U.S. Open pairings
Do you really dare bet against Tiger Woods at this week’s U.S. Open at Bethpage Black? After all, Woods is the defending champion of this event and defending champ at Bethpage as well, winning there in 2002.
No shock, then, that Woods is by far the WagerWeb.com favorite this week.
When Tiger won in 2002 at the New York public course (the first U.S. Open to be staged at a taxpayer-owned course), he was the only player to finish under par, winning by three shots over Phil Mickelson, the second-favorite on WagerWeb.com.
No one, however, has repeated at the U.S. Open since Curtis Strange 20 years ago. That’s the longest drought in any major. Tiger has repeated in the three other majors and a win this week would be his record-tying fourth Open and 15th major title.
Woods has had six starts in stroke-play tournaments this year after coming off knee surgery that followed last year’s epic U.S. Open victory over Rocco Mediate. Tiger has yet to finish out of the Top 10 in those six tournaments and will be entering this major off a victory at the Memorial, his second win of the year.
Bethpage is even more of a beast this year than in 2002, as it has been extended to 7,426 yards. Tiger says accuracy off the tee is key, and in the final round of the Memorial Woods didn’t miss a single fairway.
“It just a long golf course,” Woods said after a practice round. “The rough was extremely high. You had to drive it straight. With the rough as deep, even with it graduated, it’s super thick. You really can’t get to some of these greens if you hit the ball, even in the first cut. You have to hit the ball well all week. I did that in 2002.”
Tiger will be paired in the first two rounds with the past two major champions, Angel Cabrera (Masters) and Padraig Harrington (British Open and PGA Championship).
Mickelson has been a runner-up a record four times at this tournament, to the late Payne Stewart in 1999 at Pinehurst, here to Woods in 2002, to Retief Goosen at nearby Shinnecock in 2004 and to Geoff Ogilvy in 2004 at Winged Foot, also in suburban New York.
“In 2002 Bethpage was an emotional experience for me. I anticipate it being an emotional experience playing the 2009 U.S. Open,” Mickelson said.
Mickelson was the fan favorite in 2002 at this course and certainly should be again in the wake of the news that his wife has breast cancer. Lefty will be paired in the first two rounds with former U.S. Open champions Goosen and Ernie Els.
U.S. OPEN PAIRINGS
First round, first tee
7 a.m. A-Rickie Fowler, Casey Wittenberg, Bo Van Pelt
7:11 a.m. A-Drew Weaver, Angelo Que, Simon Khan
7:22 a.m. David Horsey, John Mallinger, Jose Manuel Lara
7:33 a.m. Rory Sabbatini, Martin Kaymer, Ryuji Imada
7:44 a.m. Vijay Singh, Jeev Milkha Singh, K.J. Choi
7:55 a.m. Ian Poulter, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby
8:06 a.m. Padraig Harrington, Angel Cabrera, Tiger Woods
8:17 a.m. Ryan Moore, Ben Crane, Eric Axley
8:28 a.m. Lee Westwood, Zach Johnson, Shingo Katayama
8:39 a.m. Bubba Watson, Johan Edfors, John Merrick,
8:50 a.m. Francesco Molinari, George McNeill, Simon Dyson
9:01 a.m. A-Cameron Tringale, Sean Farren, Andrew Parr
9:12 a.m. A-Vaughn Snyder, Ryan Spears, Michael Miles
12:30 p.m. James Nitties, Peter Tomasulo, Martin Laird
12:41 p.m. David Smail, Cameron Beckman, Steve Allan
12:52 p.m. J.J. Henry, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Briny Baird
1:03 p.m. A-Kyle Stanley, Lucas Glover, D.J. Trahan
1:14 p.m. J.B. Holmes, Alvaro Quiros, Nick Watney
1:25 p.m. Sergio Garcia, Camilo Villegas, Adam Scout
1:36 p.m. Rocco Mediate, Kenny Perry, Tom Lehman
1:47 p.m. Justin Rose, Sean O’Hair, Ross Fisher
1:58 p.m. Hunter Mahan, Oliver Wilson, Brandt Snedeker,
2:09 p.m. Billy Mayfair, Matthew Kuchar, Ricky Barnes,
2:20 p.m. Darron Stiles, Shintaro Kai, Matthew Jones
2:31 p.m. A-Tyson Alexander, Charlie Beljan, Ryan Blaum
2:42 p.m. A-Matt Nagy, Shawn Stefani, Douglas Batty
First round, 10th tee
7 a.m. J.P. Hayes, Greg Kraft, Jeff Brehaut
7:11 a.m. A-Drew Kittleson, Sangmoon Bae, Michael Sim,
7:22 a.m. Heath Slocum, Charlie Wi, Richard Bland
7:33 a.m. Ben Curtis, Graeme McDowell, Chad Campbell
7:44 a.m. Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Steve Stricker
7:55 a.m. Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk, Paul Casey
8:06 a.m. Luke Donald, Trevor Immelman, Tim Clark
8:17 a.m. Andres Romero, Eduardo Romero, Miguel Angel Jiménez
8:28 a.m. Michael Campbell, Boo Weekley, Rod Pampling
8:39 a.m. Kevin Sutherland, Dudley Hart, Ken Duke
8:50 a.m. A-Bronson Burgoon, Craig Bowden, Chris Kirk
9:01 a.m. A-Ben Martin, Josh McCumber, Kevin Silva
9:12 a.m. A-Josh Brock, Trevor Murphy, Nathan Tyler
12:30 p.m. Matthew Bettencourt, James Kamte, Kaname Yokoo, Japan
12:41 p.m. A-Nick Taylor, Scott Gutschewski, Gary Woodland, Topeka, KS
12:52 p.m. Carl Pettersson, Azuma Yano, Charl Schwartzel
1:03 p.m. David Duval, David Toms, Darren Clarke, Northern Ireland
1:14 p.m. Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson
1:25 p.m. Soren Kjeldsen, Soren Hansen, Peter Hanson, Sweden
1:36 p.m. Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson
1:47 p.m. Stuart Appleby, Fred Funk, Todd Hamilton
1:58 p.m. Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, Stewart Cink
2:09 p.m. Thomas Levet, Jean-Francois Lucquin, Raphael Jacquelin, France
2:20 p.m. Andrew McLardy, Chris Stroud, TBD
2:31 p.m. A-Clark Klaasen, Colby Beckstrom, Cameron Yancey
2:42 p.m. A-Kyle Peterman, Michael Welch, Cortland Lowe
Second round, first tee
7 a.m. Matthew Bettencourt, James Kamte, Kaname Yokoo
7:11 a.m. A-Nick Taylor, Scott Gutschewski, Gary Woodland
7:22 a.m. Carl Pettersson, Azuma Yano, Charl Schwartzel
7:33 a.m. David Duval, David Toms, Darren Clarke
7:44 a.m. Anthony Kim, Rory McIlroy, Dustin Johnson
7:55 a.m. Soren Kjeldsen, Soren Hansen, Peter Hanson
8:06 a.m. Retief Goosen, Ernie Els, Phil Mickelson
8:17 a.m. Stuart Appleby, Fred Funk, Todd Hamilton
8:28 a.m. Mike Weir, Stephen Ames, Stewart Cink
8:39 a.m. Thomas Levet, Jean-Francois Lucquin, Raphael Jacquelin
8:50 a.m. Andrew McLardy, Chris Stroud, TBD
9:01 a.m. A-Clark Klaasen, Colby Beckstrom, Cameron Yancey
9:12 a.m. A-Kyle Peterman, Michael Welch, Cortland Lowe
12:30 p.m. J.P. Hayes, Greg Kraft, Jeff Brehaut
12:41 p.m. A-Drew Kittleson, Sangmoon Bae, Michael Sim,
12:52 p.m. Heath Slocum, Charlie Wi, Richard Bland
1:03 p.m. Ben Curtis, Graeme McDowell, Chad Campbell
1:14 p.m. Henrik Stenson, Robert Karlsson, Steve Stricker
1:25 p.m. Geoff Ogilvy, Jim Furyk, Paul Casey
1:36 p.m. Luke Donald, Trevor Immelman, Tim Clark
1:47 p.m. Andres Romero, Eduardo Romero, Miguel Angel Jiménez
1:58 p.m. Michael Campbell, Boo Weekley, Rod Pampling
2:09 p.m. Kevin Sutherland, Dudley Hart, Ken Duke
2:20 p.m. A-Bronson Burgoon, Craig Bowden, Chris Kirk
2:31 p.m. A-Ben Martin, Josh McCumber, Kevin Silva
2:42 p.m. A-Josh Brock, Trevor Murphy, Nathan Tyler
Second round, 10th tee
7 a.m. James Nitties, Peter Tomasulo, Martin Laird
7:11 a.m. David Smail, Cameron Beckman, Steve Allan
7:22 a.m. J.J. Henry, Gonzalo Fernandez-Castano, Briny Baird
7:33 a.m. A-Kyle Stanley, Lucas Glover, D.J. Trahan
7:44 a.m. J.B. Holmes, Alvaro Quiros, Nick Watney
7:55 a.m. Sergio Garcia, Camilo Villegas, Adam Scotta
8:06 a.m. Rocco Mediate, Kenny Perry, Tom Lehman
8:17 a.m. Justin Rose, Sean O’Hair, Ross Fisher
8:28 a.m. Hunter Mahan, Oliver Wilson, Brandt Snedeker,
8:39 a.m. Billy Mayfair, Matthew Kuchar, Ricky Barnes,
8:50 a.m. Darron Stiles, Shintaro Kai, Matthew Jones
9:01 a.m. A-Tyson Alexander, Charlie Beljan, Ryan Blaum
9:12 a.m. A-Matt Nagy, Shawn Stefani, Douglas Batty
12:30 p.m. A-Rickie Fowler, Casey Wittenberg, Bo Van Pelt
12:41 p.m. A-Drew Weaver, Angelo Que, Simon Khan
12:52 p.m. David Horsey, John Mallinger, Jose Manuel Lara
1:03 p.m. Rory Sabbatini, Martin Kaymer, Ryuji Imada
1:14 p.m. Vijay Singh, Jeev Milkha Singh, K.J. Choi
1:25 p.m. Ian Poulter, Justin Leonard, Robert Allenby
1:36 p.m. Padraig Harrington, Angel Cabrera, Tiger Woods
1:47 p.m. Ryan Moore, Ben Crane, Eric Axley
1:58 p.m. Lee Westwood, Zach Johnson, Shingo Katayama
2:09 p.m. Bubba Watson, Johan Edfors, John Merrick,
2:20 p.m. Francesco Molinari, George McNeill, Simon Dyson
2:31 p.m. A-Cameron Tringale, Sean Farren, Andrew Parr
2:42 p.m. A-Vaughn Snyder, Ryan Spears, Michael Miles
A-amateur
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