120 TH U.S. OPEN CHAMPIONSHIP PREVIEW OPEN SEASON JOHNSON LOOKS TO SECURE MAJOR VICTORY AS U.S. OPEN HEADS TO

By DOUG FERGUSON | AP GOLF WRITER for a practice round a month ahead of time and de- MICKELSON MEMORIES clared it ready to host the U.S. Open that day. Along Mickelson holds the wrong kind of U.S. Open ustin Johnson capped o a torrid stretch for the ride was Justin omas, who declared it his record with six silver medals for nishing second. of golf and ended the PGA Tour season favorite aer one look. “It is probably the most U.S. None was more spectacular than Winged Foot in by winning the FedEx Cup, a feat worthy Open venue that I’ve seen,” omas said. 2006, when he took a one-shot lead into the nal Dof celebration and then a nice break. Except But this won’t be a typical U.S. Open. hole. He sliced his o a hospitality tent and there was no time for that. e U.S. Open was By moving from June to September, the eld then made a decision that should haunt him. In- right around the corner. has been reduced from 156 players to 144 players stead of playing to the fairway and leaving a wedge “is is weird for every one of us,” Tiger because of about three fewer hours of daylight. into the green, he opted for 3-iron. It hit a tree and Woods said. Most painful to the USGA is it had to do away came back toward him. His next shot plugged in Evidence of a year gone amok from the with qualifying, the hallmark of its championship. a bunker. His fourth shot went through the green. COVID-19 pandemic brings golf to Sep- It began the year by rolling out a new marketing His chip raced by the hole. He made double bogey tember for the toughest test in golf. at’s campaign called, “From Many, One.” e idea was and nished one behind Geo Ogilvy. “I am such a big change considering the U.S. Open that some 9,000 players could sign up for the U.S. an idiot,” Mickelson said. was last held in September in 1913, the Open, go through various stages of qualifying and year amateur beat Harry eventually one champion emerges. e spread of QUALIFYING Vardon and in a playo and put the coronavirus made it impossible to hold 18-hole e U.S. Open prides itself on being the most golf on front pages of U.S. newspapers and 36-hole qualiers. Instead, the USGA had to open of all majors. Roughly half of the eld for the rst time. e toughest test? make this an all-exempt eld. typically has to go through a qualier. e pan- at’s no change at all, especially at It still has Johnson, the No. 1 player in the world, demic didn’t allow for that, so the USGA had an Winged Foot Golf Club. along with Woods and , now 50 and all-exempt eld to try to get the same mix of tour e storied A.W. Tillinghast course in facing another chance to end a quarter-century of professionals, amateurs, and players from the Korn Mamaroneck, New York, has held the U.S. Open heartache and get the nal piece of the Ferry Tour. is is the rst time since 1924. U.S. Open ve times, and only two of career Grand Slam. the 750 players who have competed TIGER TALES in them broke par — A QUIET U.S. OPEN Winged Foot in 2006 is where Woods missed and in 1984, with e USGA wasn’t even sure it could stage a U.S. his rst cut in a major as a professional, his rst Zoeller winning in a playo . It was Open because Winged Foot was so close to one tournament since the death of his father. What to at Winged Foot in 1974 when Sandy of the hot spots of the coronavirus. It proceeded expect this year? Because of his limited schedule, Tatum of the USGA so famously without spectators, just like the rest of golf for what and the three-month shutdown brought on by said, “Our intention is not to embar- likely will be the rest of the year, including the the coronavirus, Woods has played only six times rass the greatest players in the world, Masters. e PGA Championship at Harding Park in 2020. He has only one top 10, and that was at but to identify them.” in August raised two questions about the lack of Torrey Pines in January, the only tournament he won at 7-over par. noise. Did it ease the pressure on contenders? Did broke par all four rounds. Even if he pulls this Expect no di erent, even in it take the advantage away from those who have o , he would tie the U.S. Open record with four September. Woods stopped by experience handling the pressure? victories.

June 18-21 until golf was shut down for three January has he broken par all four rounds. months because of the COVID-19 pandemic and Noteworthy: Only two players in ve U.S. FACTS&FIGURES the majors were rescheduled. It will be the rst Opens at Winged Foot have nished under par. time since 1974 the U.S. Open was not held on Fuzzy Zoeller and Greg Norman were at 276, and Dates: Sept. 17-20 Father’s Day. Zoeller won the playo. Site: Winged Foot GC (West) Length: 7,477 Par: 70 Quoteworthy: “If it gets rm like some of the The course: The West Course at Cut: Top 60 and ties USGA guys told me they want it to be, I don’t see Winged Foot was built in 1923 by A.W. Playo (if necessary): Two-hole aggregate how any of us shoot under par. Of if we shoot Tillinghast, who was told by club found- immediately after 72 holes are completed. under par, it would be somebody winning by a ers to “give us a man-sized course.” It Field: 144 players lot.” -- . Purse: $12.5 million. Winner’s share: $2.16 million. Streaming: (all times EDT): Thursday, 5 p.m. has been a man-sized test for the Defending champion: to 7 p.m. (Peacock); Friday, 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. U.S. Open ve times and the PGA U.S. Open champions at Winged Foot: Bob- (Peacock); Saturday, 9 a.m. to 11 a.m. (Peacock); Championship in 1997. Winged celebrates on the 18th green by Jones (1929), (1959), Hale Irwin Sunday, 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. (Peacock). after winning the FedEx Cup Foot is best known for the (1974), Fuzzy Zoeller (1984), Geo Ogilvy (2006). Television (all times EDT): Thursday, 7:30 a.m. severe slopes on the greens Grand Slam, Part VI: Phil Mickelson gets his to 2 p.m. (), 2 p.m. to 5 p.m. (NBC); in the golf and the deep, penalizing tournament on Sept. 7 at East sixth attempt at trying to complete the career Friday, 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. (Golf Channel), 4 p.m. to bunkers. Grand Slam. His six runner-up nishes are a record. 7 p.m. (NBC); Saturday, 11 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. (NBC); Lake Golf Club in . The date: The U.S. Tiger tales: has played only six Sunday, 10 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel), noon to 6 Open was to be played tournaments this year, and only at Torrey Pines in p.m. (NBC).

2020 U.S. OPEN | PLAYER CAPSULES

DUSTIN JOHNSON Worldwide Best of 2020: Winning in his PGA Tour Champions COLLIN victories: 4 Breakfast, lunch and debut. MORIKAWA Age: 36 Best of 2020: Having dinner. Along with his Majors: Masters (2004, 2006, Rank: 1 the low score at the 6,000-calorie intake, 2010), British Open (2013), PGA Age: 23 Country: Tour Championship. He winning the Rocket Championship (2005). Country: didn’t get a trophy. He Mortgage Classic and U.S. Open memory: Six silver United States World ranking: 1 did get $4.5 million. making 350-yard drives medals as runner-up. The most World ranking: 5 Worldwide victories: 24 Majors: None routine. shocking loss was at Winged Foot Worldwide victories: 3 Best of 2020: Winning three times U.S. Open memory: Finishing Majors: None when he lost a one-shot lead on the Best of 2020: Winning a playo at in three months and nally capturing double digits under par (10 under) to U.S. Open memory: Giving up his nal hole with a double bogey. Worse Muir eld Village, winning a major at the FedEx Cup. tie for fth in his U.S. Open debut in exemption as U.S. Amateur champion might have been Merion, when he Harding Park. Majors: US Open (2016) 2017 at Erin Hills. and qualifying for 2016 U.S. Open at twice turned birdie chances into a Majors: PGA Championship U.S. Open memory: Having a Backspin: He began the year by Oakmont, and then tying for 15th. bogey with a wedge in his hand on (2020) 12-foot eagle putt to win in 2015 at three-putting the 18th at Kapalua to Backspin: He has become must-see the back nine. U.S. Open memory: Going from Chambers Bay, three-putting to nish fall into a playo that golf this year by adding 40 pounds of Backspin: He needs the U.S. Open commencement at Cal to a tie for one shot behind . wound up winning. Much like Brooks mass to fuel his 200 mph ball speed to complete the career Grand Slam, 35th in his U.S. Open debut at Pebble Backspin: Easily the best player Koepka, minus the trophies, has a that has led to drives upward of 400 and this will be a stark reminder Beach last year. with only one major, especially with reputation of showing up on the yards. His emotions still get the best of considering how it ended last time Backspin: Just over one year ve runner-up nishes, the most biggest stages. He has top 10s in six of him, but his tie for fourth in the PGA at Winged Foot. Even at age 50, removed from college, he has recent at the PGA Championship. the 12 majors he has played. Championship was evidence that his he can’t be ruled out because he’s graduated into a star. Along with Winged Foot is one of the toughest method is working. That was his rst Mickelson. He said at the start of the two victories, he lost in a playo U.S. Open tracks, and Johnson won his RORY McILROY top 10 in a major. year he wouldn’t ask for a special at Colonial. Everything about only U.S. Open at Oakmont, reputed invitation. He got in when the USGA Morikawa is polished, from his to be the toughest U.S. Open test. Age: 31 JON RAHM had to go to an all-exempt eld and swing to his attitude. Already with Country: widened the world ranking category one major and three PGA Tour wins, JUSTIN THOMAS Age: 25 to top 70. this will be only his 32nd start as World ranking: 4 Country: a pro. TIGER WOODS Age: 27 Worldwide World ranking: 2 Country: victories: 26 Worldwide United States Best of 2020: The birth of his victories: 11 Age: 44 World ranking: 3 daughter, Poppy, will be hard to top. Best of 2020: Country: Age: 27 Worldwide Got back to No. 1 in the spring, if only Winning at Memorial and his 65-foot United States Country: victories: 13 for a few months. birdie putt to beat Dustin Johnson in a World ranking: 20 United States Best of 2020: Playo win at Majors: US Open (2011), British playo at Olympia Fields. Worldwide victories: 93 World ranking: 13 Sentry Tournament of Champions Open (2014), PGA Championship Majors: None Best of 2020: Very little, though he Worldwide and winning his second World Golf (2012, 2014). U.S. Open memory: Opening with did get a top 10 at Torrey Pines in his victories: 3 Championship. U.S. Open memory: Setting the a 76 in his debut in 2016 at Oakmont, rst event by breaking par all four days. Best of 2020: Winning playo at Majors: PGA Championship (2017). 72-hole record at 268 in his eight-shot following with a 69 to make the cut Majors: Masters (1997, 2001, 2002, Colonial, being noticed for not being U.S. Open memory: The 3-wood victory at Congressional in 2011. and tying for 23rd to be low amateur. 2005, 2019), US Open (2002, 2002, in the Masters. into the 18th at Erin Hills that set up Backspin: He contended nearly Backspin: When a career begins 2008), British Open (2000, 2005, 2006), Majors: None eagle for a 63 in the third round in every week from last October to with multiple victories in each PGA Championship (1999, 2000, 2006, U.S. Open memory: Being part of 2017. March. Since the return from the of the rst four seasons, a major 2007). a four-way tie for the 54-hole lead at Backspin: He reached No. 1 in pandemic, he rarely contended at all. championship seems like it’s not U.S. Open memory: Winning by Shinnecock Hills in 2018, closing with the world, albeit briey, as further Some of that was distraction of his too far behind. His patience will be 15 shots at Pebble Beach in 2000, a 73 and tying for sixth. testament to his place as one of wife’s pregnancy, some of that from tested at Winged Foot. Rahm showed regarded as the most dominant Backspin: One of the best players the game’s elite. His major record not having energy from the fans. He dominance at the Memorial and performance in major championship since golf returned, and doing well is lacking since winning the PGA has gone 20 majors since winning his resilience at the BMW Championship. history. even before the pandemic. Along with Championship at Quail Hollow with last one. Backspin: Winged Foot was the his win at Colonial, he has nished only one top 10 in the eight majors PHIL MICKELSON rst major that Woods missed the cut in the top 10 in seven of his last 11 since winning one. BRYSON DECHAMBEAU in 2006, a month after the death of his tournaments to go from outside the Age: 50 father. His play in the majors has been top 150 in the world to a career-best Age: 27 on the Wednesday of U.S. Country: United States uninspiring since his Masters victory No. 13. Open week World ranking: 51 a year ago in April. When he’s feeling good and his game is on, he’s still as Age: 26 Country: United States Worldwide World ranking: 9 victories: 47 good as anyone else and has the mind Country: United States for majors. CONTENT BY THE ASSOCIATED PRESS World ranking: 7 Worldwide victories: 7 Best of 2020: