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Remember the Western Open? A long time ago it was almost considered a major championship but by the time most of us became aware of it, the event was just a fine old bastion of the PGA Tour schedule. It morphed into the BMW Championship in 2007 and while, for a few years, it remained at Cog Hill GC for the most part, it has, in recent times, become a wandering event. Crooked Stick, Cherry Hills, Aronimink and Medinah have hosted – major championship sites all – although non-major Caves Valley and Wilmington CC hosted in the last two years. This year we are back at the North Course, Olympia Fields in Illinois which held the 2003 US Open and this event in 2020. We don’t really need to be told that the former event was tough, but it was. Jim Furyk prevailed in some style – he finished 8-under, one of only four men to defeat par for the week. In the latter event Jon Rahm defeated Dustin Johnson in a play-off after the pair had totalled 4-under for the week. The test, therefore, is tough – US travelling major style tough. It’s also a par 70 set at 7,366 yards with bent grass greens but thick Kentucky blue grass in the rough (no help to the scoring). Willie Park Jr designed it so there is plenty of heritage, old style shaping and it is deemed a ball striker’s golf course. Tony Finau was typical of the players when he said three years ago: “I think mostly off the tee, just trying to figure out how to hit the fairway. You really don’t have to hit it with length on this golf course to contend. You have to hit the fairway, though, if you’re going to even give yourself a chance to start the hole.” Somewhat against that analysis is the general rule of modern US travelling majors and what the leaderboard produced that week: Finau was fifth, behind Rahm, Johnson, Hideki Matsuyama and Joaquin Niemann. Angles to consider 1/ US travelling majors Olympia Fields is a US Open hosting golf course, the BMW Championship mostly visits similar venues and there have been 15 editions of the event – only three weren’t won by major winners. In 2008 Camilo Villegas prevailed and in the last two years Patrick Cantlay went back-to-back. 2/ Hitting greens Whether doing so by poking the ball into the fairway to avoid the rough or by bomb and gouging, hitting the greens in regulation proved key in 2020. Rahm ranked second, Johnson fifth, Niemann first, Finau 12th and Matt Fitzpatrick in a tie for sixth was second. Matsuyama was the odd one out, ranking 55th, but made up for it with a sparking short game. It’s probably less relevant that Furyk ranked first in the 2003 US Open. 3/ Top correlated course This new feature on the site suggests that form last week at TPC Southwind is well worth considering because the two tests are very alike in demands.
Selections The above angles have been used to create a shortlist from which the following players are selected. Collin Morikawa Could this be the week? He’s a PGA Championship winner and has also been eight in that event (four starts). He has two top fives in the US Open from five starts. He opened with a 65 last week when 13th. He was second three starts ago in Detroit. His best asset is getting tee to green. And only four men scored better than his 4-under weekend total at Olympic Fields when 20th in 2020. Russell Henley He was 25th at Olympia Fields in 2020 when carding a second-best of the day 69 in round two. He’s got four top 30s in the US Open, four in his last five starts including when the first round leader in 2018, the 54 hole leader in 2021 and he was 14th this year. He was second two weeks ago and sixth last week at Southwind. Corey Conners Another who was sixth last week completed with a pair of 65s at the weekend. He has a poor US Open record but was first round leader and 17th in the 2021 PGA Championship and top two through the first 54 holes in this year’s PGA before finishing 12th. He’s excellent at hitting greens in regulation and has finished seventh and fifth in four starts in the event.
Tips: 1-2; -2.50pts 1pt e.w. Collin Morikawa at 25/1 (BF Sportsbook, PaddyPower 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 25th 1pt e.w. Russell Henley at 30/1 (Boylesport 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8) * Taken shorter price for top 8 8th 1pt e.w. Corey Conners at 40/1 (General 1/5 1,2,3,4,5,6) 10th
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