US Senior Open 2013 Leaderboard: Predicting How Top Contenders Will Finish

With two rounds in the books in Omaha, Neb., we can already see a clear picture of the few golfers who have really stood out as potential winners of this year's U.S. Senior Open tournament. 

The Omaha Country Club hasn't been the most pleasant club for many players hoping to compete for the championship. Just nine have managed to stay under par through the first two days. 

That doesn't mean that we aren't in for some drama though. Michael Allen has shown that the course can be tamed, as he's shooting an incredible 10-under par through two rounds. 

He'll have others trying to duplicate his performance and catch him throughout the weekend. 

Here's a look at the current leaderboard as well as projections for the tournament's top threats to win. 

Pos.	Player	Round 2	Total
1	Michael Allen	-7	-10
2	Rocco Mediate	-3	-5
3	Jeff Sluman	-3	-4
T4	Fred Funk	E	-3
T4	Jeff Brehaut	-2	-3
T6	Mark O'Meara	+1	-2
T6	Tom Lehman	+1	-2
T8	Gary Koch	-2	-1
T8	Duffy Waldorf	-1	-1
T10	Peter Fowler	E	E

Note: For complete scores, visit USSeniorOpen.com. All statistics and information are courtesy of USSeniorOpen.com.

Michael Allen

When talking about contenders, you have to start with Michael Allen. The 54-year-old has been on fire in Omaha. As the US Open Twitter feed reports, he set the 36-hole record for the tournament by three strokes with his first two rounds:

"

Michael Allen's 36-hole score of 130 is the lowest in #USSeniorOpen history by three strokes.

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) July 13, 2013"

Looking ahead to where Allen can go from here, it's hard to believe he can get much better. But it's tough to see him regressing much either. The way he's been putting, his scores should remain low throughout the weekend. 

Allen averaged 1.56 putts per hole and kept the number consistent in Round 2 with 1.50. There has been fluctuation in his accuracy. He only hit 46 percent of his fairways in Round 1 and 69 percent in Round 2. 

Barring a complete meltdown, Allen will win. 

Prediction: Champion, -15

Rocco Mediate

If it weren't for Allen's incredible run in Day 2, Rocco Mediate would be the one receiving all the buzz in Omaha. 

The 2008 U.S. Open runner-up has had consistent ball-striking throughout the tournament, but he really got into a rhythm with the putter on the tournament's second day. As he told U.S. Open officials, he developed a nice feel for the greens in Day 2. 

"

.@RoccoMediate (-5, 67): "The golf course is holding up well. The greens were great today." #USSeniorOpen

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) July 12, 2013"

Mediate needed just 25 putts on 18 holes as he closed out his second round with three birdies and 15 pars to get to five-under for the tournament. 

Where Mediate goes from here will depend on his ability to keep things rolling on the green. If the putting surface remains the same as it was in Round 2, he could give Allen a run for his money down the stretch. 

We'll assume that he does and at least makes things interesting on the final day. 

Prediction: Second place, -12

Fred Funk

Among the players atop the leaderboard in Omaha, Funk probably looked the least impressive on Day 2. 

The 57-year-old did enough to remain within striking distance, but he didn't turn any heads by firing a 70. 

The key for Funk's success thus far has been accuracy off the tee, but his struggles on the green have made it difficult for him to keep up with Mediate and Allen. 

Funk hit 85 percent and 77 percent of his greens in Rounds 1 and 2, respectively, but he averaged 1.61 and 1.72 putts per green on those same days. 

As long as Funk keeps hitting the ball well, he has a shot, but the issues with the putter aren't likely to correct themselves as the pressure mounts. Expect him to slowly fall behind. 

Prediction: Eighth place, -6