Francesco Molinari So much for soreness in his right wrist. Top fives in three of last four starts. Leads TOUR in fairways hit and ranks fifth in greens in regulation.
So much for soreness in his right wrist. Top fives in three of last four starts. Leads TOUR in fairways hit and ranks fifth in greens in regulation.
13 Sergio Garcia Underwhelming tee-to-green splits but fourth in strokes gained; eighth in adjusted scoring. Will help prove why Chambers Bay caters to ball-strikers.
Underwhelming tee-to-green splits but fourth in strokes gained; eighth in adjusted scoring. Will help prove why Chambers Bay caters to ball-strikers.
14 Jimmy Walker Ended skid with T2 at Byron Nelson. Elevated to the next level with top 10s in three of four majors in 2014. First in strokes gained: putting.
Ended skid with T2 at Byron Nelson. Elevated to the next level with top 10s in three of four majors in 2014. First in strokes gained: putting.
15 Jason Day This is contingent on his health, but he gets the benefit of the doubt on paper. Inside top 50 in both strokes-gained stats. Third in par-4 scoring.
This is contingent on his health, but he gets the benefit of the doubt on paper. Inside top 50 in both strokes-gained stats. Third in par-4 scoring.
16 Ryan Moore Native son placed T18 in last start at Memorial. On game alone, he belongs -- 31st in strokes gained: tee-to-green -- but local connection should inspire.
Native son placed T18 in last start at Memorial. On game alone, he belongs -- 31st in strokes gained: tee-to-green -- but local connection should inspire.
17 Kevin Na Eight straight top 20s in stroke-play events, including all of the biggies. Inside top 25 in adjusted scoring and scrambling. T12 at Pinehurst in 2014.
Eight straight top 20s in stroke-play events, including all of the biggies. Inside top 25 in adjusted scoring and scrambling. T12 at Pinehurst in 2014.
18 Dustin Johnson Here on cachet, but he'll be challenged by do-or-die target lines. Struggled at PGA National and TPC Sawgrass, both comparable in strategy.
Here on cachet, but he'll be challenged by do-or-die target lines. Struggled at PGA National and TPC Sawgrass, both comparable in strategy.
19 Charley Hoffman In the midst of a career year. T2 in his last start at TPC Four Seasons. Strong tee-to-green. Ranks 29th in adjusted scoring average.
In the midst of a career year. T2 in his last start at TPC Four Seasons. Strong tee-to-green. Ranks 29th in adjusted scoring average.
20 Brooks Koepka "Settled" for a T3 in Memphis where he was 1-over on the weekend. Sixth in adjusted scoring and eighth in the all-around. T4 at Pinehurst last year.
"Settled" for a T3 in Memphis where he was 1-over on the weekend. Sixth in adjusted scoring and eighth in the all-around. T4 at Pinehurst last year.
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Rested, and that matters. Winner at TPC Harding Park and Quail Hollow recently; six wins in last 11 months. Ridiculous stats support world's best.