Read the opposing arguments from Babe Ruthless and Bleacher Fan.
I was all set to build this argument around the return of the U.S. Open to Pebble Beach, California, which is where the 2000 U.S. Open was held and certain person dominated at that tournament. Any guesses who won in 2000? Tiger Woods won by a record 15 strokes, as he was the only golfer under par that year. However, it remains to be seen if Woods will be able to tee it up at all at this year’s U.S. Open. He had to withdraw from The Players Championship on the seventh hole due to an apparent neck injury. With the U.S. Open beginning June 17, it is uncertain as to what Woods’ playing status is. Either way, the show must go on, and the event still promises to be quite a show.
Depending on what happens in the next month, it could be an opportunity for Phil Mickelson to overtake Woods for the number one ranking in golf. If Mickelson had won at Sawgrass this past weekend he would have. As of today, Mickelson sits a little over a point behind Woods in the world ranking system. I could spend all day explaining the Official World Golf Ranking points system to you, and I still wouldn’t cover it all. Just know that this is the closest it has been in quite some time.
It’ll also be a chance for Mickelson to win his second consecutive major. If he wins, that would keep open the possibility of a “Mickel-slam.” That would happen if Phil the Thrill went on to win the Open Championship and the PGA Championship later in the year, giving him all four majors in one calendar year.
The great thing about golf is that good stories always develop as the tournament develops. Despite what the national media would have you believe, the golfing world doesn’t always rotate around Woods and, to a lesser extent, Mickelson. As the PGA Tour slogan goes, “These guys are good.” And yes, they are! Many of you may not have watched The Players Championship this past weekend due to the usual big names not being up there, but it was very entertaining. The three guys vying for the title, Tim Clark, Robert Allenby, and Lee Westwood, had either never won on the PGA Tour or not won at all.
What’s really going to make this year’s U.S. Open exciting is the fact that weekend action will be played in prime time on the East Coast. This was tried two years ago when the championship was played at Torrey Pines . That was the year Woods held off Rocco Mediate in a Monday playoff. That also was the third-highest rated U.S. Open ever. NBC holds the broadcast rights and must be hoping to cash in once again.
I’m definitely looking forward to this year’s U.S. Open. It’s going to be played at one of the world’s most majestic golf courses. Whether or not Woods will participate will be a popular topic over the next month. But even if he doesn’t, it still promises to still be as exciting as ever.
