*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
Tony Finau
I think the mould of a US Open winner has changed over the past 5 years. The last five winners of this major, Dustin Johnson, Brooks Koepka (twice), Gary Woodland and Bryson DeChambeau are all power players. I think that trend continues and Tony Finau can end his tournament drought by taking down one of the sport’s biggest prizes.
He finished 8th in his last major outing at the PGA Championship, so has good recent form. In his last two events, the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Memorial Tournament, his long game figures were excellent and his putting figures were the only reason he didn’t challenge for both titles.
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Now he’s coming to the West Coast and Torrey Pines which are two areas of the world where he has played his best golf. In 6 appearances at the Farmers Insurance Open he hasn’t finished outside the top 25 and was runner up back in January.
In relation to the West Coast, he has played in California 18 times in his career and has finished in the top 15 72% of the time. I think Tony Finau is the best each way play of the week and I think he can win his first major championship.
Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry is coming into this U.S. Open in excellent form. He backed up his 4th place finish at the PGA Championship with a 6th place finish at the Memorial Tournament.
Every facet of his game is in working order at the moment and a U.S. Open usually asks questions of every part your game. Has a decent U.S. Open record and had a four-shot lead going into the final round at Oakmont before being hunted down by Dustin Johnson.
He probably lacked a little bit of experience at the top events then but he is now the Open Champion and is more than comfortable on the biggest stages. I think Shane Lowry could put up a strong showing this week.
Hideki Matsuyama
The Masters Champion has taken a little bit of time to get re-acclimatised in the US after coming back from Japan. He was a decent 23rd at the PGA Championship but had a poor weekend on the greens at the Memorial Tournament.
Hideki Matsuyama’s 62nd place finish there probably means he has been lost in the market and we are getting some value at the current price. His long game has been good in his last two events and has an excellent U.S. Open record. That’s just one missed cut in eight appearances and six top 20 finishes.
Now, coming to a green surface in Poa Annua, he has a slightly positive stroke game putting over the course of his career. If that trend can continue, and he mixes that with his stellar tee to green game, Hideki Matsuyama can play a part in the finish on Sunday.
Justin Rose
Justin Rose has had good major form this year. His overall form hasn’t been the best but he was 7th at the Masters and 8th at the PGA Championship. Now he’s coming to the one major setup that probably suits him best.
Rose was the U.S. Open champion at Merion in 2013 and he’s had four other top 15 finishes at the event. That includes a 3rd place finish at another West coast venue, Pebble Beach, in 2019.
His recent record at the Farmers Insurance Open adds more encouragement. Rose has a 4th, an 8th place finish and a Win in his last 4 appearances and I think he should be set up for another good week.
Sung-Jae Im
Sung-Jae Im hasn’t been in the best form this season but I think his game is on the way up. I was encouraged by what I saw last week at the Palmetto Championship.
His iron play looks to be back to the level it was when he was winning the Honda Classic last year. I always thought he would be a U.S. Open specialist during his career and he gets another chance to show it here.
The pressure it puts on your long game should play to his strengths. Im was 22nd in the US Open at Winged Foot in September and I think this is a big price for a player with his level of talent.
Iain’s US Open tips
Tony Finau
Shane Lowry
Hideki Matsuyama
Justin Rose
Sung-Jae Im
*All prices are bang up to date with our snazzy widgets, while odds in copy are accurate at time of publishing but subject to change
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