2006 U.S. Open Preview

The U.S. Open, the second major golf tournament of the year, returns to Winged Foot in Mamaroneck, New York this weekend with several questions hanging in the summer air;

– Can Phil Mickelson (+650 odds) win his third major in a row?
– How will Tiger Woods (+500 odds) do after a nine-week layoff?
– Just how tough will this monster of a golf course play?
– Whatever happened to the concept of the Big Five, with ErnieEls (+2200), Vijay Singh (+1400) and Retief Goosen (+1600)? Andisn’t it about time Sergio Garcia (+4500) won a major? And AdamScott? And Luke Donald?

Woods, a two-time winner of this tournament,is the favorite at sportsbooks everywhere to win it for the third time at right around 4/1. ButWoods, of course, hasn’t played competitive golf for nine weeks,after losing his father to cancer.

Mickelson ended the 2005 majors campaign bywinning the PGA Championship. Then, in April of this year, Mickelsonwon the Masters. Sportbooks have Mickelson listed at about 6/1to win this weekend, which would give him three-quarters of aTiger Slam.

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Singh, who won the Barclays Classic last weekend,is listed at 12/1 to win this weekend. He is followed by Goosenat 14/1, Els at 18/1, and Jim Furyk at 20/1. Other notables includeScott and Donald at 25/1 and Garcia at 30/1.

The golf course itself, as it often does in U.S. Opens, could become the real story this weekend. Winged Foot has been lengthened and somewhat altered, and will play at over 7,200 yards. The fairways have been narrowed, the roughs will eat up many wayward shots, and the greens, of course, will be like linoleum. It will take accurate tee balls, smart plays from the rough and nerves of steel on the greens to win this tournament.

Davis Love II, who won the last major playedat Winged Foot, the 1997 PGA, is listed at 30/1 to win this weekend.Justin Leonard, who placed second in that tournament, is includedwith the field on betting boards this weekend.

Michael Campbell, the defending U.S. Open champion,is listed at anywhere from 45/1 to 90/1, and is also includedin the field at some onlinesportsbooks .

ESPN provides early coverage from 10 a.m. Eastern to 3 p.m. Thursday and Friday. NBC picks up the later coverage both days, and will provide seven hours of coverage beginning at 12:30 p.m. Eastern Saturday and Sunday.

The Ultimatecapper Pick: We’ll take a flyer on Goosen(+1600) to win and we alos like him in a matchup vs. P. Harringtonat -155. Good luck!.