The Open Championship

Site: Turnberry Resort (Ailsa course) – Ayrshire, Scotland
Yards: 7,204   Par: 70
Defending: Padraig Harrington   283   (beat I. Poulter by 4)
Field: World Top 20: All except Phil Mickelson (2) & Robert Karlsson (16)   Other Notables: All who are physically able.

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PGA Tour: U.S. Bank Championship

Site: Brown Deer Park Golf Course – Milwaukee, WI
Yards: 6,759   Par: 70
Defending: Richard S. Johnson   264   (beat K. Duke by 1)
Field: World Top 20: None   Other Notables: Mark Brooks, Steve Elkington, Lee Janzen, Corey Pavin & Bob Tway.

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Elsewhere...
LET – Open de Espana – Castellon, Spain
JLPGA – Stanley Ladies – Shizuoka, Japan
Futures – ING New England Classis – Bloomfield, CT
Tour de Las Americas – XLIX Abierto Internacional – Medellin, Colombia
Canadian – Canadian Tour Players Cup – Winnipeg, Manitoba

PGA Tour: John Deere Classic

Winner: Steve Stricker 71-61-68-64   264   (beat three players by 3)
Site: TPC Deere Run – Silvis, IL

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


European PGA Tour: Barclay’s Scottish Open

Winner: Martin Kaymer 69-65-66-69   269   (beat G. F'dez-Castano & R. Jacquelin by 2)
Site: Loch Lomond Golf Club – Glasgow, Scotland

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


LPGA Tour: U.S. Women’s Open

Winner: Eun-Hee Ji 71-72-70-71   284   (beat C. Kung by 1)
Site: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old course) – Bethlehem, PA

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Champions Tour: 3M Champiomship

Winner: Bernhard Langer 67-68-65   200   (beat A. Bean by 1)
Site: TPC Twin Cities – Blaine, MN

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Elsewhere...
JLPGA – Meiji Chocolate Cup – Mi-Jeong Jeon 207 (Story)
Nationwide – Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic – Roger Tambellini 265 (Story)
Euro Challenge – ALLIANZ Europen de Lyon – Alendre Kaleka 268 (Story)
Canadian – Saskatchewan Open – Andres Gonzalez 274 (Story)

There is, one must admit, a certain repetitiveness to these Major championship forecasts, particularly on the women’s side where the world’s elite tend to dominate on a week in, week out basis. So much like Bethpage last month, we will simply assess the chances of the world’s top dozen at Saucon Valley...because it would seem a good bet that this week’s champion will emerge from this group.

Any real variety to the process? Well...actually yes, as Lorena Ochoa will not be this website’s odds-on choice for the first time in its existence. And as far as longshots go, my gut feeling was that it might finally have been Michelle Wie’s time (a hunch I had before her Sunday 64 in Ohio)....except that she managed not to qualify herself into the Open field. So perhaps Morgan Pressel? But that too is hardly a bold call after her strong showing in Sylvania.

So on that courageous note...

Lorena Ochoa (10-1) – Okay, on balance she’s still the world’s best player, but while she’s won twice already in nine 2009 starts, she’s also been out of the top 10 frequently, including T19 and T23 at the Sybase and the LPGA Championship, respectively. Toss in a 12th at the Kraft Nabisco (and that only on the strength of a final-round 69) and this is a player not precisely at the top of her game. But you’d hardly count her out...

Yani Tseng (13-1) – The world number two has been riding a bit of an up-and-down wave herself in ’09, winning the Corning Classic in late May, twice tying for 2nd and finishing five times among the top five in 14 starts. But she’s also been outside the top 20 three times (in seven starts) since early May, so...

Jiyai Shin (9-1) – Though the world number three was outside the top 10 in four straight April/May starts, she has already won twice in ’09, including two weeks ago at Rochester. Her ascent towards the top of the world rankings has been steady, and at the ripe old age of 21, she’s already a Major champion, having won the 2008 Women’s British Open. A victory here would bring world number one status into view.

Paula Creamer (15-1) – The talented young Creamer has an iffy record at the Open, only once bettering 13th (last year’s T6 at Interlachen) in six starts dating back to 2003. Has been up and down in ’09, finding form between the Kraft Nabisco and the LPGA Championship when she finished T3, T2 and T6 at Sybase, Corning and the State Farm respectively. Seems unfair but the pressure to “finally” win a Major is building...and she’s only 22! Note: Push her odds to 25-1 if the thumb injury which forced her withdrawal at the Jamie Farr is still hurting.

Cristie Kerr (16-1) – Another up-and-down ’09 performer, with four top 5s (including a win at the Michelob Ultra, and a T2 at the Kraft Nabisco) in 14 starts, but also three finishes no better than 22nd since mid-May. Won the 2007 Open at Pine Needles, so she knows what it takes.

Suzann Pettersen (10-1) – Though winless in 2009, Pettersen seemed on pretty solid form before being felled by a viral infection in June, leading to her withdrawl at the LPGA Championship (after 54 holes) and the Wegman’s. Seems fully recovered after a T6 at the Jamie Farr, however, and despite a mediocre Open record (T52 in 2005, MC in 2007) she feels like she’s ready to roll...

Angela Stanford (18-1) – One of the Tour’s most consistent players in ’09, with seven top 10s in 10 starts, including a win at the season-opening SBS Open in Hawaii. Other than a flukish T65 at Sybase (mostly due to a third-round 80), hasn’t finished worse than 7th since the Kraft Nabisco. Tied for 2nd at the 2002 Open, but otherwise has never bettered 10th in 30 career Major starts.

In Kyung Kim (21-1) – The world’s highest-ranked Kim is in strong form, with four top 10s in six starts since early May, including her second career win at the State Farm. Tied for 3rd at last year’s Open, and 9th at the ’08 Women’s British, so her Major championship form is improving...

Karrie Webb (30-1) – Webb’s foothold on a top-10 ranking is getting precarious after a solid early ’09 which saw her win in Phoenix, but largely struggle thereafter. Her last five starts have resulted in T39, T23, MC, T49 and T24 so at present, the elevator appears to be descending.

Helen Alfredsson (33-1) – Another battle-hardened veteran whose world ranking is based more on 2008 and early ’09 than recent form, though she ws among the top 15 (but no better than 11th) in four out of five LPGA starts from April though early June. Has played in 16 U.S. Women’s Opens, finishing 2nd both last year and back in 1993.

Song-Hee Kim (27-1) – This young Korean has never bettered 21st in six career Major starts and has been riding a seesaw of late, missing the cut at Wegman’s but also logging four top 10s in her last seven starts.

Lindsey Wright (20-1) – Talk about your wildcards... The up-and-coming Wright finished 4th at the Kraft Nabisco and 2nd at the LPGA Championship, yet missed the cut at both Sybase and State Farm in between. Was only once better than 16th in 15 career Major starts prior to 2009, that a 4th at the 2007 LPGA Championship.

PGA Tour: John Deere Classic

Site: TPC Deere Run – Silvis, IL
Yards: 7,257   Par: 71
Defending: Kenny Perry 268   (beat B. Adamonis & J. Williamson in a playoff)
Field: World Top 20: Kenny Perry (4), Steve Stricker (8) & Lucas Glover (17)   Other Notables: Mark Calcavecchia, David Duval, Steve Elkington, Lee Janzen & Davis Love III.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


European PGA Tour: Barclay’s Scottish Open

Site: Loch Lomond Golf Club – Glasgow, Scotland
Yards: 7,149   Par: 71
Defending: Graeme McDowell 271   (beat J. Kingston by 2)
Field: World Top 20: Geoff Ogilvy (7), Camilo Villegas (12), Ian Poulter (16), Rory McIlroy (18), Lee Westwood (19) & Ross Fisher (20)   Other Notables: Angel Cabrera, Retief Goosen, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie & Jose Maria Olazabal.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


LPGA Tour: U.S. Women’s Open

Site: Saucon Valley Country Club (Old course) – Bethlehem, PA
Yards: 6,740   Par: 71
Defending: Inbee Park 283   (beat H. Alfredsson by 4)
Field: World Top 20: The entire Rolex top 20 except Sakura Yokomine (17)   Other Notables: All who are physically able.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Champions Tour: 3M Championship

Site: TPC Twin Cities – Blaine, MN
Yards: 7,100   Par: 72
Defending: R.W. Eaks 193   (beat G. Hallberg & B. Langer by 6)
Field: Ranked: The entire Charles Schwab Cup top 20 except Michael Allen (2) & Loren Roberts (4)   Other Notables: Ben Crenshaw, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Larry Nelson, Jim Thorpe & Fuzzy Zoeller.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Elsewhere...
JLPGA – Meiji Chocolate Cup – Sapporo, Japan
Nationwide – Ford Wayne Gretzky Classic – Clarksburg, Ontario
Euro Challenge – ALLIANZ Europen de Lyon – Monthieux, France
Canadian – Saskatchewan Open – Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

PGA Tour: AT&T National

Winner: Tiger Woods 64-66-70-67   267   (beat H. Mahan by 1)
Site: Congressional Country Club (Blue course) - Bethesda, MD

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


European PGA Tour: ALSTOM Open de France

Winner: Martin Kaymer 62-72-69-68   271   (beat L. Westwood in a playoff)
Site: Le Golf National – Paris, France

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


LPGA Tour: Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic

Winner: Eunjung Yi 68-66-61-71   266   (beat M. Pressel in a playoff)
Site: Highland Meadows Golf Club – Sylvania, OH

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Elsewhere...
LET – SAS Ladies Masters – Diana Luna 207 (Story)
Euro Challenge – Credit Suisse Challenge – Peter Baker 274 (Story)
Tour de Las Americas – Bucaramanga Open – Oscar Alvarez 273 (Story)
Canadian – TELUS Edmonton Open – James Hahn 272 (Story)

PGA Tour: AT&T National

Site: Congressional Country Club (Blue course) - Bethesda, MD
Yards: 7,255   Par: 70
Defending: Anthony Kim 268   (beat F. Jacobson by2)
Field: World Top 20: Tiger Woods (1), Paul Casey (3), Vijay Singh (9), Jim Furyk (10), Sean O’Hair (13), Anthony Kim (15) & Lucas Glover (18)   Other Notables: Paul Azinger, Fred Couples, Steve Elkington, Lee Janzen, Danny Lee & Davis Love III.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


European PGA Tour: ALSTOM Open de France

Site: Le Golf National – Paris, France
Yards: 7,225   Par: 71
Defending: Pablo Larrazabal 269   (beat C. Montgomerie by 4)
Field: World Top 20: Padraig Harrington (11), Ian Poulter (17) & Lee Westwood (20)   Other Notables: Angel Cabrera, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie & Jose Maria Olazabal.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


LPGA Tour: Jamie Farr Owens Corning Classic

Site: Highland Meadows Golf Club – Sylvania, OH
Yards: 6,428   Par: 71
Defending: Paula Creamer 268   (beat N. Castrale by 2)
Field: World Top 20: The entire Rolex top 20 except Karrie Webb (10), Sakura Yokomine (17) & Yuri Fudoh (20)   Other Notables: Amanda Blumenhurst, Laura Davis, Vicky Hurst, Juli Inkster, Meh Mallon, Liselotte Nuemann, Se Ri Pak & Michelle Wie.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Elsewhere...
LET – SAS Ladies Masters – Larvik, Sweden
Euro Challenge – Credit Suisse Challenge – Luterbach, Switzerland
Tour de Las Americas – Bucaramanga Open – Bucaramanga, Columbia
Canadian – TELUS Edmonton Open – Edmonton, Alberta

PGA Tour: Travelers Championship

Winner: Kenny Perry 61-68-66-63   258   (beat P. Goydos & D. Toms by 3)
Site: TPC River Highlands - Cromwell, CT

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


European PGA Tour: BMW International Open

Winner: Nick Dougherty 69-65-68-64   266   (bear R. Echenique by 1)
Site: Munchen Eichenried Golf Club – Munich, Germany

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS

Japan Tour: Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic

Winner: Ryo Ishikawa 69-65-68-73   275   (beat D. Smail by 3)
Site: Yomiuri Country Club – Yomiuri, Japan

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Sunshine Tour: Vodacom Origins of Golf – Eastern Cape

Winner: Brandon Pieters 72-69   141   (beat C. Whitelaw by 1)
Site: Fancourt Montagu Golf Course – Fancourt, South Africa

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


LPGA Tour: Wegman’s LPGA

Winner: Jiyai Shin 65-68-67-71   271   (beat K. McPherson & Y. Tseng by 7)
Site: Locust Hill Country Club – Pittsford, NY

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Champions Tour: Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

Winner: Lonnie Nielsen 66-66-63   195   (beat F. Funk & R. Black by 3)
Site: En-Joie Country Club – Endicott, NY

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Elsewhere...
LET – AIB Ladies Irish Open – Diana Luna 205 (Story)
JLPGA – Promise Ladies – Shinobu Moromizato 198
Futures – Horseshoe Casino Classic – Jean Reynolds 213 (Story)
Nationwide – Nationwide Tour Players Cup – Tom Gillis 273 (Story)
Euro Challenge – The Princess – Andrew Butterfield 271 (Story)
Tour de Las Americas – Venezuela Open – Daniel Barbetti 270  (Story)
Canadian – ATB Financial Classic – Graham DeLaet 267
Euro Seniors – PGA Seniors Championship – Carl Mason 279 (Story)

And really, it was.

Like anyone interested enough in the game to be reading this website, I’ve watched a number of U.S. Opens over the years, and while par as “the standard of excellence” has never particularly bothered me, it is a recipe less likely to produce high drama than, say, a pre-Hootie Masters. Of course, this Open cannot be considered the highest of drama in the sense that by the final green, Lucas Glover faced a relatively easy three putt for victory after Ricky Barnes near-perfect run at birdie somehow stayed on the high side. But the events leading up to that point were so special that for the second straight year, the Open succeeded both in getting me out of my seat and making me feel goosebumps – reactions which I long thought the USGA to be ideologically opposed to.

Other then the new champion, the centerpiece of the entire enterprise had to be Phil Mickelson, playing for the final time before the start of his wife Amy’s treatment for breast cancer, in the event he most covets, in a city where his fan base’s exuberance is borderline irrational. Seemingly destined to linger in the lower reaches of the top 10 after playing Monday’s front nine in a one-over-par 36, Mickelson made birdie at the 12th, then a spectacular eagle at the par-5 13th to rather suddenly launch himself into a tie for the lead. But sadly, in a chapter which has been written several times before, his putter betrayed him late, including a crucial three-putt at the 15th and a missed six-footer at the 17th – and once again Mickelson was left on the outside looking in despite having made a truly gutsy and emotional run.

And then there was David Duval.

It’s hard to say that a potential Duval win would have been the greatest Major championship story of all time, but had such a victory actually come to pass, it would certainly have placed itself squarely in the conversation. This, after all, is a man whose interest had clearly waned during his first several years in the golfing wilderness, and whose occasional flashes of one-round form have all-too-often been followed by a next-day implosion. That Duval kept the wheels on right into round four was impressive. That he managed not to collapse after carding an early, hard-luck triple bogey at the 3rd (where his tee ball embedded under a bunker lip) was even moreso. But his mid-back nine run of birdies at the 14th, 15th and 16th, to lift himself into a tie for the lead, was epic stuff indeed, screaming of an almost impossible degree of self-confidence at a point where nearly anyone else who’d walked his particular road would quite likely have cracked.

I have watched Duval in person twice in the last three years and each time come away convinced that his troubles were 90% mental; the physical tools, it appeared to me, were still largely intact. His 2nd-place finish at Bethpage – which prompted a 740-spot jump (!) in his World ranking (from 882 to 142) – must provide the sort of confidence boost necessary to lift Duval back among the game’s best, for after putting together four days of inspired, world-class golf, it would seem almost inconceivable that he might now tumble back into the abyss.

As for Lucas Glover, what can we say that hasn’t already been covered to death? The 2007 Presidents Cup team member has long been viewed as a potential star by his peers, but never quite found a way to lift his game above the single win level (that being the 2005 Walt Disney Classic) – that is until a splendid 8 iron at the 70th set up the crucial birdie which, combined with both Mickelson and Duval’s bogeys at the 71st, lifted Glover to a two-shot victory.

Much like Duval’s, Glover’s future suddenly looks pretty bright right about now.

And finally, for the second year in a row, serious kudos to USGA course set-up guru Mike Davis, whose desire to see some dashes of excitement led to some shortening of final-round tees (e.g. the 127-yard 14th and 354-yard finisher) and some opportunities for drama that were, for decades, largely eschewed by his blue-blazered predecessors. Whereas in the past, we looked to upcoming U.S. Opens wondering how hard the USGA could possibly make things, now we can anticipate opportunities for them to make it thrilling. It’s an approach that turned an utterly mundane Torrey Pines layout into a strong venue in 2008, and a solid-but-waterlogged Bethpage into a Sunday classic in ’09.

It was far too long in coming, but its value, both now and for the long-term, is significant.

PGA Tour: Travelers Championship

Site: TPC River Highlands - Cromwell, CT
Yards: 6,844   Par: 70
Defending: Stewart Cink   261   (beat T. Armour III & H. Mahan by 1)
Field: World Top 20: Sergio Garcia (4), Kenny Perry (7), Vijay Singh (9), Anthony Kim (15) & Zach Johnson (20)   Other Notables: Paul Azinger, Steve Elkington, Corey Pavin & Bob Tway.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


European PGA Tour: BMW International Open

Site: Munchen Eichenried Golf Club – Munich, Germany
Yards: 6,955   Par: 72
Defending: Martin Kaymer   273   (beat A. Hansen in a playoff)
Field: World Top 20: Henrik Stenson (6) & Rory McIlroy (18)   Other Notables: Retief Goosen, Miguel Angel Jimenez, Martin Kaymer, Colin Montgomerie, Jeev Milkha Singh & Richard Sterne.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Japan Tour: Mizuno Open Yomiuri Classic

Site: Yomiuri Country Club – Yomiuri, Japan
Yards: 7,236   Par: 72
Defending: Prayad Marksaeng   269   (beat A. Yano by 1)
Field: World Top 20: None   Other Notables: Ryo Ishikawa, Toshi Izawa, Shingo Katayama, Prayad Marksaeng & Shigeki Maruyama.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Sunshine Tour: Vodacom Origins of Golf – Eastern Cape

Site: Fancourt Montagu Golf Course – Fancourt, South Africa
Meters: 6,714   Par: 72
Defending: George Coetzee   212   (beat J. Hugo by 1)
Field: World Top 20: None   Other Notables: Desvondes Botes & Darren Fichardt.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


LPGA Tour: Wegman’s LPGA

Site: Locust Hill Country Club – Pittsford, NY
Yards: 6,365   Par: 72
Defending: Eun-Hee Ji   272   (beat S. Pettersen by 2)
Field: World Top 20: The entire Rolex top 20 except Lorena Ochoa (1), Suzann Pettersen (6), Angela Stanford (7) & Yuri Fudoh (19)   Other Notables: Rachel Hetherington, Vicky Hurst, Meg Mallon, Se Ri Park & Michelle Wie.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Champions Tour: Dick’s Sporting Goods Open

Site: En-Joie Country Club – Endicott, NY
Yards: 6,974   Par: 72
Defending: Eduardo Romero   199   (beat F. Allem & G. Koch by 1)
Field: Ranked: The entire Charles Schwab Cup top 20 except Bernhard Langer (1), Michael Allen (2), Loren Roberts (4), Mark O’Meara (6), Gil Morgan (15), John Cook (17) & Mark James (20)   Other Notables: Isao Aoki, Hale Irwin, Tom Kite, Lanny Wadkins & Fuzzy Zoeller.

                    ENTRANTS          WEBSITE          GOLF COURSE          AERIAL


Elsewhere...
LET – AIB Ladies Irish Open – Portmarnock, Ireland
JLPGA – Promise Ladies – Hyogo, Japan
Futures – Horseshoe Casino Classic – Hammond, IN
Nationwide – Nationwide Tour Players Cup – Bridgeport, WV
Euro Challenge – The Princess – Bastad, Sweden
Tour de Las Americas – Venezuela Open – Caracas, Venezuela
Canadian – ATB Financial Classic – Calgary, Alberta
Euro Seniors – PGA Seniors Championship – Northumberland, England

The U.S. Open

Winner: Lucas Glover   69-64-70-73   276   (beat three players by 2)
Site: Bethpage State Park (Black course) - Farmingdale, NY

STORY          RESULT          MONEY LIST          STATS          INTERVIEWS


Elsewhere...
JLPGA – Nichirei PGM Ladies – Sakura Yokomine 136 (Story)
Futures – Duramed Championship – Whitney Wade 204 (Story)
Nationwide – Fort Smith Classic – Jason Enloe 265 (Story)
Euro Challenge – Saint Omer Open – Christian Nilsson 271 (Story)
Euro Seniors – Ryder Cup Wales Senior Open – Bertus Smit 211 (Story)