With so many great players in today's game, it could be argued that it is harder than ever to predict who will win the four major men's golf championships. On the other hand, one could also argue that it is becoming quite easy considering the historical moment of Brooks Koepka. The 29-year-old star is currently the two-time defending champion at both the US Open Championship and the PGA Championship after his end-to-end victory at Bethpage Black. Winning four Majors in an entire race is impressive, but incredibly, Koepka has achieved that total in less than two years by winning four of his last eight openings at the game's biggest events.
So can Koepka keep up this torrid pace? That's the main question as we approach the third Major of the season. But before the world's best battle at Pebble Beach, we will maintain a weekly ranking of the best bets for the 2019 U.S. Open based on the odds of Superbook Westgate Las Vegas. So without further ado, here's our US Open election ranking, for now.
1) Dustin Johnson (7/1); Previous ranking: No. 1
Reason to choose: Sorry, Brooks, but we're giving a little advantage to DJ here because of his stellar trajectory at Pebble Beach. At the annual tour stop, Johnson has two wins and two second places. He was also the 54-hole leader at the 2010 US Open there. Equally important, in his 16 rounds in the four biggest stroke play events of 2019, Johnson's worst score is 70 in the Masters.
Reason for concern: Closing the PGA by completing his second-place Grand Slam, Johnson was stuck on a single major title in his career with 20 victories on the PGA Tour. No one ever said the gods of golf were fair.
2) Brooks Koepka (6/1); Previous rank: No. 2
Reason to choose: According to Las Vegas, Koepka is the favorite option entering a Major for the first time, largely because he's doing an absurd .500 in the most important golf events in his last eight openings. His only outing in Pebble Beach in 2016 produced a T-8. On the other hand, it doesn't matter what this kid does at regular PGA Tour events.
Cause for concern: Brooks is the best player on the field, but Pebble's configuration should allow more players the opportunity to join him than Bethpage Black. He is also trying to win his third consecutive U.S. Open, an achievement that has only been done once. More than a century ago.
3) Tiger Woods (10/1); previous ranking: No. 3
Reason for choosing: Remember the year 2000? In February, Woods recovered from seven strokes back with seven holes to play at Pebble. Three months later, he came back and presented the best performance in the history of golf, winning with a 15-stroke lead. Even during his return after the scandal, Tiger provoked a back-nine of 31 on Saturday and finished T-4.
Cause for concern: Despite his historic win there, Tiger has stayed away from Pebble, largely due to the greens of bumpy poa annua. Considering he's not close to his top with the putter, there's a good chance that these surfaces will give him an adjustment.
4) Jordan Spieth (18/1); Previous ranking: No. 6
Reason to choose: Welcome back to being one of the favorites, Jordan! The guy is really starting to cook on the greens again, leading the field on strokes won: with putting by a wide margin on the PGA. And speaking of wide margins, Spieth won the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am by four strokes in 2017.
Cause for concern: While Spieth finished T-3 on the PGA, it was never a serious factor on Saturday or Sunday. For someone who has fought so hard on this year's weekends (ranked 201 in the final round score!), it will be interesting to see how he resists the next time he is actually fighting in the home straight.
5)Justin Rose (16/1); Previous rank: No. 7
Reason to choose: when she plays her best, Rose could be said to have the best full game in golf. While the irons (14th in strokes won: approech) and putter (8th in strokes won: putting) remain solid, the driver (54th in strokes won off the tee) has abandoned it. However, in Pebble, Rose won't have to rely so much on the big stick.
Cause for concern: With all the momentum Rose had after winning at Torrey Pines in January to claim first place in the World Golf Rankings, her first two major openings in 2019 (a shocking cut missed in the Masters and a T-29 in the PGA) have been a big disappointment.
