U.S. Open Favorites 2012: Why Bubba Watson Is a Lock for a 2nd Major

The 2012 U.S. Open has several intriguing pairings. Phil Mickelson, Tiger Woods and Bubba Watson were all paired together by the USGA. ESPN's Andy North stated, "this will bring out the best in all three players."

There are several other storylines in this major tournament besides the pairings. Is Tiger Woods really back? Can Rory McIlroy regain his form from last year? Can Bubba Watson reclaim his glory from winning the Master's back in April? All of these questions are likely to be answered by the end of the week.

Rory McIlroy has been in a year-long slump ever since winning his first major. He has struggled to hit the ball consistently, and I don't know if that will change during this tournament. Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Rory McIlroy are paired in this section of the tournament. McIlroy has done nothing to prove he can hit the ball consistently in 2012, and I suspect that will continue.

However, I do believe that Tiger Woods is really, really back this time. After winning his second PGA Tour event of the year, I suspect that majors are on the horizon. I just don't know if it will be the U.S. Open.

Bubba Watson is the perfect sleeper candidate to win this tournament. After winning the Masters in April, he has been widely inconsistent. Watson is capable of putting some really nice rounds together, and I expect to see that. Playing alongside two multiple-time champions in Woods and Mickelson will be a good test for Watson. It will propel him to some nice rounds and potentially a second major in 2012.

Watson has a kind of "go-for-it-all" mentality. He has a a wildly inaccurate swing from the tee. He ranked 108th in driving accuracy following his last tournament. Sometimes, his inconsistency plays into his favor though.

He has an uncanny ability to make shots that often go for par, birdie or eagle. His creative shot-making ability reminds me of Tiger Woods in a sense. Mind you, he isn't as dominant, but he has the ability to shank a drive wide-left and still recover for par. That is a rare talent to have.

Watson has a cool demeanor that has made him very popular. He now has over 600,000 twitter followers. That cool demeanor also translates onto the golf course. It's why I believe he is the favorite to win the U.S. Open this week in San Francisco.