U.S. Open Golf Predictions 2012: Rory McIlroy and Favorites That Will Contend

1 of 13

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

Can he do it again?

Will we see Rory McIlroy blister another American golf course? Will we see a run that only a Tiger Woods can match? Or, will we see a real battle by the one of the world's best (McIlroy) and one of the upstarts we all are waiting for to challenge him during the next decade (Rickie Fowler)?

This could be a great and historic week in professional golf.

While McIlroy and Luke Donald push the top of the world golf ranking off on each other time and time again, there are others in the world we can all worry about.

The American golfers are playing better and the competition worldwide seems to be better all around.

And then there is Tiger, who found his winning mojo.

Things could not be better.

Here are some contenders we all should watch for in San Francisco.

Rory McIlroy

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

How about an encore?

Does Rory have it in him?

Everyone wants to see what happens this year on a new course. Can Rory make San Francisco bow down to him?

Not this season, but with the talent and the way the competition has gotten better, maybe it will make him play better than last season—if that is even possible.

McIlroy has the ability to make majors look like child's play. We will have the chance to see if that will happen this weekend.

Tiger Woods

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Which Tiger will show up?

Hopefully, the one who can find the mojo to lead going into Sunday.

Hopefully, the one who can make other golfers think about him, maybe taking them out of their comfort zone.

Is Tiger back? Not yet. But his game is better, this is a major golf tournament and never, ever count him out if he is lurking on the leaderboard on the last day.

This could be the major he needs to prove he can still play at a top level.

Luke Donald

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

I am amazed that the world's best golfer has not won a major tournament.

Maybe this is Donald's chance.

Personally, I like his chances and think that this could be the one that leads to other major wins.

Like Phil Mickelson, who finally won a Masters, the roll began after the first one was finally captured.

Donald could get on that kind of a run.

Lee Westwood

Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

He won Nordea by five shots, but he still does not have a major title to his name.

Westwood is as consistent as they come. He has held the top spot in the world golf rankings and is currently third overall.

Can he make a claim to be the second of the "Big Three" to capture a major?

I think Westwood will challenge on Sunday. He may even be in the finally pairing. If there were a more underrated third-best golfer in the world, I would sure like to know who it is.

Westwood is just solid all around.

Justin Rose

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

The man from England may be the forgotten man in Europe.

We all talk about McIlroy, Westwood and Donald. Rose is ranked seventh in the world and plays as well as anyone.

He could be a dark horse this weekend that we will all be watching in awe.

Louis Oosthuizen

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

He plays a solid game.

Oosthuizen always seems to be in the mix when it comes to major golf outings and he is a consistent player.

Again, he is one of those players who does not get the attention he deserves because of others who are ranked ahead of him on the tour.

He is one of my five who could lead from start to finish.

Phil Mickelson

Quinn Rooney/Getty Images

Don't ever count Phil out. He knows something about winning majors and could win again this week.

We would be thrilled to see the "over 40" contingent make a run. What better way to do that then see Phil leading after Saturday and in the last pairing on Sunday?

And if Woods is on the leaderboard, look for Mickelson to pick his game up a bit and play some of his best golf.

Rickie Fowler

Scott Halleran/Getty Images

Everyone seems to want him to be the next "Tiger" to take over American golf.

The man who likes to wear orange and seems to be ready to make things happen and claim a major title, just may make us all forget about that McIlroy guy in America.

Better yet, if the two were to challenge each other over the next decade, we could see a rivalry like Nicklaus and Watson or the Tiger/Phil rivalry that never materialized.