US Open Golf Predictions 2012: Top Dogs Poised to Walk Away Victorious

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Although just about anyone is allowed to try and qualify for the U.S. Open, it is one of the toughest PGA tournaments year after year. With that said, the best of the best wins this prestigious golf tournament—so, which top dogs are poised to come up on top this year?

Rory McIlroy may have dominated last year's U.S. Open, but don't expect The Olympic Club to be as easy as the Congressional Country Club. However, McIlroy will be one of the favorites to win again this year.

Read on to see the top dogs poised to walk away victorious at The Olympic Club this weekend in San Francisco. 

Bubba Watson

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Bubba Watson is an automatic favorite heading into the U.S. Open, as he won the first major of the year at the Masters—not to mention he is currently the No. 5 golfer in the world rankings and the FedEx Cup rankings.

In just 10 tournaments in 2012, Watson has finished in the top 10 in four of them. 

You can bet that the longest driver on the tour will be in the hunt for the 2012 U.S. Open.

Prediction: Top 10

Rory McIlroy

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Rory McIlroy absolutely dominated the U.S. Open field last year by shooting a minus-16 for the tournament. Just in that tournament alone, McIlroy separated himself from the rest of the golfers in the world.

He is now being compared to the likes of Tiger Woods.

McIlroy needed a good finish last weekend at the FedEx St. Jude Classic. In his previous two tournaments before that, he did not even make the cut. It seems that the No. 2 golfer in the world got things clicking at just the right time.

Can McIlroy duplicate his performance from last year's U.S. Open this year? Probably not, but that does not mean he won't win the whole thing again.

Prediction: Second Place

Tiger Woods

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Tiger Woods' win at the Memorial a couple of weeks ago was huge—so huge, in fact, that he is arguably the favorite to win at The Olympic Club this weekend.

This victory boosted Woods to the No. 4 ranking in the world. 

Tiger has won the U.S. Open three times, and you can bet that the only thing that will be on his mind this weekend is capturing his fourth career victory at this tournament. Woods has not won a major since 2008, which was at the U.S. Open.

What a great storyline that would make if Woods can win this weekend at The Olympic Club. 

Well, his game looks as good as ever, so the odds will certainly be in his favorite.

Prediction: Winner of the U.S. Open

 

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