122nd U.S. Open: Will It Be A Dream Week For Rory McIlroy?

What a perfect setting for the 122nd playing of the U.S. Open — The Country Club in Brookline, outside Boston, one of the five founding clubs for the USGA and the scene of perhaps the most stunning and important victory in the history of golf in our country.

This is where amateur Francis Ouimet, whose family lived across the street from the  club, beat not one but two behemoths in the world of golf back in 1913 — Harry Vardon and Ted Ray.

You could say it was the moment when people started paying attention to what was then a fledgling sport in our country.

One-hundred and nine years later, the U.S. Open is our country’s most significant championship and arguably the most difficult to win and it’s back at the site of Ouimet’s improbable victory.

With that in mind, we once again dip into the murky waters of trying to predict/guess who might be the last man standing come late Sunday afternoon.

So let’s get to it.

First Tier Favorites:

Rory McIlroy:  This marks the first time we’ve gone with Rory as our favorite.  We saw some things out of Rory at the Canadian that were especially impressive and that was his ability to hit softer wedge shots and short irons into greens that didn’t have too much spin.  That’s been a long-standing problem for him and he’s obviously been working on that.  Add the fact that he virtually rips the cover off the ball with his driver and he’s pretty accurate as well, Rory can put a lot of pressure on his competition with that club.  He’s also been rolling the ball quite well.  He’s also becoming the face and voice of the PGA Tour and he’s strong in his stance that the PGA Tour is the best place in the world to play.  Rory’s mind is in the right place, so is his heart and given the number of Bostonians of Irish descent, the crowds are going to get behind Rory this week the way they did up in Canada last week.

Justin Thomas:  J.T. got what he needed last month at the PGA — he proved to himself that he could respond and respond in a big way on Championship Sunday.  J.T.’s  bogey-bogey finish last Sunday left him shaking his head and he saw Rory’s birdie-birdie finish.  J.T.’s motivated, his game is trending the right way and like Rory, he’s becoming one of the faces and voices of the PGA Tour’s youth brigade.  We like J.T. to be in the thick of it again this week.

Shane Lowry:  Here’s a guy whose game is trending in the right direction.  He’s got the perfect style for The Country Club’s unique set of challenges.  He’s not overly long but long enough and he’s a skilled iron player as well.  Given those small greens, short games will be tested and Shane’s got that covered as well.  Could be a second major for Shane.

Scottie Scheffler:  Scottie needs to drive it better and putt better than he has since The Masters.  One thing in his favor this week is that marvelous short game he possesses.

Xander Schauffele:  Will the X-Man finally show up and win a major?  Right now he’s battling Patrick Cantlay and Cam Smith for the title “best player without a major championship.”

Second Tier Favorites:

Jon Rahm:  Not the same player who won the U.S. Open a year ago at Torrey Pines.  Rahm-bo’s not putting it the way he did a year ago, not driving it as well as he did a year ago.  Still the defending champion has to get major consideration.

Will Zalatoris:  We sound like a broken record with this:  “If only this kid could putt!!!”

Sam Burns:  Time for him to put his name among major championship threats.

Max Homa:  Likes difficult golf courses and man, does this one fit that bill!!

Justin Rose:  Saw what he did on Sunday at the Canadian.  Was in the top 15 at the PGA Championship.  This major champion is trending in the right direction, knows what it takes to win a U.S. Open.

Third Tier Not-So-Favorites:

Collin Morikawa:  Not the same player who won two major championships.  Putting has gone south.

Patrick Cantlay:  Mr. Unreliable at major championships.

Jordan  Spieth:  Not the same player who won three major championships.  Putting has not come back to what it used to be.

Viktor Hovland:  His short-game is a work in progress and “work-in-progress” isn’t what’s needed at The Country Club.

Cam Smith:  Driving accuracy will be a must this week and his accuracy isn’t all that good.

Fourth Tier Not-So-Favorites:

Corey Conners:  Good enough to contend, not sure he’s good enough to win.

Billy Horschel:  Has the grit, will he have the game this week?

Tony Finau:  Probably too low in the standings here.  Ball striking, yes, short-game, uncertain, putting, also uncertain.

Matt Fitzpatrick:  Won the U.S. Amateur here.  Good enough to contend, probably not seasoned enough to win (yet).

Hideki Matsuyama:  If he can keep the face of his clubs untampered.

And What About These Guys?:

Phil Mickelson:  It will be a miracle of sorts if he makes it to the weekend.  Ten-over for 54 holes last week doesn’t sound like a guy ready for a U.S. Open layout.  How will the Boston fans react to him?

Bryson DeChambeau:  Better have your game in shape when you get to a U.S. Open because you’re not gonna find it on this course.

Dustin Johnson:  Wow, was a fat one-under last week.  Obviously D.J. likes making a lot of money without a lot of practice time.

Louie Oosthuizen:  Who cares?  We all know he’d rather be riding a tractor.

Tyrrell Hatton:  This is a course that will make you slam a club and TH might set a record for that this week.

Brooks Koepka:  Does this guy still play golf?  Not the same player who won back-to-back U.S. Opens.  Surprised he hasn’t signed with the LIV so he can be paired with Bryson all the time!

Abraham Ancer:  Are there any good Tequila bars in Brookline?

That’s it for now.  The U.S. Open was always this writer’s favorite event to cover.  So much happening and this year, well, there is a LOT happening.

Isn’t there?

122nd U.S. Open Thursday/Friday Tee Times And Groups:

How To Watch:

Thursday and Friday:

6:45 a.m.-9:30 a.m. (EDT):  Peacock Network

9:30 a.m.-2 p.m. (EDT):  USA Network

2:00 p.m.-5 p.m. (EDT):  NBC

5 p.m.-7 p.m. (EDT):  USA Network

7 p.m.-8 p.m. (EDT):  Peacock Network

Saturday:

10:00 a.m.-12 noon (EDT):  Peacock Network

Noon-8 p.m.:  NBC

Sunday:

9 a.m.-10 a.m. (EDT):  Peacock Network

10 a.m.-Noon (EDT):  USA Network

Noon-7 p.m. (EDT):  NBC