Predictions: US Open 2013
June 12, 2013
Answers added 6/19/2013 in BOLD
In preparation for this year’s second major, we boldly offer our US Open Predictions 2013.
ACTUAL:
Winner: Justin Rose
Winning Score: +1
Runner Up: Jason Day and Phil Mickelson
Low Amateur: Michael Kim
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Billy Horschel (T-4), Hideki Matsuyama (T-10), Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano (T-10)
Last Year’s Winner (Webb) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Made the cut
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 1 (Ernie Els)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: Phil lost it, but Rose won it too.
Best finish:
Phil, Kuchar, or Stricker?: Phil (T-2 +3)
Els, Vijay , or ZJ?: Els (T-4, +5)
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Luke Donald (T-8, +6)
Furyk, Tiger, or GMAC?: Woods (T-32, both others MC)
Sergio, Bubba, or DJ?: Watson (T-32, +13)
JK:
Winner: Steve Stricker (Rose, Stricker T-8 and had a good chance but tripled #2)
Winning Score: E (+1)
Runner Up: Tiger Woods (Phil and Day, Tiger was T-32)
Low Amateur: Steven Fox (MC, Michael Kim, T-17 at +10)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Scott Stallings (T-53)
Last Year’s Winner (Webb) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Make the cut (true)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 3 (1)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: likely Stricker barely hangs on, but everyone else will lose it (you decide)
Best finish:
Phil, Kuchar, or Stricker?: Stricker (T-8, but Phil T-2)
Els, Vijay , or ZJ?: Els (Yes)
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Rory (T-41; Luke T-8)
Furyk, Tiger, or GMAC?: Can’t go against GMac at the US. He just has magic there. (Furyk and GMac MC’d, so Tiger won by default)
Sergio, Bubba, or DJ?: DJ (Bubba, but DJ was not far behind)
BOLD prediction? Tiger gets into another controversy that keeps him from winning (partially true–his elbow became an issue)
LG:
Winner: Tiger Woods (Not even close)
Winning Score: -6 (not even close)
Runner Up: Steve Stricker (T-8, not bad)
Low Amateur: Michael Weaver (solo 64th. Good job picking a guy who made the cut though)
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Charley Hoffman (sectional qualifier has to be an unknown, right?) (MC, and, no, he’s one of the most recognizable players on tour, and a prior PGA TOUR winner)
Last Year’s Winner (Webb) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Miss the Cut (made the cut)
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 2 (just els)
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: Tiger wins by 3. (Tiger won the second hole by 3 when he tripled it)
Best finish:
Phil, Kuchar, or Stricker?: Striks (Phil)
Els, Vijay , or ZJ?: ZJ (yes, JK, ZJ). (MC)
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: All three MC. (Luke was top 10, all 3 made the cut)
Furyk, Tiger, or GMAC?: Tiger (by default)
Sergio, Bubba, or DJ?: Sergio (Mr. Quad did not win this group)
BOLD prediction? Americans take the top 5 spots. (Too bold. An englishman won it)
2012 U.S. Open Predictions
June 20, 2012
Updated 6/20
Yikes. Once again, our prowess for picking tournaments is pretty poor. See correct answers below:
Overall:
Winner: Webb Simpson
Winning Score: +1.
Runner Up: GMac and Michael Thompson.
Low Amateur: Jordan Speith.
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Michael Thompson, John Peterson. THIS IS WHAT I MEAN BY “UKNOWN”–AS IN, NO ONE KNOWS WHO THE F THEY ARE!
Most difficult hole vs. par: 6, but I contend it would have been 16 if they hadn’t moved the tees up on Sunday.
Easiest hole vs. par: 17.
Last Year’s Winner (Rory) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Missed the cut.
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 4 – Furyk, GMac, Els, Goosen
Will there be an ace?: Yes.
…(assume there is) Which hole: 13.
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: Furyk definitely lost it
First Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: Tiger
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: Goosen and Vijay shot 75; ZJ shot 77. no one won.
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Westwood
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: 69 for GMac on day 1
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: Ryo shot 71 on day 1 (followed by 78 and MC on day 2)
Second Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: Tiger shot 70. Phil and Bubba shot 71. Close.
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: Goosen and ZJ shoot 70
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Westwood and Donald shoot 72; Rory shoots 73.
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: Furyk with the 69
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: Johnson shoots 74 FTW. WTF?
Original 6/13:
Alright Ladies and Gents, this week marks the 112th playing of our National Championship. The tournament will take place in LG’s backyard – the Lake Course at the Olympic Club. Given LG’s inside knowledge of the course, clearly he should win (and already has because he has inside knowledge).
Without further distraction, our predictions:
LG:
Overall:
Winner: TW.
Winning Score: -3.
Runner Up: Sergio Garcia.
Low Amateur: Patrick Cantlay.
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Aaron Baddeley.
Most difficult hole vs. par: par-3 Third.
Easiest hole vs. par: Par-4 Seventh.
Last Year’s Winner (Rory) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): Make the Cut.
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 3.
Will there be an ace?: No.
…(assume there is) Which hole: 15.
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: TW will win it.
First Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: TW gets off to a rocky start. Bubba takes the win on day 1.
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: Hate to say it, but probably ZJ.
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Luke shoots even for the win.
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: Sergio.
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: Fowler with the win on day 1.
Second Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: Tiger makes a charge.
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: ZJ again, unfortunately. probably with a +3
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Rory comes back to make the cut.
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: Sergio gives a couple back. Furyk pulls out the win.
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: DJ. Did you see him at the St. Jude?
JK:
Overall:
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Winning Score: Even
Runner Up: Rickie Fowler
Low Amateur: LG, when he finds out he has to work instead of watch the open. But seriously, Cantlay
“Unknown” in the Top 10: Rooting for Tim Weinhart, local pro from Atlanta who made the field through qualifying.
Most difficult hole vs. par: Any of them could be. There isn’t an easy hole on the course. Let’s go with 16.
Easiest hole vs. par: 18
Last Year’s Winner (Rory) Will … (Win, Top10, Make the Cut, or Miss the Cut): make the cut. He’s not in good form after choking at the St. Jude
How many prior winners will be in the Top 10: 0
Will there be an ace?: no
…(assume there is) Which hole: I said NO!
Will someone win it, or will everyone else lose it?: No one wins the US Open.
First Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: Bubba
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: ZJ
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Rors
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: Sergio
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: Fowler
Second Round Three balls:
Tiger, Phil, or Bubba?: Phil
Goosen, Vijay , or ZJ?: Vijay
Rory, Luke, or Westwood?: Rors
Furyk, Sergio, or GMAC?: Furyk
Fowler, Ryo, or DJ?: DJ
Play of the Week 33
June 19, 2012
This week, I’m afraid I have to give the POTW to the USGA. Typically, I am not a fan of the US Open. When I’ve watched the tournament in years past, I’ve typically found it to be rather boring for a number of reasons. In most cases, it is pointlessly difficult, to where even the best in the world can make nothing of the courses (Oakmont, 2007; Shinnecock, 2004). In many cases, the winner is boring or surprising–as if we were playing the John Deere classic instead of a Major (e.g., Lucas Glover 2009, Angel Cabrera 2007, Michael Campbell 2005, Reteif Goosen 2001/2004). Often, it’s just a war of attrition, where the one player who’s lucky enough to find his ball on every hole manages to sift through the gauntlet and survive the fray (GMac, 2010). Or, the tournament is just boring (McIlroy, 2011).
But every few years, the USGA gets it right. One of the most memorable tournaments I’ve ever watched was the US Open at Torrey Pines in 2008, where Tiger edged Rocco Mediate with a gutsy performance that just outlasted one of the most tenacious players in the game. Or 1999, where the image of Payne Stewart sinking a 20-foot putt to save par on the 72nd hole has become an icon of the game of golf. But in 1999, although the winning score was -1, the course played fairly. It showcased how the greatest in the world (a very young Tiger, a younger than now Phil) could play when the pressure cooker was on, and Payne’s lasting legacy of 1-putting the last 3 holes to hold on was truly a riveting watch.
Like ’08 and ’99, this year, the USGA got it right. The US Open this year wasn’t flashy. It was a simple test–a par 70, even. No water hazards to fly over, no forced carries, not even more than a few fairway bunkers. But Olympic Club was just right. The winning score a nice +1, with Webb Simpson coming out on top over Jim Furyk–trying to hold on–and Graeme McDowell, who charged in at the end but couldn’t seal the deal. Webb posted his second 68 of the weekend hours before GMac and Furyk walked off the course, leaving the scene for great tension and excitement. Olympic was a true test–not just a slaughterhouse. It TESTED the best in the world, but the test could be passed. Players didn’t complain that it was unfair or say that it was too penal. Instead, they went about their business, and the winner played under par both rounds on the weekend. When was the last time you said that about a US Open winner? (well, other than 2011, when Rors was on an absolute tear, but who else?) And, for the second time this year, the winner of a major has come from a pairing other than the final group, which is some welcome excitement that we don’t often see.
I’m not saying this was as exciting as the Masters is every year, or that the US Open is no longer my least favorite of the majors. What the USGA typically does to the players isn’t right, on any level. But this year, the course was what a true test should be. When a player masters that test, he should get the trophy, and Webb did. So, to the USGA, we solute you. And, to Webb Simpson, congrats on passing the test.
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