This week, all the golf eyes will be focusing on the 122nd U.S. Open. Golf’s third major usually draws a lot of attention, but this week, with all the controversy surrounding the PGA and LIV Tours, there should be even more. Tiger Woods is not playing, but Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson are. Also playing this week are five former Bulldogs (I don't count Patrick Reed) and each will be on the quest to become the first Dawg to win this prestigious event. The only Georgia golfer to win a major is Bubba Watson, and he too is not playing (first time since 2010). Harris English is playing this week after competing at The Memorial earlier this month. It was his first PGA Tour event since January after suffering a hip injury. English has been the best Bulldog at the U.S. Open since Chip Beck as you can see when you read this deep look at the United States Open, Georgia Bulldog edition.
Last year at Torrey Pines, six of the seven Bulldogs made the cut (amateur and then-current Bulldog Spencer Ralston did not) with English doing the best. He became the second Dawg to have multiple top five finishes at the U.S. Open. Two other Georgia golfers finished in the top 20. Russell Henley finished tied for 13th after being in a tie for the lead after the first round. Brian Harman finished tied for 19th.
Here is a deeper look at the five former Bulldogs who are looking to win their first career major.
Harris English - Official World Golf Ranking (28th)
English had his best season on the PGA Tour. He had two victories (two entering the season) and a career-high eight top 10s. He had mixed results early this season, but had a hip injury in January, missed several months, and did not compete in the Masters nor the PGA Championship. He returned to action earlier this month at Jack's tournament, but missed the cut. He has played in the U.S. Open six times and has made the cut each year. He has earned over $1.5 million in this event alone. How much more can he earn after this week?
Brian Harman - Official World Golf Ranking (50th)
Harman has made the cut in 14 of 19 PGA Tour events this season and has three top 10s. He finished tied for third at the American Express back in January (won by fellow Bulldog and college teammate Hudson Swafford). He missed the cut by one stroke at The Masters back in April and last month finished tied for 34th at the PGA Championship. Earlier this month, he finished at two under and tied for 18th at The Memorial. He has made the cut in four straight U.S. Open appearances, all starting back at his greatest major finish in 2017. He led after 54 holes at Erin Hills, but ended up tied for second and four strokes back of Brooks Koepka. Harman had 17 birdies and five bogeys throughout the tournament. Three of the five bogeys came in the final round. Can he find his magic once again in this prestigous event?
Russell Henley - Official World Golf Ranking (49th)
During the 2019 season, Henley missed the cut 12 times in 25 PGA Tour events. Since then, he has missed the cut in 14 of 61 PGA Tour events. This season, he has been almost perfect. He has made the cut in 15 of 16 this season (RBC Heritage he missed the cut). He has shot under par in all four rounds in four of the 15 stroke play events this season and at least two rounds in 10 of 15. He finished tied for 30th at The Masters and tied for 60th at the PGA Championship. The PGA Championship was the last event he has played before this week. Last year, he had a co-lead after the first and third rounds and had his best U.S. Open finish of his career. It was his second top-20 finish with the 2010 finish tied for 16th being his previous best. That year, he was an amateur and still playing for the Bulldogs? Can he top that this year?
Kevin Kisner - Official World Golf Ranking (32nd)
Kisner has been both hot and cold this season. He has made the cut in just nine of 17 PGA Tour events this season, but has three top 10s. He finished in the top five in three of the four, including a runner-up finish at the WGC-Dell Tech Match Play. He finished tied for 44th at The Masters, but has missed the cut in four of the five tournaments since then, including the last three. One of the last three was the PGA Championship, where he missed the cut by one stroke. He has played at the U.S. Open eight times and has made the cut in five of them, with his best finish occuring in 2015. He has four career PGA Tour wins and 10 career runner-ups, but is the year in which he wins his first major?
Sepp Straka - Official World Golf Ranking (51st)
Straka is probably the least known of the five Bulldogs in the field, but fans of pro golf know who he is. He has made the cut in 16 of 24 PGA Tour events this season. In February, he won at The Honda Classic for his first career PGA Tour event title. He has three top-10s this season, including a third place finish at the RBC Heritage, and a tied-for-ninth place finish at The Players Championship (golf's "fifth major"). This is his fifth career major that he has played and his second U.S. Open. He made the cut in both majors this season, and he finshed tied for 30th in Augusta while finished 78th in Tulsa. He finished under par in his lone U.S. Open appearance due to shooting a final round 67 with an eagle at the 14th hole. Can he become the first Georgia golfer to win this major?
One name that I did not break down was Bubba Watson. Bubba recently had surgery as a torn meniscus. This will be the first U.S. Open that he has missed since 2010. He has played in 15 U.S. Opens and finished tied for fifth in 2007.
Check out the tee times for the first two rounds of those that are playing (especially the one in the middle).
In case you were wondering, Kisner and Harman were college teammates in 2006 while Harman and Henley were teammates in 2008 and 2009.
This is not the first time the U.S. Open has put three Bulldogs in a group together. David Johnston (of 960 the Ref in Athens) pointed out to me, that in 2014, Chris Kirk, Russell Henley and Brendon Todd all played together for the first two rounds).
This is the fourth time the U.S. Open has been played at The Country Club. This course, just southwest of Boston, is no stranger to other huge golf events. Back in 1999, it hosted the Ryder Cup, in which the United States came back to defeat the Europeans on the final day thanks to many great shots, including Justin Leonard's incredbile 45-foot putt on 17.
Another famous event took place here when Francis Ouimet took down Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in the 1913 U.S. Open. That tournament was the inspiration for the 2005 movie "The Greatest Game Ever Played," starring Shia LaBeouf.
This tournament has also hosted several U.S. Amateur Championships for both men and women.
