US Men’s Golf Open Preview
I live in a Rory McIlroy household. Not because I am a fanboy. The real reason is that my wife can’t get enough of him. She had Full Swing on before me, and if he’s in the field, golf is on in the background. I mean, I like him, too, but my wife would need to get a Rory tattoo to be a bigger fan. I suggested Roringham as a hypothetical boy’s name if we had a kid. She said that was more than a bridge too far. She may want to stop reading right here.
By Adam Faraca, who doesn’t have a golf handicap because the numbers only go so high (this may or may not be the real reason, and yes there is a maximum handicap)
6/9/20253 min read
Rory wasn’t in the field for the Memorial, or the Canadian Open. Considering his past success at both, and with the US Open around the corner, this is a little concerning. I take that back, he was in the field for the Canadian, he just missed the cut and finished 149th place. The Masters took a lot out of him. More than anyone without a Green Jacket can conceptualize, so I am not going to opine on that as I have neither won the Masters, nor been invited to become a member of Augusta. Yet. He’s also moving part time from Florida to a castle in England. Moving is hard enough, but during your busy time of year, when it involves Florida, and a literal castle? I assume he’s going through the move from Hell. Hopefully Full Swing or a documentary crew records all of the hassle. Sorry dear, Rory isn’t winning the US Open. In fact, I am only 51-70% sure he plays at all. I could easily see him withdrawing.
So, who else do we got? Bryson. Who, for now, is still cringing his way through LIV Golf. Bryson briefly had the lead Sunday at the Masters. Then the drama unfolded, the script flipped more than a gymnast at the Olympics, and Bryson was just the other guy standing next to Rory part of the day. But this is the US Open. Bryson is the defending champ. He scores 100 for brawn, delicacy, and being the people’s champion. He could star opposite the Rock, Cena, etc. in an action film if he wanted to. He could also pull the bottom sheet out without waking a baby in the same fashion that somebody could pull a table cloth out from place settings. Off the charts brawn and delicacy. All while being wildly popular and likable. The complete 180 from the Mad Scientist in the Samuel L. Jackson hat who became LIV Douche numero uno will be the case study in golf marketing books for years to come. He has to be the favorite to win, right?
Scottie Scheffler has entered the chat. The golden boy. The guy who will probably win. Ideally with Bryson in the final pairing in high dramatic fashion. He’s not prime Tiger, but he’s the closest thing the golf world has right now. The rest of the field is praying he doesn’t make the cut. If he’s even remotely in contention, he’ll shoot up the board on Sunday. Bet on that. Plus, he still has a newish baby. He’ll raise the trophy with the baby in his arm. Unless…
Xander won two majors last year. Morikawa could win. Finau or JT could get hot. There are tons of unexpected success stories in majors. The only person with a marginally zero chance is Phil Mickleson. Phil is way past 50 and is more likely to take over for Greg Norman as the figure head of LIV than he is to win anything. Unless he goes on the Champions Tour at some point in the future. But this month, at the US Open, Phil has no chance. He’s still a good old boy and people are going to root for him, but he has about as much chance as Richard Petty would if he entered a NASCAR event as a driver this month. None.
Oakmont (a historic course in greater-Pittsburgh) had damn well better be a challenge. I love the notion of par being the winning score. Par. The standard of excellence for professionals. Not beer slugging dudes who play munis, professionals. In my opinion, the US Open has kinda caved in recent years, and the scores reflect that. Technology has improved, as has the fitness and physicality of the field. Combine that with cracking under pressure of the USGA and suddenly ten under seems like a reasonable score to win. The spirit of the game is on the brink.
I love a good underdog story. John Daly became a PGA Championship and Open winner by being the ultimate underdog. He’s not in the field, but let’s try to identify a long-shot underdog who has a puncher’s chance. I’ll take an unconventional underdog. Maverick McNealey. What a name! He’s young, he’s gotten results before, he could win or at least have a chance. He’s also a billionaire’s son and represents everything that a large portion of the huddled unbathed masses despise about golf. Mav could be the underdog, but he’ll never be the every man’s champion. I wish him luck anyway.
Final thoughts: I’m a USGA member in bad standing. I have a bag tag from like ten years ago, longer I guess. They send too much junk mail and random notepads and crap. Their print cost is not worth the revenue from my membership. Which is a damn shame. I truly feel like their efforts to court additional donations from me offset anything I did to the benefit of the game of golf. I still support their mission, but damn bros, tone it down on the junk mail.
My book THE COLORS WE BLEED FOR is out March 3rd. It has nothing to do with golf, but it is a great read. Be sure to subscribe to the email list for updates.