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JoePa's U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP Picks
Missed by the proverbial gnat's eyelash last week of getting another Top 5 finish....just one stroke away! Well, it's onto the U.S. Open this week at Chambers Bay in the beautiful state of Washington. Don't expect the scores to be so low this week which can be very humbling to Tour players. This coastal course has mountains, the ocean, and lots of prevailing winds....as if, the links style course was not already enough of a challenge. Accuracy and scrambling will be vital this week. As usual in the Opens, I have a little larger list of picks than normal. I absolutely love these tournaments.
JUSTIN ROSE 7/2 TOP FIVE FINISH - Yes, yes, I know....this is a cookie cutter pick! But, Rosie is at the top of his game right now. He has one U.S. Open title to his credit, loves links style golf and this season has finished a P2nd at The Memorial, 1st at the Zurich Classic, T2nd at The Masters. It helps that he's ranked 20th in ball striking, 2nd in sand saves, 29th in driving distance, 30th in GIR and 4th in putting average. He's an 18/1 shot to win outright.
PHIL MICKELSON 7/2 TOP FIVE FINISH - Ok, ok, I know....another chalk pick, but really I am not a Phil fan! I repeat, I am not a Phil fan....but, I must admit that I was really impressed with the way he interacted with the young fan at the 18th hole at the St. Jude Classic last week, AND, with his impressive final round charge that propelled him to a T3rd. He average 62% GIR last week, along with 75% in sand saves and shot a 65 on Sunday as well. He also has a T4th at Quail Hollow, a T2nd at The Masters and 2nd at the PGA Championship. He's in good form, has great imagination, so it would not surprise me if he complete a career grand slam this week. Phil is a 12/1 outright winner pick.
RICKIE FOWLER 4/1 TOP FIVE FINISH - Rickie seems to fare well on links courses and always shows up on the Sunday leader board in big tournaments. His recent successes a win at The Players Championship along with a T9th at the WGC Cadillac Match Play even though he was cut at The Memorial, shows he can carry the heavy load in big events. I think he shows up this week. If you pick him to win he's an 18/1 shot.
BRENDAN TODD 20/1 TOP FIVE FINISH & 6/1 TOP 10 FINISH - He made his U.S. Open debut last season and finished T17th. He also finished T39th at The Open Championship in his maiden voyage. This year he has a season best 4th at the RBC Heritage, T8th Hyundai Classic, T10th AT&T and 17th at The Memorial. He is capable we know, because he won the Byran Nelson in 2014! His stats make him a horse for this course as he is 7th in driving accuracy at 70.60%, 24th in strokes gained putting, 38th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 1st in sand saves at 67.35%, his GIR is 66.48%, he's 12th in scrambling, 14th in total putting and 49th in scoring average at 70.645. To win he's a 125/1 shot.
BERND WEISBERGER 8/1 TOP 10 FINISH - One of two Euro Tour picks I am posting! The last couple of weeks have been very exciting with Soren Kjeldsen, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, and Alexander Noren all picking up victories while guys like Rory McIlroy have been struggling. Weisberger has four TOP 5 finishes this year on the Euro even though he does not have a win. However, he is ranked 5th in the Race to Dubai Standings with a 3rd at the Qatar Masters, T4th at the Omega Masters, 2nd at the Malaysia Open and T2nd at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. He has a 70.22 scoring average and 72.69% GIR rating. He's a solid 16/1 for a Top 5 and 150/1 to win outright.
ANDY SULLIVAN 16/1 TOP 10 FINISH - He made his American debut this season and finished T13th with an aggregate score of -9 at The Memorial a couple of short weeks ago! Currently he's ranked 16th in the Race to Dubai Standings, was a 1st time Euro Tour winner at the South African Open and also carded a win at the Joburg Open. More recently he carded an albatross at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open where he finished T6th. His driving accuracy is 66%, GIR 71% and sand saves 62%. I will roll the dice with him! He's also a 33/1 shot at grabbing a Top 5 finish.
JUSTIN ROSE 7/2 TOP FIVE FINISH - Yes, yes, I know....this is a cookie cutter pick! But, Rosie is at the top of his game right now. He has one U.S. Open title to his credit, loves links style golf and this season has finished a P2nd at The Memorial, 1st at the Zurich Classic, T2nd at The Masters. It helps that he's ranked 20th in ball striking, 2nd in sand saves, 29th in driving distance, 30th in GIR and 4th in putting average. He's an 18/1 shot to win outright.
PHIL MICKELSON 7/2 TOP FIVE FINISH - Ok, ok, I know....another chalk pick, but really I am not a Phil fan! I repeat, I am not a Phil fan....but, I must admit that I was really impressed with the way he interacted with the young fan at the 18th hole at the St. Jude Classic last week, AND, with his impressive final round charge that propelled him to a T3rd. He average 62% GIR last week, along with 75% in sand saves and shot a 65 on Sunday as well. He also has a T4th at Quail Hollow, a T2nd at The Masters and 2nd at the PGA Championship. He's in good form, has great imagination, so it would not surprise me if he complete a career grand slam this week. Phil is a 12/1 outright winner pick.
RICKIE FOWLER 4/1 TOP FIVE FINISH - Rickie seems to fare well on links courses and always shows up on the Sunday leader board in big tournaments. His recent successes a win at The Players Championship along with a T9th at the WGC Cadillac Match Play even though he was cut at The Memorial, shows he can carry the heavy load in big events. I think he shows up this week. If you pick him to win he's an 18/1 shot.
BRENDAN TODD 20/1 TOP FIVE FINISH & 6/1 TOP 10 FINISH - He made his U.S. Open debut last season and finished T17th. He also finished T39th at The Open Championship in his maiden voyage. This year he has a season best 4th at the RBC Heritage, T8th Hyundai Classic, T10th AT&T and 17th at The Memorial. He is capable we know, because he won the Byran Nelson in 2014! His stats make him a horse for this course as he is 7th in driving accuracy at 70.60%, 24th in strokes gained putting, 38th in strokes gained tee-to-green, 1st in sand saves at 67.35%, his GIR is 66.48%, he's 12th in scrambling, 14th in total putting and 49th in scoring average at 70.645. To win he's a 125/1 shot.
BERND WEISBERGER 8/1 TOP 10 FINISH - One of two Euro Tour picks I am posting! The last couple of weeks have been very exciting with Soren Kjeldsen, Rafa Cabrera-Bello, and Alexander Noren all picking up victories while guys like Rory McIlroy have been struggling. Weisberger has four TOP 5 finishes this year on the Euro even though he does not have a win. However, he is ranked 5th in the Race to Dubai Standings with a 3rd at the Qatar Masters, T4th at the Omega Masters, 2nd at the Malaysia Open and T2nd at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open. He has a 70.22 scoring average and 72.69% GIR rating. He's a solid 16/1 for a Top 5 and 150/1 to win outright.
ANDY SULLIVAN 16/1 TOP 10 FINISH - He made his American debut this season and finished T13th with an aggregate score of -9 at The Memorial a couple of short weeks ago! Currently he's ranked 16th in the Race to Dubai Standings, was a 1st time Euro Tour winner at the South African Open and also carded a win at the Joburg Open. More recently he carded an albatross at the Dubai Duty Free Irish Open where he finished T6th. His driving accuracy is 66%, GIR 71% and sand saves 62%. I will roll the dice with him! He's also a 33/1 shot at grabbing a Top 5 finish.