4 under-the-radar candidates to win the 118th U.S. Open
As with all major championships, most of the attention is naturally directed toward the world's best golfers. However, the U.S. Open has seen champions like Lucas Glover, Geoff Ogilvy, and Michael Campbell within the last 15 years, so a long shot winning at Shinnecock Hills is well within the cards.
Here are four sleepers to keep an eye on for 118th U.S. Open. (Betting odds are in parentheses).
Tony Finau (80-1)
Finau put on a memorable performance at the Masters, quickly recovering from a gruesome ankle injury to finish in the top 10. His result at Augusta, not to mention multiple other top-10 finishes this season, is a testament to his immense talent despite being constantly overlooked in strong fields. Finau ranks second on the Tour in driving distance and 25th in strokes gained on approach shots, a deadly combination capable of conquering Shinnecock Hills.
Kyle Stanley (100-1)
This is Stanley's first trip to the U.S. Open since 2013, which is unfortunate because his game fits this event perfectly. He ranks sixth in driving accuracy while averaging 292 yards off the tee, a great combination for Shinnecock Hills. The 30-year-old lost in a playoff at the Memorial in his last appearance, where he gained 7.5 strokes through approach shots. He's not a great putter, but does perform best on poa-grass greens like this one.
Gary Woodland (175-1)
Woodland fell into a funk after winning the 2018 Waste Management Open, missing five of seven cuts prior to his tied-for-23rd result at the Memorial. His strong showing at Muirfield Village was backed by incredible off-the-tee play and approach shots, but his around-the-green game cost him a top-10 finish. He is one of the longest players on Tour, so the length of Shinnecock Hills shouldn't be an issue.
Brendan Steele (160-1)
The three-time PGA Tour winner possesses the distance required to take on Shinnecock, ranking eighth this season in strokes gained: off-the-tee and 12th in driving distance. He's also skilled with his irons, sitting 11th in greens-in-regulation percentage on Tour. Steele finished inside the top 15 in both of the last two U.S. Opens, proving the stage of the year's second major isn't too big.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)
(Odds courtesy: bet365)