Can Tiger Do What He Hasn't Done?

The United States Open is golf's most thorough examination of a player's game.

It is arguably the toughest major to win.

The USGA likes it "old school" tough. Par counts for something.

Enter the Tiger: Tiger Woods.

When the overflow field of 156 takes on Bethpage Black this week, Woods will try and accomplish something that is missing from his decorated resume. You see, Tiger has never won back-to-back U.S. Opens.

He's done it in the Masters (2001, 2002), the British (2005, 2006) and PGA (2006, 2007).

But the Open, no. It's that hard to win.

Woods comes in this week as basically everyone's favorite. Even Johnny Miller went out on a thick limb and chose Woods as his favorite.

So once again, it's Tiger against the field and what lies in store for them this week is more than just a tough golf course and a USGA-inspired setup.

Look out for the weather—rain, to be exact.

Rain can play havoc with an Open field. It is a 156-player field and they all go off the first tee. It's a dawn to dusk affair and delays can cause problems—big problems.

The USGA likes Open courses to play hard and fast. The probable rains (40 percent Thursday through Sunday) can change that. The already long course will play even longer but the normally fast, hard greens will become receptive.

It all makes for even more possible drama.

Last go-round at Bethpage in 2002, it was Tiger and Phil.

They are the talk of the town in New York again—Tiger and Phil, Phil and Tiger.

Yet the nature of the Open typically brings players no one would consider into the fray.

How about Rocco Mediate last year?

Looking back to 2002, outside the 1-2 finish of Tiger-Phil; who would have picked Jeff Maggert to contend (third at 282) or Sergio Garcia (fourth at 283) or even Nick Faldo, Scott Hoch, and Billy Mayfair (285)?

The great thing about Opens is that they'll bring in unheralded players who can possibly win.

The Open has produced a bunch: Corey Pavin, David Graham, Hubert Green, Lou Graham, and Orville Moody.

Yes, Tiger is an overwhelming favorite. Why not?

But who will be that unknown contender this year?

And how much rain will fall?