WHO WILL WIN THE US OPEN AT MERION?

The U.S. Open. What a great tournament! Watching the U.S. Open  I think the word to describe play is precision. There does not look like a lot of room for error. It is amazing to see players get in and out of trouble. 

Who do I think is going to win? It is hard to say. Phil Mickelson looked great yesterday and Luke Donald was playing equally as well until that bogey on 10. Tiger is struggling and missing by just that little bit that so often has made him great. 

Watching great golfers struggle to make par can lead some to believe they could play the course almost as well because at first glance the tee shots and putts don't look like hero shots. But, the greens look fast as lightning. The lightest tap seems to send the ball off on an endless adventure. 

So, let's set back and enjoy the pleasure of watching great golfers play a great course.

Tiger, Phil and Brad?

OK, so far this year we have had Tiger Woods winning at Torrey Pines for his 75th PGA win. Then we had Phil Mickelson win the Phoenix Open by six, going wire to wire. Now, Brad Snedeker won the AT & T Pebble Beach National Pro-AM. I know Tiger can dominate and Phil can be a lot of fun to watch because he seems more like a regular guy than Tiger.  Brad? I  don't know what to think. He handled himself really well and plays with great pace. 

What I would like to see is some real rivalries take shape. I think the world of golf needs a dominate American to keep things interesting. One thing I like about Snedeker, besides his name, is he gets that he needs to win some majors. He realizes he is playing pretty good, but, to be considered elite, he needs major titles. The question is does he have the drive to win at that level? 

Why do I care? I don't know. I like golf. I like competition. I like the drama of great players vs. great players. I think what made Jack Nickalus great was not just that he won 18 majors but that he was second 19 times and third 9 times! He was top five 56 times and top to 73 times! That is one competitive man. Think about that. In 46 major tournaments he was in the top three. There are only four majors. That means for like ten years of majors he was close to winning. I think his competition was pretty good too. From Arnold Palmer to Tom Watson, Less Travino and Gary Player. 

Now that I've got my golf juices flowing again. I can't wait to get out and hit that little white ball. That's what great golfers do. They inspire you. I may not every play pro. But, I'll enjoy myself knowing that I can play the same great game.