US Open: Ben Coley's golfers to follow at The Country Club this week
Round-the-clock coverage from Boston is live on Sky Sports this week, with over 40 hours of live action from the four tournament days; Watch the 122nd US Open live on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf!
By Ben Coley - @BenColeyGolf
Last Updated: 14/06/22 1:10pm
Who should you be backing at the 122nd US Open? Ben Coley guides you through his picks ahead of this week's tournament in Boston...
Can Rahm retain title?
Brooks Koepka defended his US Open title at the first time of asking and it's worth backing Jon Rahm to do the same at The Country Club this week.
Better known as Brookline, our host course is one of the finest and indeed toughest in the United States - an ideal fit for this fearsome test. It may not differ too much from Pebble Beach, where Rahm was third, nor Torrey Pines where he won last year, but if anything there might be even greater emphasis on quality driving, and Rahm has few peers in that regard.
Certainly, wild shots risk being punished by tall fescue grass and these greens, tiny by comparison to Winged Foot in 2020, will be hard to hit from trouble spots. Fairways are not usually as important as can sometimes be suggested, not in the modern sport, but this could be a rather more old-fashioned renewal. Rahm should love it.
Can Morikawa move step closer to career grand slam?
Small greens ought to reward the best iron players, too, and in that regard Collin Morikawa is just as brilliant as Rahm is off the tee.
Already, the American is halfway to the career grand slam ahead of what will be just his 12th major appearance, and he held every chance during the back-nine of the US Open last year. A slightly shorter course helps, and it's worth overlooking some quiet results. Morikawa often emerges from them in devastating fashion.
Cantlay in contention?
While the above two selections have generally excelled in majors, Patrick Cantlay still has that question to answer, but his non-major form coming in reads 2-1-3 and this looks a good time to chance him.
Cantlay will love these greens, he's never missed a US Open cut, and he's become very good at winning since the back-end of 2020. Playing well in a major is one thing he hasn't done since 2019, but it's a run that won't last much longer.
Who else to look out for?
As well as this high-class trio, make room in the staking plan for Sungjae Im and Max Homa.
Homa was 13th in the US PGA, proving to himself he can compete at the very highest level, and with three wins since last February has been a real force on the PGA Tour for a while now. Tougher courses suit, and he arrives at the peak of his powers.
So does Im, who has a top-10 in a major this year having again played well at Augusta. Forced to skip the PGA through Covid-19, he's since picked up where he left off and his accuracy might be more useful here than has been the case in recent renewals.
Finally, with bookmakers paying up to as many as 12 places, it's definitely worth considering some in-form DP World Tour players who are offered up at dismissive prices.
My pick is Ryan Fox, who could have won three times this year, played well for three rounds in the PGA, and has a good game for the US Open. Winning might seem a stretch, but there's no reason he can't maintain this run of form he's been on, by far and away the best of his career. It could be enough for a top-10 finish at enormous odds.
Who will win the US Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 1pm on Sky Sports Golf!
