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This year's edition of the 2007 U.S. Open will have a tough time living up to the drama that played out on the final holes at Winged Foot last year. The 2006 U.S. Open will likely be remembered more for Phil Mickelson's meltdown than it will be for Geoff Ogilvy winning the tournament. Mickelson had a two-shot lead with three holes left to play. He bogeyed 16 and pulled out a par on 17 to still hold a one-shot lead with only the 18th left to play. Anything that could have gone wrong for Mickelson on that hole did, as he mucked up his drive, ripped his approach off a tree, buried his second approach in the sand and the flew over the green while attempting an escape from the beach. The whole embarrassing travesty resulted in a double bogey and handed Ogilvy his first major victory. Ogilvy finished the tournament at five-over par, while the impressive trio of Mickelson, Jim Furyk and Colin Montgomerie were all one stroke back at +6. The scores likely won't be as high this year, but it won't be a walk in the park for golf's best at this year's 2007 U.S. Open locale, Oakmont Country Club, June 11-17. Oakmont is known for its large and extremely fast greens, and the famous 'Churchpews Bunker.' The huge sand trap is nearly 100 yards long and 40 yards wide and comes into play on the 3rd and 4th hole. This will be the eighth time that Oakmont will host the U.S. Open. The last time the major was held there was in 1994, when Ernie Els won his first major after defeating Loren Roberts and Colin Montgomerie in a Monday playoff. If the last two Opens mean anything, another unknown name may use Oakmont to break through. Ogilvy did that at Winged Foot last year and Michael Campbell went from an obscure name to a major champion at Pinehurst a year earlier. Even with the recent surprise winners, everyone will be watching Tiger Woods. Woods has only won the U.S. Open twice in his career, in 2002 at Bethpage and in 2000 at Pebble Beach. Last year at Winged Foot, Woods delivered one of his worst-ever performances in a major tournament after missing the cut. Tiger missed out on adding to his haul in The Masters earlier this season, and with so much on his mind heading into the Open (a pregnant wife and his new AT&T National tournament), he may miss out on another one if he can't focus on the task at hand. Bet on PGA Golf at Wagerweb.com
If Mickelson or Tiger can't get into major-winning form then the favorites in this tournament are likely Els, Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh. Again, Els has won at Oakmont before while Furyk has a U.S. Open title to his name from 2003 and has come close on numerous other occasions. Singh is still looking for his first U.S. Open win, but has posted back-to-back Top 10 finishes in the majors and is a threat to win any tournament he enters. One other golfer to keep your eye on is Masters champ Zach Johnson. Despite winning a green jacket Johnson is still appearing quite low on the U.S. Open odds sheet. Johnson also won the AT&T Classic in mid-May, so he's not just a flash in the pan. Check out Golf betting odds at WagerWeb.com. View PGA Golf Betting Odds now! |
