U.S. Open Golf 2012: Players Ready to Win for First Time at Olympic

Everyone wants to talk about Tiger Woods' chances of winning once again at the US Open. Or about Phil Mickelson's odds. Or perhaps those of Bubba Watson, following his big Masters win in April.

But what about the guys who have never won before at Olympic and are about to embark on their own quests to become champions?

Rory McIlroy was once one of them. At this time last year, he was desperate to rebound from one of the worst performances of his career at the 2011 Masters, and he bounced back with an unlikely win at the US Open.

Here are some of the candidates who could be this year's Rory McIlroys.

Lee Westwood

Westwood may have never won a major, and he may be off to a mediocre start this year, but his history at the US Open is impressive. In his last four starts at the tournament, he's finished in third place twice and in the top 25 twice. 

Thus far in 2012, Westwood has been just OK. In seven PGA Tour events, he hasn't yet missed a cut, but he hasn't had any first- or second-place finishes, either. He did, however, finish third at the Masters, fourth in the Honda Classic and fifth at the Wells Fargo, so it's not like he's been off his game.

Eventually, Westwood has to win a major. He's good enough. And given his style of play—he keeps the ball in play—he could thrive at Olympic, and this year could be the year he finally casts off his demons.

Phil Mickelson

The last time we saw Lefty, he was bowing out of the Memorial because of fatigue. But maybe those couple of weeks of rest leading up to the US Open did him a favor.

It's hard to believe Mickelson has never won a US Open, but he's been close many a time—five times, to be exact. In 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006 and 2009, Mickelson finished in second place or in a tie for second place, and maybe this year is when he proves he's better than second-best.

Mickelson has had a couple of solid outings in 2012—once at the Masters, where he finished tied for third, and once at the Houston Open, where he finished tied for fourth. His only win came at the Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, but overall, he's had five top-10 finishes and seven top-25s. It's reasonable to think his best is yet to come.

Matt Kuchar

The best Kuchar has ever finished at the US Open was in a tie for sixth in 2010, but he has been playing so well this year—and in the last month, in particular—that a win at Olympic could be attainable.

If there's one guy who's been consistent in the last couple of years, it's Kuchar. According to the San Francisco Chronicle's Ron Kroichick, he's the only player on the PGA Tour to finish in the top 10 on the money list in the last two years while also entering this year's US Open in the top 10.

Kuchar, like Westwood, has never won a major, but given the way he's shown up on this year's big stages, he's certainly a contender. He won the Players Championship in mid-May and finished in a tie for third at Augusta. He's made the cut in each of his 12 events this year and has finished in the top 25 in nine of them.

The US Open is a tournament in which unexpected victors are common, so don't be surprised if this year's is Kuchar.