US Open Preview
US Open Preview
The US Open returns to Torrey Pines for the 1st time since 2008 where a 1 legged Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate on the 1st sudden death hole after an 18 hole playoff saw the pair tied.
Date: 17 - 20 June 2021Location: Torrey Pines, San Diego, California
Course: Par 71 Length: 7,027 meters
Key Stats
Past US Open winners have all had a combination of these key stats;
- Strokes Gained: Off The Tee
- Driving Distance
- Strokes Gained: Approach
- GIR
- Scrambling
- Strokes Gained: Around The Green
- Proximity: 175-200 Yards
- Strokes Gained: Putting
- Bogey Avoidance
- Strokes Gained: Par 4s 450-500 Yards
- Farmers Insurance Form
- Riviera Form
- Bethpage Black Form (2019 PGA Championship, 2016 Barclays)
- Winged Foot (2020 US Open)
- Pebble Beach Form (2019 US Open)
- Shinnecock Hills Form (2018 US Open)
- Oakmont Form (2016 US Open)
- TPC Harding Park Form (2020 PGA Championship)
- Medina No.3 Form (2019 BMW Championship)
- Baltusrol (2016 PGA Championship)
- Bellerive CC (2018 PGA Championship)
- Aronimink (2018 BMW Championship)
- Previous US Open Form
- Poa Annua Greens
Tournament Winners
- 2020 - Bryson DeChambeau
- 2019 - Gary Woodland
- 2018 - Brooks Koepka
- 2017 - Brooks Koepka
- 2016 - Dustin Johnson
- 2015 - Jordan Spieth
- 2014 - Martin Kaymer
- 2013 - Justin Rose
- 2012 - Webb Simpson
- 2011 - Rory McIlroy
- 2010 - Graeme McDowell
Winner Profile
The US Open has become a young man’s game with each of the last 12 being won by someone 32 years or younger. Americans have dominated the event in recent years. The last decade has been full of top-shelf winners so looking for someone in the Top 30 of world rankings. Torrey Pines will be an incredibly stern test that will reward those who are long off the tee, accurate with their long irons and sharp on the very difficult green complexes. Previous US Open form is an excellent guide.
Top Chances
Brooks Koepka: Astonishing big tournament player who just has to be included in majors. In his last 16 majors he has four wins and nine more Top 10s. He ranks Top 15 in Strokes Gained: Approach but it is his record in majors, particularly the US Open, that makes him so appealing.
Bryson DeChambeau: The longest hitter on Tour, DeChambeau ranks 1st in Strokes Gained: Off The Tee and 1st in Driving Distance. His long irons are also very good with an 8th ranking in Par 4 Efficiency: 450-500 Yards. This formula won him the US Open at Winged Foot last year while he has Top 5 finishes in both the 2020 PGA Championship and 2020 Genesis.
Patrick Cantlay: World No.7 Cantlay looks primed to win his first major, profiling perfectly for here. The 29yo comes off an excellent win at The Memorial and along with his Zozo win, he has two top-notch wins in the last nine months. He ranks 15th in Strokes Gained: Off The Tee so has the requisite driving game while he also ranks 2nd in Scrambling, 4th in Bogey Avoidance and 14th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green.
Mid-Tier Chances
Patrick Reed: US Open specialist who has four Top 14 finishes in his last six tournaments. Also won at Torrey Pines earlier this year when winning the Farmers Insurance in a gap job. Also won the 2016 Barclays on a key correlation course. Ranks 4th in Strokes Gained: Putting and his best putting comes on poa annua.
Paul Casey: Veteran who is typically around the mark in majors. Leads the European Tour in Strokes Gained: Off The Tee, Strokes Gained: Approach and GIR. Finished 2nd at TPC Harding Park last season and has finished Top 21 in his last three US Open.
Tyrell Hatton: Englishman who has Top 21 finishes in two of his last three US Opens. Also has Top 10s at Baltusrol and Bellerive. On the European Tour he ranks 3rd in Strokes Gained: Approach, 5th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green, 6th in GIR, 11th in Scrambling and 14th in Bogey Avoidance.
Webb Simpson: The 2012 US Open winner, Simpson lacks the length but well and truly makes up for it with other areas of his game. Ranks 1st in Scrambling and 1st in Bogey Avoidance while he ranks 11th in Strokes Gained: Around The Green, 13th in Strokes Gained: Putting and 13th in GIR. Finished Top 16 in the last three US Opens, .
Outside Chances
Sam Burns: Won the Valspar four starts back before just missing out at the Byron Nelson. Ranks Top 15 on Tour in Proximity: 175-200 Yards and Strokes Gained: Approach. Should have won the Genesis this year while he finished Top 20 in the Farmers Insurance.
Christian Bezuidenhout: Highly undervalued South African. Ranks 6th on the PGA Tour in both Strokes Gained: Putting and Strokes Gained: Around The Green. Also ranks 2nd in Scrambling and 8th in Strokes Gained: Approach on the European Tour. Finished Top 40 in three straight majors.
Robert MacIntyre: Young Scot who has Top 12 finishes in two of his five major appearances. Nice game for a US Open ranking 4th in Scrambling, 7th in GIR and 8th in Strokes Gained: Off The Tee on the European Tour. Six Top 30s in his last 12 starts.