2024 US Open Players to Watch
ST. LOUIS – The 124th edition of the US Open begins this Thursday, June 13th, and ends, so perfectly on June 17th; it’s a Sunday. Not just any Sunday, but Father’s Day. Some great champion will hoist the storied trophy on the day that Dad’s all over the world are honored and celebrated. Read below for my 2024 US Open players to watch.
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The Venue
Pinehurst #2 is a classic Donald Ross masterpiece. It really is unlike any other major championship golf course in several aspects. The greens are the first thing you notice. To say they leap off the page at you is, however, a huge understatement. Steve Pate, my teammate at UCLA, multiple PGA Tour winner, and 2-time Ryder Cup player, described them as “upside down German army helmets, except harder to hit.”
These greens are hard, firm, and very fast and here is the rub: despite whatever their actual square footage, they play a half to three quarters SMALLER. So, you will see good or very good shots land on the green, appear to come to a stop, but then start this slow trickle which eventually gains more speed and, at times, will roll as far as 40 yards into the nether.
What is the nether, you ask? It is this extremely difficult, tight, and sandy lies with the ball lying as much as 6-8 yards below the putting surface it was once on. These collection areas will ultimately determine our champion this year.
Last time the US Open was played here, Martin Kaymer, the German who now plays on the LIV tour, won by 8 strokes. That is the third largest margin of victory EVER. For those who recall, Kaymer wound up putting from as far away as 45 yards from some of these low areas and clearly did it much better than anyone else.
You will see wedges, 3 woods, hybrids, high shots, low shots and more variety this week in the short game than any other major championship course.
The rough, for those who do not live in the south, will be brutal common Bermuda. Depending on how nasty the mood the USGA is in this week, this rough can be so long that you can literally not see or even find your ball. I do not expect the rough to be this tough, but it could be. More likely will be a version that allows some sort of advancement of the wayward tee shot.
Top-Tier Players to Watch
Ok there are three players who have been performing at higher levels than any other players on the tour and they are: Scottie Scheffler, Colin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele.
Xander Schauffele
Let’s start with the X man. At 13-1, having never finished outside the top 14 in any US Open he has played in and fresh off his first major championship, Xander is second only to Scotty Scheffler in ball-striking. He is gaining a ridiculous 11 strokes total on the field per start. Expect another strong finish this week from Schauffele.
Colin Morikawa
Now for Morikawa. Only one person has finished in top 5 in first two majors this year. Colin has gained an amazing 9 strokes per event since Augusta and 2.5 of those have come in his weakest area, pitching and scrambling.
The two-time major championship winner has what it takes to close the deal. I am going to go against grain here and NOT pick Colin to contend this week. I am not a fan of his short game, despite the latest advancement and I do not believe his technique and short game will withstand the intense scrutiny and test that the US Open will require. 21-1 are his current odds.
Scottie Scheffler
What can you say that has not been said already. Here is all you need to know. No one on the PGA Tour has the mental game and strength he has. For that matter, he is the best since, yes that’s right, since Tiger Woods!
Lastly, when he putts well, he dominates. When he putts ok, he wins. When he putts poorly, he contends.
4-1 are strong odds and they are there for good reason.
Others to Watch
Cameron Smith is in awful form coming off a disastrous week in Houston where LIV played last week but this type of track is right up his alley. This Aussie is a master around and on the greens. 36-1 is worth the shot.
Billy Horshel is a great long iron player and he is on a superior run in gaining strokes around the greens (4 strokes a round in last 5 starts. 280-1 are his odds. He has grit and the game to surprise this week.
Another sleeper is Brian Harman. This Georgia Bulldog is every bit of a bulldog as a competitor. His major championship victory at last years Open Championship tells you that no stage will be too big for this year’s runner-up in Players Championship. 90-1 pales in comparison to his Open starting odds of 125-1 but not one player in this field would be surprised to see Brian win.
Min Woo Lee
This guy has the propensity to show up on golf’s biggest stages. Last year in LA at LACC, MWL finished 5th. He finished T22 at Augusta and T26 at the PGA Championship. He is 2/2 in cuts made in the US Open. At 65-1, I am going to throw a few bucks on him for various plays.
