It is the US Open up next, so get ready for another round of: “If not Scottie Scheffler, then who wins this week?”
Trying to pick someone to keep Scheffler away from the winner’s circle has not proved too rewarding, with the world No 1 making it five victories from his last eight starts by seeing off the challenge of Collin Morikawa at The Memorial.
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The fact that Morikawa was tipped here as the most likely player to take Scheffler down – and rewarded each way backers who took the 14-1 on offer – was scant consolation.
Scheffler’s astonishing run means he is 3-1 to make it six from nine at Pinehurst this week – the lowest price a player has been for any Major since Tiger Woods started at 7-4 for the 2009 US Open.
But it is worth remembering that Woods, who was at the peak of his powers, opened with a four over par 74 in 2009, to finish eight shots off the first round lead. After playing catch up for the rest of the tournament he could only manage a tie for sixth.
Scheffler has the talent, the mojo, and the determination to succeed where Woods failed. But Tiger’s flop underlines how difficult it is to keep justifying favouritism.
If you’re brave enough to take 3-1 in a field of 156 players, good luck. But I’ll stick to trying to find the best alternative to Scottie, even if it means having to raid the each way market again.
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US Open tips
Morikawa can be backed at 14-1 again this week – and with the ultra-tough conditions at Pinehurst offering a similar test to The Memorial, he has to come into the reckoning again.
Brooks Koepka has failed to live up to his billing as a Major Machine with disappointing efforts at the Masters and the USPGA. But that can’t continue, can it? At 20-1, he gets another chance.
Koepka’s five Major victories include two US Open wins. He loves playing in brutal conditions, and I was hugely impressed by the way he signed off last week’s LIV Houston event with a 65, the lowest round of the day.
Matt Fitzpatrick also relishes tournaments where par is your friend, and the 2022 US Open winner played some of his best golf for ages with a closing 69 at the Memorial. That was also the lowest of the day, so 40-1 looks tempting.
Hideki Matsuyama was another player highlighted here ahead of The Memorial, and he justified each way support at 45-1 with his third top ten finish in his last five starts. He can be backed at the same odds this week.
Tom Kim looks a good fit for this too. Martin Kaymer won the last US Open at Pinehurst with a brilliant exhibition of lag-putting, and I was impressed by that aspect of Kim’s game at the USPGA. He comes into the reckoning at 66-1.
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Before looking over the players at three-figure odds, just a mention for the in-form Sepp Straka, who looks over-priced at 70-1.
Since finishing a respectable 16th at the Masters, last year’s Open runner-up has posted three top five finishes and an eighth place in five starts. The letdown was a missed cut at the USPGA, but at these odds I can forgive that blip.
Billy Horschel is looking more and more like his old self – and a repeat of his eighth place at the USPGA would justify each way support at 150-1.
My theory about good lag-putters brings in 110-1 shot Christiaan Bezuidenhout. Only USPGA winner Xander Schauffele has made fewer three putts than the South African this year.
Victor Perez ranks fifth in that category on the PGA Tour. The Frenchman’s bogey-bogey finish at the Memorial denied us a second each way pay-out at 175-1, but he is a 200-1 chance to make amends here
And if you want to try a couple of BIG outsiders, you might want to consider two of the players who won their qualifiers to earn places at Pinehurst – David Puig and Tim Wilding.
Puig, 22, has already been tipped as Spain’s next Major winner. He shot 12 under par to romp away with his US Open heat, and followed up by finishing a close third in the LIV Houston event. So 300-1 is not to be sniffed at.
Wilding leads the money list on the highly-competitive Korn Ferry Tour, and also finished top of the pile in his qualifier. He is a top-priced 750-1!
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