BlogU.S. Open Preview and Picks

U.S. Open

June 14th – 17th, 2018

Shinnecock Hills Golf Club

Southampton, N.Y.

Par: 70 / Yardage: 7,440

Purse: $12 million (last year)

with $2.16 million (last year) to the winner

Defending Champion:
Brooks Koepka

by Sal Johnson

Founder, Chief Data Officer, GOLFstats

E-mail me at:
sal@golfstats.com

This week’s field includes:

The field includes 75 of the top-100 and 60 of the top-60 in the latest Official World Rankings.  For the first time in years we have all 62 of the top-62 playing this week.

Last year there were 77 of the top-100 players and 59 of the top-60.

The field includes 22 of the top 25 on the FedEx point standings for 2018.  Those players not in the field are #8 Patton Kizzire, #19 Andrew Landry and #25 Austin Cook.

27 major championship winners, led by 14-time winner Tiger Woods.  The other 26 are Phil Mickelson (5), Ernie Els (4), Rory McIlroy (4), Jordan Spieth (3), Zach Johnson (2), Bubba Watson (2), Keegan Bradley, Jason Day, Jason Dufner, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia, Lucas Glover, Dustin Johnson, Martin Kaymer, Brooks Koepka, Graeme McDowell, Louis Oosthuizen, Patrick Reed, Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Webb Simpson, Henrik Stenson, Justin Thomas, Jimmy Walker, Danny Willett

20 amateur participants will compete in the 2017 U.S. Open. In 2017 there were 14 amateurs in the field, in 2015, 16 amateurs were in the field and six advanced to the weekend. This year will have the most amateurs in the field since 1962 when 20 played at Oakmont that year.  In looking at all the U.S. Opens going back to World War II, the one with the most amateurs in the field was 1959 when 25 amateurs played at Winged Foot

Here’s a look at the amateurs in the field this year: Shintaro Ban, Philip Barbaree, Jacob Bergeron, Harry Ellis, Luis Gagne, Doug Ghim, Noah Goodwin, Will Grimmer, Stewart Hagestad, Franklin Huang, Theo Humphrey, Ryan Lumsden, Matt Parziale, Garrett Rank, Rhett Rasmussen, Kristoffer Reitan, Tyler Strafaci, Braden Thornberry, Timothy Wiseman, Chun An Yu.  Oh for those wondering since World War II who had the most amateurs play 72 holes it was 6 in 2015 and 1959.

The field includes 12 past champions: Brooks Koepka (2017), Dustin Johnson (2016), Jordan Spieth (2015), Martin Kaymer (2014), Justin Rose (2013), Webb Simpson (2012), Rory McIlroy (2011), Graeme McDowell (2010), Lucas Glover (2009), Tiger Woods (2008, ’02 & 2000)  Jim Furyk (2003) and Ernie Els (1997 & ’94).  Of these 12 champions, they have won a total of 15 U.S. Opens

Here are some more players in the field

  • U.S. Open runners-up (13): Jason Day (2011, ‘13), Ernie Els (2000), Rickie Fowler (2014), Jim Furyk (2006, ’07, ‘16), Brian Harman (2017), Dustin Johnson (2015), Shane Lowry (2016), Hideki Matsuyama (2017), Graeme McDowell (2012), Phil Mickelson (1999, 2002, ’04, ’06, ’09, ‘13), Louis Oosthuizen (2015), Scott Piercy (2016) and Tiger Woods (2005, ‘07).
  • U.S. Amateur champions (8): Byeong Hun An (2009), Bryson DeChambeau (2015), Matthew Fitzpatrick (2013), Matt Kuchar (1997), Phil Mickelson (1990), Richie Ramsay (2006), Peter Uihlein (2010) and Tiger Woods (1994, ’95, ‘96).
  • USGA champions (28): Byeong Hun An (2009 Amateur), Philip Barbaree (2015 Junior Amateur), Bryson DeChambeau (2015 Amateur), Ernie Els (1994, ’97 Opens), Matthew Fitzpatrick (2013 Amateur), Jim Furyk (2003 Open), Lucas Glover (2009 Open), Noah Goodwin (2017 Junior Amateur), Stewart Hagestad (2016 Mid-Amateur), Brian Harman (2003 Junior Amateur), Dustin Johnson (2016 Open), Martin Kaymer (2014 Open), Brooks Koepka (2017 Open), Matt Kuchar (1997 Amateur), Graeme McDowell (2010 Open), Rory McIlroy (2011 Open), Phil Mickelson (1990 Amateur), Matt Parziale (2017 Mid-Amateur), Kenny Perry (2013, ’17 Opens), Richie Ramsay (2006 Amateur), Chez Reavie (2001 Amateur Public Links), Justin Rose (2013 Open), Webb Simpson (2012 Open), Brandt Snedeker (2003 Amateur Public Links), Jordan Spieth (2009, ’11 Junior Amateurs, 2015 Open), Peter Uihlein (2010), Tiger Woods (1991, ’92, ’93 Junior Amateurs, 1994, ’95, ’96 Amateurs, 2000, ’02, ’08 Opens) and Will Zalatoris (2014 Junior Amateur).
  • Players in the field with the most U.S. Open appearances: (2017 included): Phil Mickelson (26), Ernie Els (25), Jim Furyk (23), Steve Stricker (20), Tiger Woods (19), Sergio Garcia (18). Adam Scott (16), Matt Kuchar (15), Paul Casey (14) and Zach Johnson (14).
  • Active consecutive U.S. Open appearances: (2017 included): Ernie Els (25), Jim Furyk (22), Sergio Garcia (18), Adam Scott (16), Zach Johnson (14), Dustin Johnson (10), Martin Kaymer (10) and Matt Kuchar (10).

A perfect way for fantasy golfers to check on the past performance of all the players in the U.S. Open field is our performance chart listed by the average finish.  Another way to check who is the best is through a special formula worked out in Golfstats that gives us the best average performances at the U.S. Open in the last five years or check out our sortable 8-year glance at the U.S. Open.

A good cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmakers in England.

Another cheat sheet is this list of odds from the top bookmaker in Las Vegas.

 

Time to look at our who’s hot and who isn’t:

Who’s Hot in the field for the U.S. Open

Player FedEx St. Jude Memorial Italian Open Fort Worth BMW PGA Byron Nelson The Players Wells Fargo Zurich Classic Valero Texas RBC Heritage Masters
Francesco Molinari
(331 pts)
DNP DNP 2
(100)
DNP Win
(198)
DNP CUT
(-10)
T16
(22.67)
DNP DNP 49
(0.33)
T20
(20)
Rory McIlroy
(259.33 pts)
DNP T8
(50)
DNP DNP 2
(150)
DNP CUT
(-10)
T16
(22.67)
DNP DNP DNP T5
(46.67)
Justin Rose
(254.67 pts)
DNP T6
(60)
DNP Win
(132)
DNP DNP T23
(27)
DNP T19
(10.33)
DNP DNP T12
(25.33)
Dustin Johnson
(253 pts)
Win
(132)
T8
(50)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T17
(33)
DNP DNP DNP T16
(11.33)
T10
(26.67)
Bryson DeChambeau
(244.33 pts)
DNP Win
(132)
DNP T42
(8)
DNP DNP T37
(13)
4
(53.33)
DNP DNP T3
(30)
T38
(8)
Jimmy Walker
(225 pts)
DNP DNP DNP T20
(30)
DNP T6
(40)
T2
(100)
DNP T25
(8.33)
4
(26.67)
DNP T20
(20)
Rafael Cabrera-Bello
(192.67 pts)
DNP DNP 4
(80)
DNP T8
(75)
DNP T17
(33)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP T38
(8)
Jason Day
(189.33 pts)
DNP T44
(6)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T5
(70)
Win
(88)
T34
(5.33)
DNP DNP T20
(20)
Branden Grace
(186.33 pts)
DNP T52
(0)
DNP DNP T5
(105)
T3
(60)
T46
(4)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T24
(17.33)
Webb Simpson
(184.67 pts)
DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP Win
(132)
T21
(19.33)
DNP DNP T5
(23.33)
T20
(20)
Alex Noren
(181.67 pts)
DNP DNP T23
(27)
DNP T3
(135)
DNP T17
(33)
CUT
(-6.67)
DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-6.67)
Byeong Hun An
(177.5 pts)
CUT
(-10)
T2
(100)
DNP DNP T15
(52.5)
DNP T30
(20)
T63
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T7
(18.33)
DNP
Patrick Reed
(169.67 pts)
DNP T29
(21)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T41
(9)
8
(33.33)
T7
(18.33)
DNP DNP Win
(88)
Tommy Fleetwood
(169 pts)
DNP DNP T23
(27)
DNP T20
(45)
DNP T7
(55)
CUT
(-6.67)
T4
(26.67)
DNP DNP T17
(22)
Emiliano Grillo
(168 pts)
DNP T23
(27)
DNP 3
(90)
DNP DNP T37
(13)
T9
(30)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP T16
(11.33)
DNP
Ian Poulter
(165.67 pts)
DNP DNP T8
(50)
DNP T20
(45)
DNP T11
(39)
DNP T22
(9.33)
DNP T7
(18.33)
T44
(4)
Rickie Fowler
(162 pts)
DNP T8
(50)
DNP T14
(36)
DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
T21
(19.33)
DNP DNP DNP 2
(66.67)
Brooks Koepka
(161 pts)
T30
(20)
DNP DNP 2
(100)
DNP DNP T11
(39)
T42
(5.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP DNP
Chesson Hadley
(156.67 pts)
DNP T40
(10)
DNP T20
(30)
DNP DNP T11
(39)
T16
(22.67)
T4
(26.67)
T20
(10)
T7
(18.33)
DNP
Kiradech Aphibarnrat
(156 pts)
CUT
(-10)
T13
(37)
DNP DNP T5
(105)
DNP T30
(20)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T44
(4)
Louis Oosthuizen
(145.67 pts)
DNP T13
(37)
DNP T5
(70)
DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
CUT
(-6.67)
3
(30)
DNP DNP T12
(25.33)
Henrik Stenson
(145 pts)
T26
(24)
T13
(37)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T23
(27)
DNP T19
(10.33)
DNP DNP T5
(46.67)
Graeme McDowell
(145 pts)
DNP DNP T5
(70)
DNP T12
(57)
CUT
(-6.67)
DNP T27
(15.33)
T22
(9.33)
T51
(0)
T55
(0)
DNP
Charl Schwartzel
(140 pts)
72
(0)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T2
(100)
T9
(30)
3
(30)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-6.67)
Peter Uihlein
(136.33 pts)
T43
(7)
5
(70)
DNP DNP DNP T21
(19.33)
DNP T5
(46.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP
Thorbjorn Olesen
(132 pts)
DNP DNP Win
(132)
DNP T60
(0)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Aaron Wise
(128 pts)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP Win
(88)
DNP T2
(66.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP
Justin Thomas
(127 pts)
DNP T8
(50)
DNP DNP DNP DNP T11
(39)
T21
(19.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP T17
(22)
Patrick Cantlay
(127 pts)
DNP 4
(80)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T23
(27)
DNP T7
(18.33)
DNP T7
(18.33)
CUT
(-6.67)
Phil Mickelson
(121 pts)
T12
(38)
T13
(37)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
T5
(46.67)
DNP DNP DNP T36
(9.33)
Jon Rahm
(120 pts)
DNP DNP DNP T5
(70)
DNP DNP T63
(0)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP 4
(53.33)
Matthew Fitzpatrick
(119 pts)
DNP DNP T30
(20)
DNP T8
(75)
DNP T46
(4)
DNP DNP DNP T14
(12)
T38
(8)
Kyle Stanley
(114.67 pts)
DNP T2
(100)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
T13
(24.67)
DNP DNP DNP 52
(0)
Matt Kuchar
(112.33 pts)
DNP T13
(37)
DNP T32
(18)
DNP CUT
(-6.67)
T17
(33)
DNP T28
(7.33)
T51
(0)
T23
(9)
T28
(14.67)
Richy Werenski
(111.67 pts)
T4
(80)
DNP DNP T74
(0)
DNP CUT
(-6.67)
T23
(27)
CUT
(-6.67)
T25
(8.33)
T11
(13)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP

How Player Rankings are Computed

Who’s Not Hot in the field for the U.S. Open

Player FedEx St. Jude Memorial Italian Open Fort Worth BMW PGA Byron Nelson The Players Wells Fargo Zurich Classic Valero Texas RBC Heritage Masters
Kevin Chappell
(-33.33 pts)
CUT
(-10)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP T30
(6.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-6.67)
Ernie Els
(-31.67 pts)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP CUT
(-15)
CUT
(-6.67)
DNP CUT
(-6.67)
DNP T30
(6.67)
DNP DNP
Lanto Griffin
(-26.67 pts)
CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-6.67)
DNP CUT
(-6.67)
CUT
(-3.33)
T58
(0)
DNP DNP
Mackenzie Hughes
(-22 pts)
CUT
(-10)
CUT
(-10)
DNP T42
(8)
DNP DNP T57
(0)
T59
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP
Sergio Garcia
(-20 pts)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-6.67)
70
(0)
DNP CUT
(-3.33)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP CUT
(-6.67)
Harry Ellis
(-16.67 pts)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-6.67)
Will Zalatoris
(-16.67 pts)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP CUT
(-6.67)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Ryan Evans
(-15 pts)
DNP DNP T60
(0)
DNP CUT
(-15)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP
Sam Burns
(-13.33 pts)
DNP 81
(0)
DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP DNP DNP T55
(0)
CUT
(-3.33)
DNP DNP DNP
Matthieu Pavon
(-10 pts)
DNP DNP CUT
(-10)
DNP T64
(0)
DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP DNP

How Player Rankings are Computed

The Buzz:

In the quarter of a century of covering golf, I have not run across a more highly explosive U.S. Open than this.  Going into this week, the “buzz” of this U.S. Open is at a pitch level, with numerous storylines pointing a great U.S. Open.  But the big story will be if Shinnecock can hold up to the onslaught of technology.  In 2004 when the Open was last at Shinnecock the course got out of hand, the fairways were burnt out, and the greens were as hard as concrete.  On Sunday the USGA had a problem in which the 7th green was entirely out of hand, it wouldn’t accept a shot because the green was very, very hard.  Rumor had it that some of the members that were displeased over course set-up took a 2,000-pound roller-ball to the green in the wee hours of Sunday morning.  That has never been confirmed; the most accepted theory is the USGA just allowed the course to get out of hand, including the 7th green.  After a couple of players went through the hole, the USGA stop play and water the green, thus making it fairer.

Hopefully this won’t happen this year, but still many will wonder if the course will be too natural like it was last year at Erin Hills.  The problem with that, Mike Davis when doing the course set-up looked at historical figures on wind conditions and put that into the equation.  Unfortunately, the wind never materialized, and that is why scores were low with the average score of just 1.20 over par, the lowest in the last 50 years (next lowest is 1.47 in 1990).

Now the USGA has made a lot of changes to Shinnecock like adding 444 yards to 10 holes stretching the course to 7,440 yards from the 6,996 yards it played in 2004.  They have also taken out most of the trees, which will make wind play more into the equation and have expanded the greens, the original contours are the same with the shapes closely looking like it was from aerial photos taken of the course from 1938

Before we look at some of the great storylines, we have to look at the course itself.  Shinnecock Hills is the holy grail of American golf.  Forgot what you are told about Pebble Beach, Pine Valley or Augusta National, Shinnecock is the best course in America if you take into consideration course routing, the character of holes and the scenic beauty of the course that is just three miles from the Atlantic Ocean.  Everything is purely natural and there isn’t one contrived hole at Shinnecock.  With the way the course is laid out, it has the natural mannerisms of a links course in which a player must show some imagination and thought to play.

On paper Shinnecock’s total length of 7,445 yards is still short under today’s standards.  To combat this and it was an add-on last fall the rough has been replaced with strips of fescue sod and allowed to grow, making it super hard to get out of like it was last year on the fescue rough at Erin Hills.  But the fairways will be wider this year over 2004 when the average fairway was 26 yards wide, compared to 40 this year.  So in a way, if you can hit it a long way and straight, the way Dustin Johnson plays when he is on his game, that type of player has a significant advantage.  Last year at Erin Hills Brooks Koepka showed that he could hit it very long and very straight, so that is what it will take this week.

Now, of course, the greens are, and those of Shinnecock are very fair and well bunkered.  Now the story with links courses is to be able to run shots up, you can do that at Shinnecock but if the shot isn’t precisely aimed it will find a bunker.  As for the greens they don’t have large sloops, but there is a fair amount of undulations, especially for a course near the ocean and can experience high winds.

It’s essential to see who has won at Shinnecock the previous three Opens held there.  Retief Goosen, Raymond Floyd, and Corey Pavin had one thing in common accuracy and the ability to hit lots of greens.  When you think of that, your mind goes automatically to a Tiger Woods, Justin Thomas, Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson or a Jordan Spieth type of player.  If I were to characterize Shinnecock, it would be a combination of Pinehurst and Pebble Beach.  Of course, when you mention these courses, your mind goes to Tiger Woods, who won at Pebble in 2000 and finished T3rd at Pinehurst in 1999.  Another strong contender in both those Opens was Phil Mickelson and Ernie Els, now Els doesn’t have much of a chance of winning this year, but you can see how we are shaping up on our contenders this year

I also think that the trend of 2018 in which under 30s rule have accounted for 17 of the 33 events played.  Of those you can’t go wrong with the Justin Thomas’s, Rory McIlroy’s, Jon Rahm’s and Jason Day’s so you can see that the tour has had some seasonal winners so far.

So who will win is the million dollar question.  I can unofficially say this, when the course is easy you seem to get more marquee names winning.  Just look at Congressional, Rory McIlroy won, Tiger won at Torrey, Jordan won at Chamber Bay.  Then on the hard courses like Bethpage in 2009, Lucas Glover, Pebble in 2010 Graeme McDowell and Webb Simpson in 2012 at Olympic.  Again no rhyme or reason but you get what I mean.

One last thing about this week that shows more parity. This year 50 of the 156 players will be U.S. Open rookies.  This number seems remarkable until you realize it’s par for the U.S. Open.  Last year there were 52 U.S. Open rookies, in 2016 there was 51, in 2014 there were 53 rookies. All of these are extraordinary numbers.  In the history of the U.S. Open, the year with the most first-timers was 86 in 1919.  That was the first Open played after World War I and the field increased in size.  If you look at the most first-timers since World War II, it was 75 in 1948.

Looking at the U.S. Opens since 1970 the most first-timers were 53 in 1977, 1980, and 2011 so this year will not have the most rookies.

For those wondering, in 2014 there were 48 rookies, in 2013 there were 44 rookies at Merion, in 2012 there were 46 first-timers at Olympic, and in 2010 there were 50 at Pebble.  Oh one thing, don’t look for a rookie winner.  The last time a first-timer won the Open was 105 years ago when Francis Ouimet did it in 1913 so don’t look for one of the 50 rookies to win this week.

Championship information:

The inaugural U.S. Open was slated for September of 1895. However, the Open, as well as the inaugural U.S. Amateur, were delayed due to a scheduling conflict with the more popular sporting event, America’s Cup yacht races. Finally, the first U.S. Open was played on Oct. 4, 1895, on a nine-hole course at the Newport Golf and Country Club in Newport, Rhode Island. The first U.S. Open was somewhat overshadowed by the first U.S. Amateur tournament, which was played concurrently at the Newport Golf and Country Club. Its little field consisted of just 10 professionals and one amateur. Horace Rawlins, the assistant at Newport Golf and Country Club, captured the first U.S. Open. The format for the tournament was 36 holes squeezed into one day, with four trips around the nine-hole course in Newport.

In 1898, the U.S. Open switched to a 72-hole format, two days of 36-holes. For the first few years, the field was routinely riddled with amateurs as well as British and Scottish professionals. The popularity of the event dwindled until Americans began to dominate, starting with John McDermott in 1911. The U.S. Open experienced a dramatic jump in popularity in 1913 when Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old American amateur, defeated famed British professionals Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in a playoff. Popularity for the U.S. Open began to soar even higher in the early 1920s. In 1922, the U.S. Open sold tickets to the event for the first time. A year later, Bobby Jones, an amateur golfer from Georgia won his first of four U.S. Opens. By 1924, an enormous influx of applicants to compete in the U.S. Open forced the USGA to hold sectional qualifying to determine who would receive an entry into the field.

In 1926, the format for the tournament was again switched. Players would play 72 holes; 18 holes on each of the first two days, followed by 36 holes on the third and final day. The changes to the U.S. Open format were paralleled by an almost systematic phase-out of the amateur player. Though amateurs still compete annually, John Goodman was the last amateur to win the U.S. Open, taking the 1933 crown at the North Shore Country Club in Glenview, Illinois. Jack Nicklaus’s second-place finish at the 1960 U.S. Open is the best finish by an amateur since Goodman’s victory in 1933.

The U.S. Open saw relatively few changes between 1935 and 1954. In 1954, the course was roped off from tee to green for the first time, as well as broadcast on national television. Arnold Palmer’s historic comeback victory in 1960 further boosted the tournament’s popularity. But it was the 1962 U.S. Open, in which Jack Nicklaus defeated Arnold Palmer in a Monday playoff, that would catapult “America’s Championship” to the forefront of the golf world.

Over the next 18 years, from 1962 to 1980, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer combined to win four U.S. Opens. Fans flocked to the U.S. Open in droves to see the budding rivalry. In 1965, to accommodate the growing fan base, the U.S. Open switched from the three-day, 72-hole format to the current, four-day, 72-hole format.

In 1971, Lee Trevino’s victory at the U.S. Open was the catalyst as he went on to play, arguably, the three most significant weeks of golf. After winning the U.S. Open, Trevino went on to capture the Canadian Open crown, followed by the British Open crown. A feat that to this day has not been matched. Trevino, as well as the already well-established Nicklaus and Palmer, created a trio that further launched the event into the American limelight. In 1977, ABC began live coverage of the final two rounds of U.S. Open play. By 1982, upstart cable channel ESPN was broadcasting the Thursday and Friday rounds.

In 1994, the U.S. Open at Oakmont was the venue for Ernie Els’ first victory in America. Els and Loren Roberts both shot 74, while Colin Montgomerie shot a 78. Els claimed the title by defeating Loren Roberts on the second sudden-death playoff hole.  Els and a slew of other foreign champions paved the way for the first qualifying tournaments held outside the United States.

But for the masses, nothing will compare to Tiger Woods’ victory in 2000 at Pebble Beach.  First of all, it was the 100th U.S. Open. Secondly, it was held on one of the great courses in the world that comprised the beauty of an oceanside course that stunned the viewers and fans but on a tough course in which wind played an important factor. It was also perfect timing for Tiger Woods to win his first Open title in a dominating way. At 12 under, he finished 15 strokes ahead of Ernie Els and Miguel Angel Jimenez to become the first double-digit winner relative to par.  The win brought the U.S. Open into a different focus as it began its second decade of play.

Course information:

  • Shinnecock Hills
  • Southampton, N.Y.
  • 7,440 yards
  • Par will be 70

Based on the course setup for the championship, the Course Rating is 76.9. Its Slope Rating is 146.

USGA Championships held at Shinnecock Hills

  • 1896 U.S. Amateur: H.J. Whigham d. J.G. Thorp, 8 and 7
  • 1896 U.S. Open: James Foulis by three strokes over Horace Rawlins, 152-155
  • 1900 U.S. Women’s Amateur: Frances C. Griscom d. Margaret Curtis, 6 and 5
  • 1967 U.S. Senior Amateur: Ray Palmer d. Walter D. Bronson, 3 and 2
  • 1977 Walker Cup Match: USA d. Great Britain & Ireland, 16-8
  • 1986 U.S. Open: Raymond Floyd by two strokes over Lanny Wadkins, Chip Beck, 279-281
  • 1995 U.S. Open: Corey Pavin by two strokes over Greg Norman, 280-282
  • 2004 U.S. Open: Retief Goosen by two strokes over Phil Mickelson, 276-278

One last stat, here is a list of the 20 players this year that also played in the 2004 U.S. Open, the last time Shinnecock hosted the U.S. Open:

Eric Axley (MC), Aaron Baddeley (MC), Paul Casey (MC), Ernie Els (T-9), Jim Furyk (T-48), Sergio Garcia (T-20), Brian Gay (MC), Bill Haas (T-40), Charles Howell (T-36), Zach Johnson (T-48), Phil Mickelson (2), Pat Perez (T-40), Kenny Perry (MC), Ian Poulter (MC), Chez Reavie (T-62), Justin Rose (MC), Adam Scott (MC), Steve Stricker (MC), Bubba Watson (MC), Tiger Woods (T-17).

How great is Shinnecock?

Over 30 years ago when Frank Hannigan was still the Executive Director of the USGA, he told me that if it were his choice, the U.S. Open would be rotated among just three courses, Pebble Beach, Olympic Golf Club and Shinnecock Hills.

One of his choices, Shinnecock Hills, will host the U.S. Open this year, the fourth time in just 32 years that it has returned to one of the very oldest clubs in the United States.  The course sits atop a sandy, wind-swept hill that overlooks the Atlantic on one side which is less than two miles away and the Peconic Bay which is a mile away.

One of the genuine links courses in this country, Shinnecock conjures visions of the ancient courses that hold the British Open.  “It’s got a very English feel,” Jack Nicklaus said of Shinnecock.  Another player that feels the same way is three-time British Open champion Nick Faldo, who said of the course “It has a big flavor of Britain, but the greens are a lot tougher, and it demands more inventive short shots.”

So what does this mean for the 156 players that will be playing this year?  They will face a course like nothing else on the PGA Tour.  In many other courses with thick rough, sometimes fairway bunkers bail players out, but that won’t happen here since the bunkers in the fairways are very treacherous making it challenging to get home from them.  Still, the hardest part and what could distinguish Shinnecock over any other course is the shots to the greens.  Many of them are wide open in front, which will allow players to land approach shots in front and let them bounce onto the putting surface.  Now on paper, this sounds easy, but in the three previous Opens held at Shinnecock in 1986, ’95 & 2004 they were tough to hit statistically.  In 1986 the field hit only 46.3% of the greens while in 1995, 47.1% of them were hit.  In 2004 51.53% of the greens were hit, so that figure has gone up over the year.  Now it’s not the lowest, in 2000 at Pebble only 44.3% of the greens were hit but in comparison, 58.1% of the greens were hit in 2003 by the field at Olympia Fields.  The reason for these results is the small greens at Shinnecock which are hard to hold and with the USGA shaving the grass down will be very quick.  Look for a lot of shots to go over the back of the greens.

So the winner will be a player that loves playing links layouts.  He will have to be very imaginative, creative and someone that can handle the natural elements.  In looking at its previous champions, Ray Floyd, Corey Pavin, and Retief Goosen were short, straight hitters that were great around the greens.

In the first two Opens at Shinnecock, nobody played 72 holes under par, and only 82 under par rounds were played in those two Opens. That changed in 2004 when Retief Goosen was 4 under par and runner-up Phil Mickelson was 2 under par.  Of the field in 2004, there were 43 under par rounds.  But that doesn’t mean you can’t go low, in 1995 Neal Lancaster shot a back nine 29 on the final day and there have been four rounds of 65.  Greg Norman has a significant share of Shinnecock history as he led both Opens after 54 holes only to succumb on the final day.

In looking at those that will be playing this year that has seen some success in past Open’s at Shinnecock, the name Phil Mickelson pops up. In 1995 he was T-4th at Shinnecock, this was his first top-ten in a U.S. Open.  People point out 2004, but in 1995 he went into the final round T-3rd and shot 74 and finished just 4 shots back of winner Corey Pavin.  In 2004 he was 2 shots back of Retief Goosen but had a double bogey on the 71st hole.  So you have to wonder if Phil since the moment they first announced in 2013 that Shinnecock would have the Open if Phil hasn’t thought that yes maybe the third time around is the charm. One last thing, if you’re wondering about Tiger Woods, he played his first U.S. Open as an amateur at Shinnecock, but it wasn’t very memorable as he hurt his wrist in the second round forcing him to withdraw.  In 204 Tiger struggled over the weekend and shot 73-76 to finish T-17th, 14 shots back of winner Retief Goosen.  So we really can’t say that Woods has excellent memories of Shinnecock.

Let’s take a look at Vital stats that are important for those playing at Shinnecock Hills:

The U.S. Open is going back to Shinnecock Hills, a course that held the Open in 1986, 1994 and then 2004. Unfortunately, the Shinnecock membership was unhappy with the way the course was set-up, and when the course was burnt out over the weekend, the membership had enough. They swore that they were finished and that they would never hold another USGA event on the course again. As we all know, things and people do change over the years and when Mike Davis took over membership took not only a liking towards the USGA’s executive director but trusted that he would do the right thing with another U.S. Open.
We have to say that since Davis took over the overall concept of the U.S. Open setup has drastically changed. On the surface, some felt that Davis made the courses play too easy. Others contend that the USGA is allowing bombers to have too much of an advantage with fairways getting wider.
Yes in the last ten years many courses do have wider fairways, but that is mostly because of the way the courses are. For years the USGA went to courses like Winged Foot, Oakland Hills, and Southern Hills, courses that have been around for close to a century that was tree-lined with lot’s of rough and hard, small greens. However, over the last 50 years, the USGA has changed it’s thought process on the courses that held the Open, changing in 1972 when Pebble Beach was first used. Many back then felt that the course was a drastic change from what U.S. Open courses were, one of the reasons it took so long to hold a U.S. Open on the course finally. However, 1972 was such a big success they went back to it ten years later, then again in 1992, 2000 and 2010. Pebble will hold the Open next year, that’s six times in less than 50 years.
However, what Pebble did was get the USGA to change their thought process on what a U.S. Open course was. Thus it opened up to having different types of courses like going to Shinnecock Hills in 1986. With the success of Shinnecock, a course that was more link style than any other course to hold the Open, it then opened up to more courses along the same line. Today we see the Open being played at Torrey Pines, which isn’t a links course but along the ocean, Pinehurst, which now has prominent links feel to it, Chambers Bay and Erin Hills. All of these were a big success except for Chambers Bay, which had crowd problems and the turf didn’t make for good conditions. I think that one day Chambers Bay will be back, mostly for its location in the major starved Pacific Northwest than any other reason. To go a step further, even Oakmont has changed drastically as they removed all the trees from the course and gave it a links-style feel.

So what does this mean for you who are trying to make a pick of six winners for your DraftKings picks? That the way we think about the U.S. Open has changed and it will continue this year. Shinnecock is going to be drastically different than it was 14 years ago. First is the added yardage, almost 450 yards have been added to holes 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 9, 10, 14, 16 and 18. It is hoped that with the added distance some of the fairway bunkers and features that protected Shinnecock would be back into play which means the USGA won’t have to make the greens impossible to hold and drastic. Another significant change, trees were removed, and some of the underbrush cut back, a lot like was done to rave reviews to Oakmont C.C. Another significant change was that the course replaced some of it’s rough with fescue that will be more challenging for players and give the course a feeling of being tighter. The reason for that change was because the USGA and Davis felt that Erin Hills fairways were too wide last year, mostly because the anticipating wind didn’t appear and the fairways weren’t as firm as they would have liked.
Now it doesn’t mean the fairways will be tight; they won’t be. In 2004 the average fairway width was a touch of 25 yards wide, this year it’s a bit over 40. So in a way, this gives a significant advantage to those that hit it long, even though they may not it hit straight. But as many players learned last year including Dustin Johnson, if you got off the wide open fairways into wispy fescue rough you were in for major problems, so players like Justin Rose, Charl Schwartzel, Adam Scott, Jon Rahm and Bubba Watson joined Johnson going home to watch the U.S. Open on TV instead of playing.

In looking at Shinnecock this week, one thing can be predicted, that yes a bomber can and will win. However, that bomber better be like Brooks Koepka was last year in which he was able to hit it on the fairway. Another aspect of winning is hitting many greens, something that not only Brooks Koepka do correctly last year leading the field in that stat.
Several items are essential that compares the way Shinnecock, and it’s winner Retief Goosen played in 2004 comparing it to the way Erin Hills and Brooks Koepka played last year.

Here is a chart that shows those comparisons between Shinnecock in 2004 and Erin Hills last year:

So with that said, how can we judge this course? First, we are going to do something that worked during last years U.S. Open in picking our four key stats. We are going to use strictly strokes gained stats. Our first is Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee because driving will be necessary. With wider fairways and the course being played over 7,450 yards yes this is a bombers course. However, like last year we saw the fescue factor and the same would happen this week if you miss the fairway and in the wispy fescue, good luck in trying to make par.
Our next stat is Strokes Gained Approach-the-Green because hitting greens are essential and you have to make sure to hit the greens. Our third stat is Strokes Gained Around-the-Green because players will miss greens and win they will have to get it up and down. Last is Strokes Gained-Putting because that is going to be very important for players this week.

*Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee: The per round average of the number of strokes based on the number of fairways and distance hit

*Strokes Gained Approach-the-Green: Takes into account the number of greens and the proximity to the hole in the interest of interest of saving shots.

*Strokes Gained Around-the-Green: Number of strokes gained from shots around the green, lot of it is scrambling and bunker play..

*Strokes Gained-Putting: The number of strokes gained in putting

The 84 of the 156 players from this year’s field with stats from 2018. Remember there are a lot of foreign players in the field plus a record 23 amateurs without stats:

Click any column title in the table header to sort columns.

Here is the Link to the other 74 players with stats for 2018

DraftKings tips

*Here are the guys that cost the most on DraftKings this week:

  • Dustin Johnson – $11,700
  • Rory McIlroy – $11,500
  • Justin Thomas – $11,000
  • Jordan Spieth – $10,800
  • Jason Day – $10,500
  • Rickie Fowler – $10,200
  • Justin Rose – $9,900
  • Jon Rahm – $9,500
  • Tiger Woods – $9,200
  • Brooks Koepka – $9,000
  • Hideki Matsuyama – $8,900

Powerful field with a lot of guys to chose from.  Of course, Dustin Johnson is the top price player at $11,700.  The question is if he is worth the money.  The course is perfect for his long game; the only glaring question is if will hit it straight enough to avoid the fescue rough.  That was a big problem last year, he just couldn’t keep it out of the tall grass at Erin Hills and missed the cut.  In looking at his stats from his Memphis win, he was 4th in Strokes Gained Off-the-Tee and 2nd in Strokes Gained Approach-the-Green.  He was the longest driver of the week but was T-36th in hitting fairways.  As for greens in regulation, he was T-10th.  So the question will his driving be straight enough to take advantage of the long tees.  I would say he is worth the gamble.  Rory McIlroy at $11,500 is the same problem, yes he is long and can overpower this course, but can he hit it straight?  On tour this year he ranks 153rd in driving accuracy so that could be a problem. Frankly, he will miss fairways, and if he misses them by a little he will be fine, but if he hits it in the fescue, he will struggle.  I said yes with Dustin but have to say no to Rory.  I also have to say no to Justin Thomas at $11,000 again he ranks 143rd on tour, and he could have problems.  I say no to Jordan Spieth at $10,800 for different reasons.  All year he has struggled with his putter, he can find it for a round or two like he did at the Masters, but don’t expect to see him consistently good with it for 72 holes.

Now let’s talk about guys I do like.  First Jason Day at $10,500 is very high on my list.  He has shown this year that he can be consistent, he may rank 93rd for the year in accuracy off the tee, but think he will get around that for the week, so he is a strong recommend.  I also like Rickie Fowler at $10,200; he is T-46th in driving accuracy which is good for his length off the tee.  But I like him because we all know that he is too good for not winning a major and it’s only a matter of time before that happens.  Can be this week so yes take him.  Can’t say anything but good things about Justin Rose who is at $9,900.  He won at Colonial, a course which you have to drive well on and he has the experience to do well, he won the 2013 U.S. Open on a short course, think he can do it on a medium size course.  Jon Rahm at $9,500 is a tough sell for me, he can hit it long and straight, I worry about his maturity and if he can control his temper when things go wrong.  Doesn’t matter how good you are, everyone encounters those tough times, and Rahm still gets too upset with himself, a big problem I think.  Hate to say this, but I have to say no to Tiger Woods at $9,200.  A couple of reasons, in the past Opens he hasn’t done that great, and this may be one of these courses that don’t suit Tiger’s game.  He also has struggled and seemed lost at times to wait for the British Open and maybe we can reconsider Tiger at Carnoustie.  Brooks Koepka at $9,000 is a go for me, his game is well suited for Shinnecock, and despite winning back to back Opens is near impossible, he could be the guy.  Last is Hideki Matsuyama at $8,900, I usually would say yes, but this hasn’t been a good year for him, so it’s best to take a pass on him for the week.

*Players in that $7,500 to $8,800 price range, which ones are worth the money?:

My number one pick for this price range is Phil Mickelson at $8,600 with a lot of good reasons for it.  First, he plays well at Shinnecock; he was T-4th in 1995 and runner-up in 2004.  But he is in a right frame of mind after finishing well in Memphis.  I think that if there is a course, Phil can win on it’s at Shinnecock.  Now many won’t think of Henrik Stenson as a good pick at $8,800, but he is.  Like the fact that he does have some length and he is first in driving accuracy on Tour in 2018.  So don’t forget about him, he can be a serious contender this week.  Also, think that Patrick Reed at $8,500 and Bryson DeChambeau at $8,300 are good picks.  Both it is straight and long, but both are quiet men that will go about there business and play well. Also, like Tommy Fleetwood at $8,100 because he likes links courses, hits it straight and long and could surprise us at any moment.  Also don’t forget about Alex Noren at $7,900, Marc Leishman at $7,800 and  Webb Simpson at $7,700.  The price is right on these three, and I will be taking them.  As for Sergio Garcia at $8,700, Bubba Watson at $8,200 and Paul Casey at $8,000 I say forget about them, they have not been consistent of late, and I feel will have a tough time at Shinnecock.  Two surprises from this price range are Patrick Cantlay at $7,700 and Francesco Molinari at $7,600.  Don’t worry about taking them, the price is low, and they will get you points.

Some of the “bargains” this week at the U.S Open

Hard to find “bargains” at the U.S. Open but here is a couple.  First I like Brandt Snedeker at $7,300, he has struggled early but seems better now.  The same for Jimmy Walker at $7,300, his game has come around, and he won a major already, could add another this week. Rafael Cabrera-Bello at $7,200 is an excellent bargain; he will make a lot of birdies and stick around to play 72 holes.  Also, like Brian Harman at $7,200, he showed a liking to Erin Hills last year and could do well again this week at Shinnecock, could be a good, cheap choice.  Last but not least I like Peter Uihlein this week at $7,100, just a hunch but I think he will love the course.

Here are some of the secrets of what it takes to play well at the U.S. Open:

  • Since 1960 only nine players have made the U.S. Open their first PGA Tour victory; Jack Nicklaus, 1962; Lee Trevino, 1968; Orville Moody, 1969; Jerry Pate, 1976; Ernie Els, 1993, Retief Goosen, 2001, Michael Campbell in 2005, Angel Cabrera in 2007 and Graeme McDowell in 2010.  But take a look at that list. Jack Nicklaus and Jerry Pate were U.S. Amateur champions, Retief Goosen, and Ernie Els had almost a dozen wins around the world before they won the U.S. Open and Lee Trevino became one of the greatest players in the world.  Michael Campbell, Angel Cabrera, and Graeme McDowell won a lot around the world, especially in Europe.  Dustin Johnson won a lot of the PGA Tour. So of these first-time winners, you have Orville Moody, who went on to win the Senior Open but still wasn’t that great of a player.  The point here is looking for a big name to win the U.S. Open.
  • So could that open the door for another first-time winner?  Probably not, of the 50 first timers, I don’t see one that could win, lot’s of good players and prospects for the future but not today.
  • Eight years ago the 41-year streak of not having a European Tour player winner was finally broken by Graeme McDowell.  Since then the floodgates have opened as other Europeans like Rory McIlroy won in 2011, Justin Rose in 2013 and Martin Kaymer in 2014.  With the course being so hard, don’t be surprised if another European wins this year. Europeans are used to playing links-style courses, more than Americans.

Here are some more key stats to look to for this week:

So what will it take to win at Shinnecock Hills?

I think the most important things about Shinnecock Hills is that the course is a bombers delight so the winner will be long and straight off the tee.  He also has to hit it pretty straight, remember the fairways will be almost double the size of the fairways from 2004 from Shinnecock. So if they are just off the fairway, they will be ok. But good luck for those wild drivers, Erin Hills will bite them in the butt with its very long fescue rough that will be impossible to get the ball back to the fairway.

The most important thing to remember about Shinnecock Hills is having a lot of patience.  Each week these players compete in an environment in which you make a birdie every fourth hole or a total of five to six times a round. Even with four par 5s that won’t happen and players will have to realize that par is your friend.

Hitting to the greens, how tough?

A lot will depend on if the pin is tucked away on a plateau or hard to get close.  Again a player has to be smart; there are lot’s of danger around the greens, so you have to make sure a shot is to the right part of the grass.  The greens will also be hard (unless rain makes them too soft), so lot’s of shots won’t hold the greens and roll off into a hard situation.  Sometimes getting it up and down from rough off the grass will be hard, the same with greenside bunkers, they won’t be easy to get up and down from.  I think that a person that scrambles well will be the winner this week.

What about once you get there?  Greens are big at 6,500 sq ft with lots of undulation and roll.  They aren’t massive at 8,700 square feet like Chambers Bay were but yes reading the greens will be tough.

Weather

The weather is always significant at the U.S. Open. This year the weather will make it easy for the players It’s going to be great week weather-wise, the only chance for rain is late Sunday evening, and hopefully, a champion will be crown before that.  Winds will be soft, so maybe the scores will be low.

Is there any rhyme or reason for a player winning the U.S. Open?

No.

In the past 25 years, it’s been won by grinders like Dustin Johnson,  Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Justin Rose, Jim Furyk, Retief Goosen, Angel Cabrera and Graeme McDowell, who may not look pretty but knows how to place shots in the right spots.  There have also been superstars like Tiger Woods, who were expected to win.  It’s been won by great tour players like Tom Kite and Corey Pavin, who capped off their PGA Tour careers with their first win in a major.  It’s been won by up and coming stars like South African’s Ernie Els, Martin Kaymer, Retief Goosen and Geoff Ogilvy, who won it in 2006.

Who can forget the stars that many thoughts were past their prime, like Payne Stewart and Hale Irwin?  It’s also been won by tour grinders like Lee Janzen and Webb Simpson. Last but not least the stray qualifier like Steve Jones, who surprised the golfing world with his victory in 1996, plus Michael Campbell in 2005, who was contemplating not going to U.S. Open qualifying the night before.  How about 2009 winner Lucas Glover, you show me a person that had a winning Lucas Glover ticket, and I will show you my winning Irish sweepstake ticket.  In past Opens, we said that it was a wide-open field.  But I feel that only the best will contend this week. It will be just like the Masters in which only a dozen players have a real chance at winning.

 

Who to watch for at the U.S. Open

Best Bets:

Dustin Johnson

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT Win T2 T4 55 CUT T23 T8 T40 T48

Have to say I agree with just about everyone that feels Dustin is the favorite for this week.

Jason Day

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT T8 T9 T4 T2 T59 2

I really like him a lot, this course will play a lot like Whistling Straits, the course he won the PGA Championship at. Like that he can hit it long and straight.

Phil Mickelson

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT T64 T28 T2 T65 T54 T4 T2 T18 CUT T2

Yes he is my sentimental choice for good reasons. Has a great record at Shinnecock, but he is very motivated to win the final leg of the slam. Had a great time at FedEx St. Jude last week getting him ready.

Best of the rest:

Justin Rose

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT CUT T27 T12 Win T21 CUT CUT CUT T10

Comes into this week as a big favorite, I like that he not only hits is long but straight.

Rory McIlroy

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT CUT T9 T23 T41 CUT Win CUT T10

He has been close on a lot of tournaments this year, still looking to get back for his Sunday fall at the Masters.

Rickie Fowler

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T5 CUT CUT T2 T10 T41 CUT CUT T60

Only a matter of time before he wins a major, Shinnecock is a perfect course for his game.

Henrik Stenson

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT WD T27 T4 T21 T23 T29 9 CUT CUT T26

Can not only hit it far off the tee but leads the PGA Tour in driving accuracy.

Justin Thomas

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T9 T32 CUT

Sorry just don’t see him coming around for this week.

Solid contenders

Brooks Koepka

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
Win T13 T18 T4 CUT

Think he will have a great week contending his title.

Hideki Matsuyama

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T2 CUT T18 T35 T10

The course is perfect for his game, just have to wonder if his game is perfect right now.

Tommy Fleetwood

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
4 T27

Has played great over the last year in Europe, grew up playing courses like Shinnecock.

Webb Simpson

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T35 CUT T46 T45 T32 Win T14

Think he is ready to step up again at the U.S. Open.

Patrick Reed

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T13 CUT T14 T35

Would love to make it two straight major wins.

Jordan Spieth

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T35 T37 Win T17 CUT T21

It continues to be a disappointing year for him thanks to a balky putter.

Long shots that could come through:

Bryson Dechambeau

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT T15 CUT

Showed at Memorial that he can win on tough courses, could be ready to win this week.

Francesco Molinari

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
CUT T27 T23 CUT T29 CUT CUT T27

Has played great of late including a very important win at the BMW PGA Championship.

Patrick Cantlay

2018 ’17 ’16 ’15 ’14 ’13 ’12 ’11 ’10 ’09 ’08 ’07 ’06
T41 T21

Another youngster playing great, look for him to content this week.

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