Four Americans, including veteran Phil Mickelson, and Spaniard Jon Rahm are figures to watch at the US Golf Open, which begins Thursday in Torrey Pines, California:
– Phil Mickelson (USA, 51 years old) –
When few were counting on him for the big battles, Mickelson won the PGA Championship last month and became the oldest winner of a Grand Slam tournament.
The American left-hander turned 51 on Wednesday and will try to gift himself a victory at the United States Open, which would make him the sixth golfer in history to complete the Grand Slam in his career.
Mickelson, who has been runner-up in the Open six times, will compete in this edition at his “home” at Torrey Pines in his native San Diego, where he has achieved three PGA tournament victories.
– Bryson DeChambeau (USA, 27 years old) –
With an unrivaled physique on the circuit, DeChambeau won last year’s Open at Winged Foot, New York with an overwhelming strategy based on hitting power over precision.
Fears that DeChambeau’s physical superiority could make him dominate the circuit were unfounded. However, the American won in March at Bay Hill and a third place in the Players Championship and aims to be the eighth player to win the US Open twice in a row.
– Jon Rahm (Spain, 26 years old) –
The Spaniard has starred in a rapid rise to the top of world golf but still owes a Grand Slam title. In his last opportunities the former world number one ranked fifth in the Masters and eighth in the PGA Championship.
He arrives at Torrey Pines with little preparation for the mandatory quarantine week after his positive for coronavirus at the Memorial Tournament, when he was leading easily with one day remaining.
The Spaniard hopes to quickly recover the good form he exhibited before his shocking contagion.
– Xander Schauffele (USA, 27 years old) –
The world golf number four hopes to celebrate his first Grand Slam title in his native San Diego. In his 16 ‘Majors’ appearances, Schauffele has finished eight times in the top-10.
At the US Open he has been even closer to victory, finishing in the top six in his last four starts.
– Patrick Reed (USA, 30 years old) –
The American, a 2018 Augusta Masters champion, captured the most recent of his nine PGA titles at Torrey Pines in January, in a clear five-shot win.
In this way Reed, ranked eighth in the world rankings, could achieve the rare feat of winning a ‘Major’ title and another regular in the same field in the same year.
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