10 Under-the-Radar Golfers Who Will Contend at Chambers Bay
Looking ahead two weeks to the U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, it's difficult to predict a winner.
The pros haven't played the course before, and it looks like it'll be more of a lightning-fast links course than a traditional U.S. Open venue, so the necessary skill set could be quite different. Given the layout and the fact that nobody really knows how the USGA will set up the course, patience will be a critical component of the eventual winner's game.
Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy are the runaway favorites to take home the U.S. Open trophy. Outside of the duo, though, there are a number of under-the-radar players who could contend in Tacoma.
What do we mean by under the radar? For our purposes, a player outside the top 10 in the Official World Golf Ranking and one who is listed at worse that 40-1 odds at major sportsbooks and thus has an implied win probability of less than 2.5 percent.
With that said, here are the under-the-radar picks, with odds via a survey of major sportsbooks.
Hideki Matsuyama
1 of 10
Odds: 50-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T10 (2013)
Why he has a shot:
Hideki Matsuyama seems to be unflappable. He held his nerve down the stretch to win the Memorial Tournament in 2014 and had a strong showing at the U.S. Open two years ago. With top-25 finishes in his last two starts, Matsuyama's form has been good. And while his putting leaves something to be desired, Matsuyama is second on tour in strokes gained from the tee to the green.
Jim Furyk
2 of 10
Odds: 40-1
Best U.S. Open finish: 1 (2003)
Why he has a shot:
Journeyman Jim Furyk missed the cut in his last start but should right the ship this week at the Memorial Tournament. Already a U.S. Open winner, you can't count the painfully deliberate Furyk out. As long as his game is in decent shape, he has the appropriate mental orientation for U.S. Open golf: grind, grind, grind.
Brandt Snedeker
3 of 10
Odds: 66-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T8 (2010)
Why he has a shot:
Brandt Snedeker has been resurgent this season, and he seems to be hitting the ball higher under coach Butch Harmon, which will benefit him on firm U.S. Open greens. He has top-10 finishes in his last two starts, so Snedeker looks to be peaking at just the right time. He's fifth on tour in strokes gained by putting.
.jpg?w=256 "Colts Jaguars Football")
Keegan Bradley
4 of 10
Odds: 66-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T4 (2014)
Why he has a shot:
Long-hitting Keegan Bradley tied for fourth at the U.S. Open last year, so he's clearly comfortable on the USGA's setups. Bradley had a top-25 finish his last time out, and he's one of the best tee-to-green players on tour. The Jordan shoe-wearing Bradley is 11th on tour in strokes gained from the tee to the green.
Ian Poulter
5 of 10
Odds: 80-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T12 (2006)
Why he has a shot:
Ian Poulter seems like a golfer who has the grit to win a U.S. Open, doesn't he? Poulter has played some good golf at Open venues, finishing tied for 12th in 2006. Poulter putts well and hits a lot of greens, both of which are essential elements at a U.S. Open. Of course, he's not excited about playing the Tacoma, Washington, venue, calling it a "farce."
Paul Casey
6 of 10
Odds: 66-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T10 (2007)
Why he has a shot:
The recently resurgent Paul Casey finished tied for sixth at the Masters in April, so his game is ready for the big stage. While his putting can hold him back, Casey has hit better than 70 percent of greens in regulation for the year.
Bill Haas
7 of 10
Odds: 80-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T23 (2011)
Why he has a shot:
Bill Haas is like an off-the-rack generic "good professional golfer." He's made five straight cuts entering the Memorial, and while he's not overwhelming in any one statistical category, the Wake Forest alum is steady, having made 11 out of 13 cuts on tour this season. And as the winner of this year's Humana Challenge, he has been recently tested.
Kevin Na
8 of 10
Odds: 125-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T12 (2014)
Why he ha s a shot:
Yes, Kevin Na is an enigma. But keep in mind for all of his on-course eccentricities, Na can play, and he's pretty consistent. The native South Korean has made 14 out of 16 cuts on tour this season, and he finished inside the top 15 at last year's U.S. Open. He's 17th on tour in total strokes gained.
Charley Hoffman
9 of 10
Odds: 125-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T45 (2013)
Why he has a shot:
Charley Hoffman hasn't had great success at the U.S. Open in the past, true. But remember: He had only teed up at the Masters once prior to this year, and he led the tournament before ultimately finishing tied for ninth. With a tie for second at the AT&T Byron Nelson in his last start, Hoffman's game is in good shape heading into Chambers Bay.
Russell Henley
10 of 10
Odds: 125-1
Best U.S. Open finish: T16 (2010)
Why he has a shot:
Russell Henley tied for 16th at the U.S. Open in 2010 as an amateur. While he hasn't had a great deal of Open success as a professional, he has been playing pretty well lately with top-25 finishes in his last two starts. Henley is 10th in strokes gained by putting and 33rd in total strokes gained, so he has the tools for the job.
.jpg?w=480 "Colts Jaguars Football")
