The U.S. Open

Huge week golf fans. We have made it to yet another major, The U.S. Open, the people’s championship. There has been so much going on in the golf community building up to this event and I think we are in for an absolutely wild ride. This week I plan on touching on some really hot issues, first and foremost is the so-called Bryson and Brooks “Feud.” To put it completely bluntly, this is the most childish thing I’ve ever seen from two professionals, let alone grown men. Between Brook’s foul language on national TV because Bryson wore metal spikes, Brooks promoting and encouraging the heckling and badgering of Bryson during his rounds, and Bryson refusing to play with Brooks, it all has to end. In the beginning it was all innocent and in good fun but now it’s turned into this twisted two sided immature battle. It has now grabbed the attention of Ryder Cup Captain Steve Stricker, he voiced his opinion on the matter and was unamused and is asking for a quick resolve before the Ryder Cup. Now who knows what will happen if Bryson and Brooks fall out of the top 6 automatic Ryder Cup spots, but for now this cat and mouse back and forth needs to come to a halt very soon. There is only one thing that will stop this feud and that’s the PGA Tour stepping in and controlling the situation and they will never do that because the Player Impact Program (PIP) is the root of all of this, a program created and started by the PGA Tour. At this point the program just needs to end because it’s only going to get worse from here. I hope the tour steps in and squashes all of this, if not we are headed down a bad path. Nevertheless we can’t let this behavior draw our attention away from a major championship. 

For this year’s U.S. Open the USGA heads to Torrey Pines South Course in San Diego, California. Now this is the second time we’ve seen Torrey Pines this year and I was unimpressed to say the least the first time around. Now recently I’ve seen a ton of videos of the course and the rough, as of now it seems rather thick which is a good thing. However, The fairways are rather wide so the rough becomes less penalizing. Another issue is the green speeds, to really make this course up to past U.S. Open standards the greens would have to be rolling at or between a 12-12.5. That number is how many feet the ball traveled when a constant velocity is added to the ball. That process is done with a stimpmeter. Now who knows how fast the greens actually will get to but like I said the faster the better. The last thing the event needs is high winds. Calm weather will turn this place into a birdie fest. Steady 15-20 mph winds will change the way these guys manage their way around the golf course. I understand the USGA does their best to try and make the golf course as challenging as they can but in recent years they have failed. I hope the USGA can create similar course challenges as they did for last year’s U.S. Open at Winged Foot. (Mike)

Something I really wanted to touch on this week is the PIP or Player Impact Program. I think the impact of this is already negatively being seen. I think the Bryson vs Brooks feud is all fake just so they can cash in a little more and I think we will continue to see trivial things like this as long as this program is around. I thought the Brooks vs Bryson feud was entertaining at the start, but now it is drawn out and overplayed. I think they need to quit hiding from one another, although it seems like Bryson is the one doing most of the hiding, but Brooks comes off as a big baby here too. These are grown men with millions of dollars acting like children. I wish more players would use the PIP like Max Homa or Joel Dahmen who keep it light hearted and fun. They also do not always make it about themselves, which I feel like Bryson and Brooks are pros at. I know the tour had to do something to fend off the Premier Golf League, but the PIP seems misguided and I hope it goes away sooner rather than later. 

It would be a crime to not mention Tiger when during the US Open week at Torrey Pines where he so famously won in a playoff. There are a ton of ridiculous Tiger stats, but one that I was unaware of before this week was that his win in 2008 was his 17th in 28 starts. I read that a few days ago and still am unable to wrap my head around it. I do not think anyone will ever touch a run like that again. Just another reminder that Tiger is the best golfer the world has ever seen. (Tyler)

Pick’s of the Week:

Mike: On to one of my favorite things about major week, making picks. Picks are tough week in and week out to make but major picks are that much harder. The required mental fortitude to win a PGA Tour event is extreme, but the mental fortitude to win a major is magnified by 1000%. It takes guts, strength, courage and above all else patience and that is the toughest part. In my own personal career I always tell myself “you can’t win it on the first day, but you sure as hell can lose it.” That’s where patience comes in: be smart, be aggressive when you need to, and when you get hot keep the foot on the gas. With that being said, my winning pick for the 2021 U.S. Open goes to Viktor Hovland. I think he’s ready to capture his first major title. He’s got two wins under his belt so he knows how to close the deal at the highest level, he’s playing some of the best golf in his career, lastly he’s hungry for it. He’s seen the other young guys win Majors and he’s ready to grab one of his own. Hovland is primed to make a considerable run at the title.  

My notable to miss the cut goes to Rory McIlroy. Personally he hasn’t impressed me at all as of late. His putter has gone cold and despite his win 6 or so weeks ago I haven’t been all that impressed. 

Lastly, my sleeper pick goes to Bernd Wiesberger. This guy can play. He’s fresh on tour and he’s already started making waves. He’s got wins on The European Tour and is ranked 52nd in the world. Don’t be surprised to see his name around the top of the leaderboard come Sunday. (Mike)

Tyler: My pick for this week is Patrick Reed. Reed is a guy that seems to play well in the big moment, but also he is a guy that plays well at Torrey Pines. The winner this week will be a longer hitter and Reed fits the mold. He is also elite with his hands around the green and I think we will see that on full display as he goes for another major title. 

My dark horse for this week is Justin Rose. I feel like Justin Rose is a forgotten man in the golfing world. His game struggled over the last few years as he changed equipment and went through a bit of a slump, but he is playing well recently, including a top 10 at the PGA Championship last month. A golfer with as much talent as Justin will win again, it is just a matter of time and I think this week may be the week he returns to the winners circle. 

My notable to miss the cut is Jordan Spieth. There is no doubt that Jordan Spieth is back, but I do not think Torrey Pines during a US Open is a course that fits his game well. I think we will see him perform at an incredibly high level during The Open next month because links golf fits his game much better, but I do not like his chances of making the weekend this week. (Tyler)