ShareThisCapsule previews for top contenders for the 109th United States Open championship starting Thursday at Bethpage Black in Farmingdale, N.Y.
TIGER WOODS
Age: 33
Country: United States.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2000, 2002 and last year.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: -3, Won by three shots.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won at Arnold Palmer Invitational and Memorial.
Comment: What could Tiger possibly do to top last year's dramatic playoff win on a broken leg? After opening with rounds of 67-68 at Bethpage in '02, Tiger cruised as he has all six times he's opened a major with two rounds in the 60's. He hasn't done that since 2006, however. Comeback win at Memorial has world's No. 1's confidence surging.
PHIL MICKELSON
Age: 38 (turns 39 Tuesday)
Country: United States.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Second in 1999, 2002, '04 and '06.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: Even par, second, three shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won Northern Trust Open and WGC-CA Championship at Doral
Comment: Always beloved by New York galleries, Mickelson will get extra TLC in light of his wife Amy's recent breast cancer diagnosis. Where his game is anybody's guess as this is only his third event in last two months. Outplayed Tiger over weekend at Bethpage in '02 shooting 67-70, but couldn't overcome second-round 73 in heavy rain.
ANGEL CABRERA
Age: 39.
Country: Argentina.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2007.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: +22, tied for 66th, 25 shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won The Masters.
Comment: Who knows what to expect from paunchy, gritty Cabrera, who's only two top-10 finishes in U.S. since 2007 were Masters' win and Open victory at Oakmont? His driver has been wayward (191st in driving accuracy, 47.6 pct.), which gives you little chance at Bethpage. But he's a proven major-winner if in contention on Sunday.
SERGIO GARCIA
Age: 29.
Country: Spain.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for third in 2005.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: +3, fourth, seven shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for 13th at Honda Classic.
Comment: Openly heckled at Bethpage seven years ago for his incessant club waggling, the major-less Garcia responded by flipping fans off. And he hardly comes in on a roll (no top-10s this year, missed cut twice in last three events). Still, his 67 and 68 rounds back in '02 shows he has a feel for Bethpage.
GEOFF OGLIVY
Age: 31.
Country: Australia.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2006.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: Did not play.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won Mercedes Championship and WGC Accenture Match Play Championship.
Comment: Usually a factor in majors (7 top-20 finishes since 2006), calm, cool Oglivy can't be counted out. Excellent putter (second in tour in putting, 1.71 putts per hole), especially under pressure, which is often a recipe for Open success.
JIM FURYK
Age: 39.
Country: United States.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Won in 2003.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: Missed cut.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Second at The Memorial.
Comment: Having finished first or second in three of last six Opens, battle-tested Furyk comes in playing well. But Bethpage's brutish length (7,426 yards) is an issue for guy ranked 176th in driving distance (275.1 yards). Second-round 80 at Bethpage in '02 was his second-worst score ever in a major.
PAUL CASEY
Age: 31.
Country: England.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for 10th in 2007.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: Did not play.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won Shell Houston Open.
Comment: Is it a matter of time before world's No. 3 wins a major? He's finished in the top 15 of five of last nine majors, but hasn't really seriously contended. At 25th on tour in driving distance (295.8 yards), he won't be overwhelmed by Bethpage's length.
PADRAIG HARRINGTON
Age: 38.
Country: Ireland.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Fifth in 2000 and 2006.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: +6, tied for 8th, nine shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for 11th at Arnold Palmer Invitational.
Comment: After winning British Open and PGA last summer with Woods out, Harrington appeared poised to challenge for No. 1 player. But he's stumbled badly this year (one top-20 finish, five missed cuts in 12 PGA events). Driver (182nd in total driving), putter (136th in putting, 1.79 putts per round) have both gone sour.
HENRIK STENSON
Age: 33.
Country: Sweden.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for 26th in 2006.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: Did not play.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won The Players Championship.
Comment: No European has won the U.S. Open since 1970. But many feel Stenson, ranked sixth in the world, could be poised to break through. Missing cut in last two Opens is not encouraging.
KENNY PERRY
Age: 48.
Country: United States.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Tied for third in 2003.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: +15, tied for 45th, 18 shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Won FBR Open.
Comment: Playing his best golf, Perry has four wins and 13 top-10s over the last 18 months. He'd dearly love Open title after squandering Masters with bogey-bogey finish to lose in playoff.
ROCCO MEDIATE
Age: 46
Country: United States.
Top U.S. Open Finish: Lost in playoff to Woods last year.
2002 Bethpage U.S. Open Finish: +14, tied for 37th, 17 shots behind.
Top 2009 PGA Tour Finish: Tied for 22nd at Quail Hollow Championship.
Comment: A sentimental choice after last year's heroics, convivial Mediate has done little since to suggest he can contend here. But didn't we say that last year?
(E-mail John Lindsay at lindsayj(at)shns.com)
