2011 US Open: Power Ranking the Top 10 Americans After Congressional
The U.S. Open left no doubt as to which continent is the most dominant.
The top two Americans were Robert Garrigus and Kevin Chappell, who each finished in a tie for third. And while both players are good golfers, neither were expected to be the top Americans.
This was the U.S. Open! This was our championship!
Yet Americans were notable absent from the leaderboard.
So following the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional, here are the power rankings for the top 10 American golfers!
1. Steve Stricker
1 of 10
With Tiger Woods out of the mix, there is little question that Steve Stricker is the best American golfer right now.
Stricker won the Memorial Tournament just prior to the U.S. Open. Going 11 for 11 on cuts, Stricker has notched four top 10's already in 2011.
Finishing in a tie for 19th at Congressional, Stricker's length was simply not enough to be a true force at the U.S. Open.
Regardless, a top 20 in a major is still darn good, showing Stricker earned his spot as the top American golfer.
2. Matt Kuchar
2 of 10
Matt Kuchar is one of the most consistent golfers in the game.
Thus far in 2011, Kuchar has made 15 out of 15 cuts. In those 15 tournaments, he has 12 top 25 finishes. At the U.S. Open, Kuchar tied for 14th, shooting two-under par.
While Kuchar has yet to win on tour this year, his game makes him a threat to do so week in and week out.
He won't over power a course, but his repeatable swing provides constant results, making him a top American golfer.
3. Bubba Watson
3 of 10
Bubba Watson is one of the most exciting guys on tour. From his pink shafted driver to his long hair, Bubba always gives the crowds something to cheer.
So far in 2011, Watson has already notched two victories at the Farmer's Insurance Open and the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
While he has the more wins that Kuchar or Stricker, Watson is not as consistent and will sometimes under-perform.
In 14 starts this year, Watson has made 12 cuts but finished in the top 25 just five times. His T63 at the U.S. Open was also a major let down on a course many expected he could dominate with his length.
Watson is still a major threat in any tournament he plays, thus deserves the three spot on this list.
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4. Phil Mickelson
4 of 10
Phil Mickelson has finished runner-up in the U.S. Open five times. And with a friendly Congressional set-up, many expected him to be a factor in the 2011 edition of the tournament.
His first round 74 showed us that Mickelson did not have his best game, eventually finishing T54.
Even with his disappointing U.S. Open finish, Mickelson won the Shell Houston Open and finished solo fourth at the Memorial. His game is still very good. He just needs to find a way to produce when it counts.
5. Dustin Johnson
5 of 10
Dustin Johnson came into Congressional trying to avenge his blunder at the 2010 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach. Unfortunately, his tie for 23rd did not allow him to prove he can close the deal in a major.
Johnson has already finished fourth, third and second this year in 14 starts on tour. While he is still waiting to grab his first victory of 2011, Johnson is ranked fourth in driving distance and 14th in greens in regulation.
His potential is through the roof, so if he finds a way to fix his putting, Johnson could find himself moving up this list very quickly.
6. Nick Watney
6 of 10
Nick Watney is another player who has the talent to contend every week.
A missed cut at Congressional, however, did nothing to show the world how good he truly is.
Watney has one win on the season already, Watney has also finished among the top 10 in seven of the 12 tournaments he has played.
With a scoring average almost a stroke below the tour average, Watney always dooms his chances with high scores in the final two rounds. If he finds a way to go low on the weekends, Watney could grab a couple more victories down the stretch.
7. Hunter Mahan
7 of 10
Hunter Mahan is a player who has a ton of potential, yet cannot seem to live up to it.
In 15 starts in 2011, Mahan has finished in the top 10 on seven occasions. His best finish was a runner-up showing at the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am.
His missed cut at the U.S. Open was shocking since Mahan has historically performed very well at Congressional.
8. Brandt Snedeker
8 of 10
Consistency.
Brandt Snedeker needs to be more consistent.
Finishing in a tie for 11th at the U.S. Open, Snedeker also won the Verizon Heritage a few weeks prior to Congressional.
Unfortunately for Snedeker, he can be either really good or completely off. So far in his 16 tournaments, Snedeker has only made nine cuts and finished in the top 10 only five times.
9. David Toms
9 of 10
David Toms has found a new lease on his career in 2011.
Even with a missed cut at the U.S. Open, Toms is still one of the hottest players in golf.
In 13 starts this year, Toms has a victory, a runner-up finish, and a third place finish. That is pretty impressive golf for a player many believed had seen his best days.
10. Gary Woodland
10 of 10
Gary Woodland has really burst onto the scene in 2011.
A tie for 23rd in the U.S. Open doesn't do justice to the year the young man has had.
With a win and a second place finish in just 15 starts, Woodland could become one of the top American golfers very quickly. Ranked 17th in scoring average, Woodland is also not afraid of going low.
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