In order to succeed at Winged Foot GC during this week’s U.S. Open, players will need to clobber the ball off the tee, as length will matter on this near-7,500 yard golf course.
The rough is as penal as potentially any we’ve ever seen, though, so players will also need to be accurate, keeping those tee shots in the fairways.
Of course, approach shots will be key, as high, pinpoint iron plays will lead to birdie opportunities.
And whether for birdie, par or anything else, players will need to be able to navigate these delicate, devilish, devious greens.
Throw in the proper mental fortitude for competing at the stiffest annual test of golf and there it is – everything a player needs to win this week.
See? It’s really not so hard.
Sarcasm aside, there are very few players who own the necessary skillset to win the year’s second major championship.
My ranking of the 144-man field begins with some of those players.
1. Jon Rahm
Already with wins at the two toughest tourneys of the summer, Rahm is battle-tested and ready for this one.
2. Xander Schauffele
In 12 career major starts, he owns six top-10 finishes. Coming soon: His first victory in one of ‘em.
3. Matt Fitzpatrick
Like Rahm, another guy who has played his best golf in the toughest conditions, when contending scores are closer to par.
[Perry: Fleetwood, Fitzpatrick and a 500-1 Longshot to bet at Winged Foot]
4. Tony Finau
He might not win titles, but he does frequently get himself in position for more heartbreakers.
5. Dustin Johnson
He’s the favorite on the board, but DJ hasn’t played well as a pre-tourney fave at majors in recent years.
6. Tommy Fleetwood
His tremendous ball-striking numbers in Portugal last week could be a sign of things to come here.
7. Hideki Matsuyama
It’d be tough to trust him with a 10-foot putt to win, but it’s similarly tough to believe his ball-striking won’t keep him close.
8. Justin Thomas
Believe it or not, doesn’t have a top-10 at a major championship since the 2018 PGA Championship.
9. Bryson DeChambeau
A few months ago, he appeared to be a great fit for this tourney, but that form has evaporated.
10. Thomas Detry
They can’t all be chalk, so watch out for this big-hitting Belgian in his first career major start.
11. Daniel Berger
Few players, if any, have been hotter this year, as he’s posted six top-fives in his last 10 starts.
12. Rory McIlroy
If the so-called ‘nappy factor’ is real, then expect the new papa to bust out of his recent funk in a big way.
13. Lee Westwood
In the right frame of mind to contend for a major after his prime, just when we least expected it.
14. Jason Kokrak
Trending in the right direction, plays well on tough courses and hits it a long way. Checks all the right boxes.
15. Patrick Reed
Success at Bethpage and Liberty National shows his proficiency for playing big Northeast ballparks.
16. Webb Simpson
If accuracy does end up being a more vital asset than distance, Simpson might be one of the biggest beneficiaries.
17. Martin Kaymer
Two-time major champion looks like he’s having fun playing again – and it’s showing in the results.
18. Collin Morikawa
Last month’s major champion should have a tougher time with a longer course on the opposite side of the country.
19. Abraham Ancer
Still shocking that first PGA TOUR win hasn’t happened yet, but he’s among the best still without one.
20. Sungjae Im
After a poor run of form, he’s started hitting the ball better, but not quite as well as early this year.
21. Alex Noren
Three top-10s in his last five starts suggest the former top-10 player in the world is back on his way up.
22. Adam Scott
Tough to know what to expect from a guy who’s played less golf than most of his peers since the restart.
23. Paul Casey
If indeed it takes some Popeye-like forearms to gouge the ball out of the rough, then Casey might be your man.
24. Joaquin Niemann
Pure ball-striker who might need to shore up his short putting before he seriously contends at a major.
25. Patrick Cantlay
He’s going to win a U.S. Open someday, maybe a few of ‘em, but recent form hints that it won’t be this one.
26. Tyrrell Hatton
One of the bigger surprises of the 2020 campaign has been Hatton coming off wrist surgery to play so well.
27. Bernd Wiesberger
Fits the mold of a player who could/should play well at this venue. Owns three wins since the start of last year.
28. Jason Day
Was red-hot a month ago, with four straight top-seven finishes, but MC-64th in his last two starts has dulled the excitement.
29. Chez Reavie
Won’t wow anyone with his game, but his brand of mistake-free golf should suit him well this week.
30. Tiger Woods
Who knows? The biggest lock for so many years, he’s now just as intriguing as one of the biggest question marks.
31. Matthew Wolff
32. Brendon Todd
33. Justin Rose
34. Cameron Champ
35. Byeong-Hun An
36. Corey Conners
37. Rickie Fowler
Can a player find his game at Winged Foot? Fowler will have to, as he doesn’t have a single top-10 since mid-January.
38. Sergio Garcia
39. Viktor Hovland
40. Matt Wallace
41. Cameron Smith
42. Si Woo Kim
43. Gary Woodland
44. Will Zalatoris
Amongst some of the game’s big names on this list is Zalatoris, the best player on the Korn Ferry Tour right now.
45. Mackenzie Hughes
46. Ryan Palmer
47. J.T. Poston
48. Lanto Griffin
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49. Harris English
50. Thomas Pieters
51. Billy Horschel
52. Kevin Streelman
53. Rasmus Hojgaard
Playing his first PGA TOUR-sanctioned event and first major this week, the 19-year-old is already a two-time winner in Europe.
54. Lucas Glover
55. Louis Oosthuizen
56. Christiaan Bezuidenhout
57. Brian Harman
58. Phil Mickelson
What does Lefty think of having 75/1 outright odds this week? “I’m not a gambling man, so I wouldn’t know,” he said.
59. Davis Riley
60. Henrik Stenson
61. Kevin Kisner
62. Sebastian Munoz
63. Joel Dahmen
64. Matthias Schwab
65. Bubba Watson
66. Charles Howell III
67. Shane Lowry
The reigning Open Championship winner has been wildly inconsistent since his win at Royal Portrush last year.
68. Danny Lee
69. Curtis Luck
70. Ian Poulter
71. Michael Thompson
72. Erik Van Rooyen
73. Danny Willett
74. Adam Hadwin
75. Tyler Duncan
76. Ryan Fox
77. Rafa Cabrera Bello
78. Brandon Wu
79. Matt Kuchar
Good ol’ consistent Kuch hasn’t finished better than 18th in eight appearances since the PGA Tour restart.
80. Branden Grace
81. Keegan Bradley
82. Zach Johnson
83. Kevin Na
84. Max Homa
85. Brandt Snedeker
86. Tom Lewis
87. Jordan Spieth
If it was bad in Napa last week – and make no mistake, it was – it’s not going to get any better for him this week at Winged Foot.
88. Graeme McDowell
89. Matt Jones
90. Mike Lorenzo-Vera
91. Stephan Jaeger
92. Robert MacIntyre
93. Mark Hubbard
94. Marc Leishman
95. Sung Kang
96. Steve Stricker
The reigning U.S. Senior Open champion is fresh off a pair of top-fives in his last two starts on the senior circuit.
97. Eddie Pepperell
98. Adam Long
99. Kurt Kitayama
100. Lucas Herbert
101. Andrew Putnam
102. Renato Paratore
103. Troy Merritt
104. Romain Langasque
105. Jazz Janewattananond
106. Lee Hodges
107. Justin Harding
108. Rory Sabbatini
The last man in the field (as of this writing), Sabbo has a few positive COVID-19 tests to thank for that.
109. Chan Kim
110. Victor Perez
111. Andy Sullivan
112. Chesson Hadley
113. Paul Waring
114. Greyson Sigg
115. Connor Syme
116. Taylor Pendrith
117. Jim Herman
118. Richie Werenski
119. Dan McCarthy
120. Jimmy Walker
121. Takumi Kanaya (a)
The world’s No. 1-ranked amateur, Kanaya has finished 5th-3rd-1st in three pro tournaments over the past year.
122. Adrian Otaegui
123. Shaun Norris
124. Cole Hammer (a)
125. Sami Valimaki
126. John Augenstein (a)
127. Preston Summerhays (a)
128. Ryo Ishikawa
129. Scott Hend
130. Andy Ogletree (a)
131. Shugo Imahira
132. Danny Balin
Might not be a better story this week than Balin letting Michael O’Keefe – the real Danny Noonan – caddie practice rounds for him.
133. Chun An Yu (a)
134. Ricky Castillo (a)
135. Paul Barjon
136. John Pak (a)
137. Davis Thompson (a)
138. J.C. Ritchie
139. Ryan Vermeer
140. James Sugrue (a)
141. Marty Jertson
142. Lukas Michel (a)
143. Sandy Scott (a)
144. Eduard Rousaud (a)
My absolute least favorite thing about producing this ranking for every major is having to put somebody last, so here’s hoping Rousaud posts this piece on his fridge all week and proves me wrong.
