Graeme McDowell returns to the US returning to form after a frustrating few months on the European Tour, but the big news, of course, is the lack of Tiger Woods from this year's competition. How will this affect this years players and who are the contenders? The dominance of European golf I'm sure will make itself heard with Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Francesco Molinari among the players in great form. Not forgetting Rory McIlroy who will want to right the wrongs of the Masters in April, his pre-tournament visit to earthquake-ravaged Haiti perhaps giving him a new perspective on things.
Luke Donald, however, is in the form of his life after recording 8 top-ten finishes in 9 tournaments, including a win at the WGC-Acenture Matchplay and leads both the European Tour's Race To Dubai and the PGA Tour's FedExCup ranking. He is surely tipped for a top 3 finish.
The lack of Tiger Woods will clearly affect the viewing ratings but the ups and downs that he brings to the golf course, especially major championships, will mean he'll be sorely missed; no one can quite raise the crowds like Tiger Woods.
Nevertheless, this year's US Open looks to be one of the most up-for-grabs in years with the experienced likes of Phil Mickelson, Hunter Mahan and Steve Stricker battling it out with exciting European and Asian talent like Matteo Manassero and Ryo Ishikawa... should be for a breathtaking tournament!
No comments:
Post a Comment