Golf.
I first picked up a club at age 8, played San Diego County Junior Golf, hacked it around for a couple of years at Torrey Pines High School, and played all four years in college at NCAA Division III Pomona-Pitzer (2nd team all-SCIAC my senior season -- yay me!)
Currently, I'm lucky if I have time for one round every couple of months, and I can barely remember the last time I broke 80.
So, in an effort to scratch that golf itch, I thought I'd turn this online space into a little haven where I can blog and post videos about golf without forcing Woods to roll his eyes on the radio.
Like most golf fans, this week is all about the U.S. Open, which returns to one of the most spectacular sporting venues on the planet, the Pebble Beach Golf Links -- a course I got to play once with my dad as a high school graduation present.
You can make a strong argument for several top golfers hoisting the trophy on Sunday evening, but it would be foolish to start with anyone other than Brooks Koepka. The two-time defending U.S. Open (and PGA Championship) winner has separated himself from the field in majors, and it would be a shock if he's not near (or at) the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
Rory McIlroy is coming off a 7-shot win last week at the Canadian Open, and when he's hot, no one can dominate the game like Rory. He's clearly one of the favorites.
No one has forgotten Tiger Woods and his 15-shot victory at Pebble in 2000. Just two months removed from his comeback victory at The Masters, Tiger is still trying to shake off a missed cut at the PGA Championship, although he built some momentum with a strong final round at The Memorial two weeks ago.
Phil Mickelson already owns a win at Pebble this season, although the course will be a lot tighter and faster than it was back in February for the AT&T Pro-Am. I know Phil can rub people the wrong way (for good reason, sometimes), but I'd still love to see him complete the career grand slam, and as PGA Tour radio's Dennis Paulson told us this week on Ben & Woods, this may be his best remaining chance to win a U.S. Open before the end of his career. He'll need to have a surprisingly good week with the driver (he actually has two of them in his bag), but Phil is the master of surprise on the golf course.
Speaking of San Diego locals, Xander Schauffele has flown a bit under the radar since a pair of early season wins, but he's just too good and consistent to be ignored (even if his second-place finish at The Masters was a bit overshadowed by the guy who won). He's also finished 5th and 6th in his only two U.S. Open appearances.
But if I had to put money on it, give me Dustin Johnson this week. He's the last person to win a U.S. Open not named Brooks Koepka, and had a 3-shot lead going into the final round at Pebble in 2010 before collapsing with an 82. DJ doesn't collapse anymore, and I see him adding a second U.S. Open trophy to his case.
BEN'S BACK NINE - U.S. Open picks 1
Phil Mickelson of the United States plays a shot during a practice round prior to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 11, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images)BEN'S BACK NINE - U.S. Open picks 2
JUNE 12: Tiger Woods of the United States hits a putt during a practice round prior to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 12, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/Getty Images)BEN'S BACK NINE - U.S. Open picks 3
JUNE 12: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a shot from the 13th tee during a practice round prior to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 12, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)BEN'S BACK NINE - U.S. Open picks 4
JUNE 12: Dustin Johnson of the United States plays a shot from the 17th tee during a practice round prior to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 12, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)BEN'S BACK NINE - U.S. Open picks 5
JUNE 12: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays a second shot on the 13th hole during a practice round prior to the 2019 U.S. Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links on June 12, 2019 in Pebble Beach, California. (Photo by Andrew Redington/Getty Images)
