U.S. Open 2012 Tee Times: Breaking Down This Week's Most Intriguing Pairings

The folks at the USGA had fun setting up some fascinating pairings for the first couple of days for the 2012 U.S. Open.

The groups will either tee off on the first or ninth hole at the Olympic Club in San Francisco, California—unlike most tour events which start players out on the first or tenth hole. This is due to the fact that the ninth tee at the Olympic Club is close to the clubhouse—a rarity for most courses.

Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson—two of the greatest players of their generation—will be joined by Bubba Watson for the first two rounds. You have to hand it to the organizers, as they obviously know how to generate buzz.

This pairing isn't the only intriguing one to keep your eye on, though, as there are many more interesting groups to follow. Let's take a look at the groups that will likely provide the most entertainment and intrigue for the first two rounds.

Under-the-Radar Contenders: Adam Scott, Keegan Bradley and Webb Simpson

This group is one of the ones that could surprise a lot of people. All three men are ranked in the top 25 in the Official World Golf Rankings, and all three have the game, experience and nerves to conquer the Olympic Club this weekend.

Adam Scott hasn't had a phenomenal season thus far in 2012. He's only posted two top-10 finishes this year, though one of them was at the Masters when he tied for eighth place. That said, his game is good enough when he's on point to win this tournament.

Keegan Bradley hasn't been great this year, either, posting three top-10 finishes in 15 events entered. He's on a cold streak at the moment, too, having missed the cut in three out of his last five events.

Bradley can't be counted out, though, as he proved he has the chops to win a major when he won the 2011 PGA Championship.

Webb Simpson's 2012 campaign hasn't been pretty. He's had a few bright moments, finishing in the top 10 in three events, but he's been down more often than not.

Still, Simpson is the world's 14th-ranked golfer for good reason, as he's coming off a fantastic 2011 season that saw him win two events.

Good-Natured Trio: Davis Love III, Padraig Harrington and David Toms

You won't find three more amiable fellows on tour than the guys in this group. David Toms, Padraig Harrington and Davis Love III are all cut from the same cloth and can always be counted on to keep things classy out on the course.

Harrington is a pure grinder. He may struggle at times, but he won't let his troubles get the better of him. He always manages to look on the sunny side of life. Out of the three, he's my choice to be the strongest contender.

Love III hasn't had a fantastic year, missing four cuts, but he did finish tied for third place at the FedEx St. Jude Classic last weekend. His experience gives him a fighting chance to make the cut so he can play over the weekend.

Toms has also been cut four times this year. He enters the U.S. Open on a cold streak, having missed the cut in his last two tournaments.

There's no doubt that the best days are behind all three golfers. That being said, I won't be shocked to see one, two or all three in the hunt for the U.S. Open Trophy come this weekend. 

Dark Horse Candidates: Ernie Els, Geoff Ogilvy and Angel Cabrerra

None of these men can be considered favorites to win this year's U.S. Open, but all three of them have the game to shock the world with an improbable victory.

Of course, it doesn't hurt that all three are previous major champions. They know how to turn up the intensity and quality of play when the pressure is on. That being said, it's been a while since this trio has tasted the sweetness of victory, and the odds are against them pulling off an upset this weekend.

Ogilvy hasn't finished a single tournament in the top 10 the entire year. Perhaps it's time to get rid of the 'stache. Whatever the case may be, Ogilvy will need to rekindle some old magic to have a chance to make it to the weekend.

Cabrerra's season has been nothing short of abysmal so far this year. In 11 events, he's either been cut or withdrawn eight times, and nobody expects him to suddenly pull his old brilliant game out of the bag this weekend. Stranger things have happened, though, and it won't shock me to see him among the leaders this weekend.

Els enters the tournament with the best season out of the three, having posted four top-five finishes this year, including a second-place finish at the Zurich Classic at the end of April.

UK Stars Unite: Rory McIlroy, Luke Donald and Lee Westwood

One of the marquee matchups we'll see this week is the pairing of Lee Westwood, Luke Donald and Rory McIlroy—the top three players in the world, according to the Official World Golf Rankings. 

Donald and Westwood enter the tournament with momentum on their side. Donald won the BMW Championship a few weeks ago to reclaim the No. 1 spot atop the rankings, and Westwood won the Nordea Masters only two weeks ago.

McIlroy, on the other hand, has struggled mightily over the course of the last month-and-a-half, missing three straight cuts before finally breaking out of his slump to finish in seventh place at the FedEx St. Jude Classic last weekend.

The three UK stars will surely spur one another to play at the top of their games, and if any Europeans have a chance to steal America's Open, it will be one of these three.

The Favorites: Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Bubba Watson

This is the premier group for the opening two rounds of the US Open.

Between these three men, they have won four tournaments so far this year and have placed in the top ten 12 times. 

Bubba Watson is coming off one of the most exhilarating Masters wins we've seen in years. The way he hooked that shot out of the trees in the last hole his playoff with Louis Oosthuizen to win the tournament was nothing short of magical. 

Mickelson will hope his batteries are recharged after withdrawing from the Memorial Championship, but I have to believe he will be right in the thick of things come this weekend.

Finally, Tiger Woods is back. It's funny to me that we're still debating whether or not Woods will ever return to form. By most standards, the season he's having so far in 2012 would be considered a smashing success. But Tiger is Tiger, and the rules will always be different for him.

Woods has to be the heavy favorite heading into this tournament after winning Jack Nicklaus' Memorial Championship a couple of weekends ago. The way he dominated down the back stretch was reminiscent of days past, and I have no doubt he'll turn in a fantastic performance again this weekend.

The U.S. Open is going to be a spectacular display golf from the world's best players. I can't wait for the action to commence, and I'll be glued to the TV once the first golfers tee off early Thursday morning.

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