ShareThisCapsule previews for the top contenders for the 108th United States Open championship starting June 12 at Torrey Pines in San Diego. All statistics through Memorial Championship June 1.-- Tiger WoodsAge: 32.Country: United States.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2000 and 2002.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won Buick Invitational, World Golf Championship Match Play and Arnold Palmer Invitational.Comment: Coming in with no competitive rounds since runner-up finish at Masters in early April, for once Tiger is great unknown. On plus side, he's dominated at Torrey Pines (six career wins). On down side, the last time he missed two months prior to an Open was 2006 at Winged Foot when he missed cut for only time as a pro.-- Phil MickelsonAge: 37.Country: United States.Top U.S. Open Finish: Second in 1999, 2002, 2004 and 2006.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won Northern Trust Open and Crown Plaza Invitational at Colonial.Comment: Perennial Open bridesmaid, Mickelson has also flourished at Torrey Pines (three career wins), the course he basically grew up on. But "Lefty'' has not won a major since the horrific final hole meltdown at Winged Foot two years ago. Can he overcome those demons with a coveted Open title on the line?-- Jim FurykAge: 38Country: United States.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2003.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for second at WGC-CA Championship.Comment: With two seconds and a win in his last five years, accurate Furyk is proven Open contender. But Torrey Pines South's brutish 7,643 yards (longest Open layout ever) could be problem for a guy ranked 162nd on tour in driving distance (275.6 yards).-- Angel CabreraAge: 38Country: Argentina.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won last year.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for fifth at WGC-World Match Play Championship.Comment: Since holding off Tiger last year at Oakmont, paunchy Cabrera hasn't exactly lit it up (five missed cuts, no top-10 finishes in 15 PGA Tour stroke-play events). And unless erratic driver (189th in driving accuracy) improves drastically, Cabrera has no chance of becoming first repeat champ since Curtis Strange in 1988-89.-- Adam ScottAge: 27.Country: Australia.Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for 21st in 2006.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won EDS Byron Nelson Championship.Comment: World's third-ranked player has poor Open record (only two cuts made in six tries, 74.5 stroke average for 16 rounds). But Scott has numbers (leads Tour in All-Around ranking) and distance off tee (8th at 299.8 yards) to finally contend here.-- Trevor ImmelmanAge: 28.Country: South Africa.Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for 21st in 2006.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won The Masters.Comment: Considering foreign players have won the last four Opens and six of the last 11, why not talented Masters' champ Immelman, whose swing is regarded as among the tour's best? However, his Open record (two cuts made out of four appearances) hardly inspires confidence.-- Sergio GarciaAge: 28.Country: Spain.Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for third in 2005.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won The Players Championship.Comment: A fashionable pick to contend, Garcia's superb ball striking should have earned him a major by now. Will his balky putter (126th on tour in putting) cooperate? Hasn't really played much at Torrey Pines, either.-- Geoff OglivyAge: 30.Country: Australia.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2006.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won WGC-CA Championship.Comment: Survivor at Winged Foot two years ago, Oglivy usually plays well in majors (5 top-10 finishes since 2005). Driving accuracy (112th on tour) is questionable. But gritty Oglivy figures to be somewhere on the leaderboard come Sunday.-- Retief GoosenAge: 39.Country: South Africa.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2001 and 2004.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for second WGC-CA Championships.Comment: Two-time champ hasn't won on PGA Tour in 34 months and missed cut in last two Opens, thanks mostly to wayward driver (141st in accuracy). Still, Goosen often excels on biggest stage, thanks to calm, composed demeanor.-- Ernie ElsAge: 38.Country: South Africa.Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 1994 and 1997.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Won Honda Classic.Comment: "Big Easy'' seems troubled missing cut in four of last six PGA events (including Masters) since winning Honda as awful driving (194th in total driving) has led to too many missed greens (149th in greens in regulation). But you can never overlook a guy with Els' talent.-- David TomsAge: 31.Country: United States.Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for fifth last year and in 2003.Top 2008 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for 17th at Wachovia Championship.Comment: Hasn't exactly been playing well (no top 10 finishes, 3 missed cuts in 11 PGA events this year) and lack of length (155th in driving distance, 276.5 yards) could be a problem. But Toms should be able to hang around thanks to his solid putting.(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com. Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service, http://www.scrippsnews.com)
U.S. Open preview capsules
Paying taxes unites us. It also divides us. People can pay five and even six times more in state and local taxes than other folks in similar circumstances making similar incomes.
Who's got your number?
In one of the fastest-growing forms of identity theft, crooks are stealing tax refunds by swiping personal information and using it to trick the Internal Revenue Service.
