If the 2011 U.S. Open comes down to the 18th hole Sunday evening, we\u2019ll probably be watching a long shot win the 2nd major this year.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s because the 18th hole is the longest Par 4 in U.S. Open Championship history at 523 yards. Even for the world\u2019s best players that\u2019s more than a driver and a pitching wedge. If you\u2019re a golf fan, you hope the 18th hole matters when everything is on the line Sunday afternoon. The hole is built to create drama.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The story NBC is selling potential viewers is that this is Phil Mickelson\u2019s chance to avenge five runner-up finishes in the U.S. Open. The bigger story (albeit less sexy) is that nobody has any idea what\u2019s going to happen over the next four days. Ten different players have won the last 10 majors and it wouldn\u2019t be hard for both those number to grow to 11 this week.<\/p>\n
Go ahead, name any player that you think might win this thing and I guarantee someone else can make a reasonable argument why said player might not make the cut. Mickelson\u2019s the most reliable superstar when it comes to major championship cuts, but do you really think there\u2019s no way he loses a few drives left and right and goes 75-74-weekend at home?<\/p>\n
Since Tiger Woods lost control of his life and his game, the golfing world hasn\u2019t found its next staunch leader. A number of players have shown promise, but none have stepped into the role full time. That bothers many; it excites me.<\/p>\n
This U.S. Open is a blank sheet of paper. Anybody (and I mean anybody) in the field is capable of writing a captivating story over the next four days. Let me give you a few stories to watch…<\/p>\n
~ Dustin Johnson takes advantage of his length on the long Congressional Blue Course and makes amends for his collapse last year at Pebble Beach.<\/p>\n
~\u00a0Rory McIlroy proves that there was nothing fluky about his performance the first three days at Augusta in April and closes the deal this week.<\/p>\n
~ Sergio Garcia goes from out of the field to qualifying to winning and honoring the memory of the late, great Seve Ballasteros.<\/p>\n
~ Phil Mickelson avoids his sixth runner up finish at the U.S. Open by taking home the title.<\/p>\n
Those are stories that could be written, but my guess is the winner will be a story we don\u2019t see yet. I believe it will be a name that most golf fans are probably glancing over at this moment. Someone they\u2019re not marking down as a, \u201cgotta watch this guy this week\u201d kind of player.<\/p>\n
That\u2019s the new reality of golf. There\u2019s no current dominator. Everyone seems stuck waiting for the next Tiger.<\/p>\n
Not me, I\u2019m fine being lost in this waiting game for a bit. I have no problem with being confounded by today\u2019s premier players. I say, bring it on.<\/p>\n
Bring on the U.S. Open. Bring on the ankle-deep rough. Bring on the vein-thin fairways. The greens that move like lighting. Give me four days of great golf, a tight leader board Sunday and a 72nd hole that means something….<\/p>\n
That\u2019s all this golf fan needs.<\/p>\n
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