Tiger Woods may not be the favorite going into this year’s U. S. Open at Pebble Beach but, he is the player to watch. The usual conversation heading into PGA TOUR majors of the past was who would win – Tiger or the field? Though not the question asked this year, Woods enters into the week looking to hold on to his top rank on the Official World Golf Rankings as Phil Mickelson is as close as he has been to taking the top spot for the first time in his career.
If there is one thing about golf and major tournaments, it is that Woods will compete to the end to win. Woods showed his determination this year at the Masters, gutting out a fourth place finish after being removed from competitive golf for four months. Yes, he was not the same Tiger that showed up in years past but, he put up a similar performance. It will be no different at the PGA TOUR’s second major tournament of the year – the U. S. Open at Pebble Beach. The last time the Open was played at Pebble Beach, Woods won by a record 15 shots in 2000.
Mickelson comes into the week as the favorite. He has played his best golf this year with Woods in the field and, if he doesn’t win, will finish in the top 10. So, the question is if not Phil or Tiger then who?
There are a number of players coming into the week on high notes, notably Lee Westwood, who won last week. But, what about Ernie Els? Els, who finished second to Woods in the 2000 Open at Pebble Beach, has played his best golf in years with wins at the World Golf Championship-CA Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Jim Furyk is another veteran that is having a bit of a resurgence this year. Furyk, who won the U. S. Open in 2003, has wins at the Transitions Championship and Verizon Heritage this year with five other top 20 finishes. Dustin Johnson is the reigning two-time champion of the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach and could be a threat to make it three in a row on Pebble Beach.
U. S. Open at Pebble Beach Preview
If there is one thing about golf and major tournaments, it is that Woods will compete to the end to win. Woods showed his determination this year at the Masters, gutting out a fourth place finish after being removed from competitive golf for four months. Yes, he was not the same Tiger that showed up in years past but, he put up a similar performance. It will be no different at the PGA TOUR’s second major tournament of the year – the U. S. Open at Pebble Beach. The last time the Open was played at Pebble Beach, Woods won by a record 15 shots in 2000.
Mickelson comes into the week as the favorite. He has played his best golf this year with Woods in the field and, if he doesn’t win, will finish in the top 10. So, the question is if not Phil or Tiger then who?
There are a number of players coming into the week on high notes, notably Lee Westwood, who won last week. But, what about Ernie Els? Els, who finished second to Woods in the 2000 Open at Pebble Beach, has played his best golf in years with wins at the World Golf Championship-CA Championship and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Jim Furyk is another veteran that is having a bit of a resurgence this year. Furyk, who won the U. S. Open in 2003, has wins at the Transitions Championship and Verizon Heritage this year with five other top 20 finishes. Dustin Johnson is the reigning two-time champion of the AT&T National Pro-Am at Pebble Beach and could be a threat to make it three in a row on Pebble Beach.