US OPEN 2022

WELCOME TO OUR US OPEN 2022 REPORT

Mike Flaherty June 2022

MATT FITZPATRICK 22/1 £5EW PP 10PL

SHANE LOWRY 28/1 £5EW WILLIAM HILL 9PL

JOAQUIN NIEMANN 30/1 £5EW BOYLE 11PL

CAMERON YOUNG 40/1 £5EW PP 10PL

DANIEL BERGER 50/1 £5EW PP 10PL

PATRICK REED 80/1 £5EW PP 10PL

THOMAS PIETERS 200/1 £5EW LADBROKES 8PL

BRIAN HARMAN 200/1 £5EW PP 10PL

FRANCESCO MOLINARI 200/1 £5EW PP 10PL

WIL BESSELING 500/1 £5EW BOYLE 11PL

RIKUYA HOSHINO 500/1 £5EW PP 10PL

11 PICKS THIS WEEK ALL £5EW BETS + £5 TOP 20 ACCA TOTAL OUTLAY £115

OUR TOP 20 ACCA IS
OUR OUTRIGHT 2022 WINS
US OPEN PAST RESULTS

2021 – L Oosthuizen 45/1 Place win

2020 – COVID 19 

2019 – L Oosthuizen 90/1 Place win 

2018 – T Fleetwood 50/1 + T Finau 80/1 Placed wins

2017 – R Fowler 22/1 J Thomas 33/1 B Snedeker 125/1 All placed wins

TIPS 43 - BET £385 - RTN £781
THE COUNTRY CLUB
BROOKLINE, MASS

The U.S. Open Championship will be at The Country Club in Brookline, for the first time since 1988, when Curtis Strange won the first of his back-to-back titles, defeating Nick Faldo in an 18-hole playoff.

A lot has changed in 34 years: if there’s a tie after 72 holes, it won’t be decided in an 18-hole playoff, and the field will encounter a course that has been lengthened by more than 250 yards. But yardage alone doesn’t tell the story of the changes to the layout that – in one form or another – has hosted 16 previous USGA championships, starting with the 1902 U.S. Women’s Amateur.

“You’ve heard us say that the ghosts of the past matter, and The Country Club is one of the five founding clubs of the USGA,” said Jeff Hall, managing director of Rules and Open Championships. “But you don’t get to host a U.S. Open just because you’re a founding club. It’s got great history and it will be exciting to expand on that history in June.”

In 1913, the club provided a seminal moment in the game’s annals: Francis Ouimet’s shocking U.S. Open playoff victory over English titans Harry Vardon and Ted Ray. Next June, competitors will play a hole that hasn’t been used in a U.S. Open since then. In the 1963 and 1988 U.S. Opens, players skipped the par-3 hole that will play as No. 11. The last time it was used in an Open, Ouimet took control of the playoff with a par as both of his foes bogeyed.

Hall is delighted to bring back the 131-yard hole defended by four bunkers and a fronting brook.

“Let’s face it, it’s a wedge for these guys, and yet there will be some players walking to the 12th tee having just marked a ‘4’ on their card and wondering what happened,” said Hall, who has been involved in U.S. Open setup since 2006. “I’ve got nothing against a big par 3, but they don’t have to be 225- or 230-yard brutes to require execution at the highest level.”

Any discussion of The Country Club begins with the knowledge that, having debuted in 1882, it has evolved greatly over its 140 years. In fact, golf was not even in the mix when it opened its doors, the lion’s share of the acreage at the time devoted to polo and horse racing – the racetrack oval roughly encircled the present-day first and 18th holes.

In 1963, TCC and the USGA debuted a U.S. Open routing that incorporated several holes from the club’s nine-hole Primrose Course, and Julius Boros (70) earned his second Open title and third major victory over Jacky Cupit (73) and Arnold Palmer (76), who lost three 18-hole playoffs in a five-year span.

To accommodate the return of the par-3 11th hole in June, the par-4 fourth hole will be taken out of play. Four other holes have notable changes: two take new positions in the routing, and two swap par. The holes that will play as Nos. 8 and 9 were No. 14 and No. 13, respectively, in 1988. The swap balances the nines and facilitates the Nos. 1 and 10 tee start needed for Rounds 1 and 2 (the two-tee start wasn’t a factor in 1988; it debuted in the 2002 U.S. Open).

The holes that swap par are No. 10 (from 5 to 4) and No. 14 (from 4 to 5). The 14th played as a 450-yard par 4 in 1988 and has been transformed to a 619-yard par 5. The 10th was a 510-yard par 5 in 1988 and is now a 499-yard par 4. Both of those reconfigured holes made their USGA debuts in the 2013 U.S. Amateur, won by Matthew Fitzpatrick of England.

“The changes add a degree of difficulty over what we had in 1988,” said Hall. “On No. 14, if you miss the fairway from the tee, you may be forced to lay up, which leaves you with a blind, uphill third shot of 160 to 165 yards.”

Six of the holdover holes from 1988 will play marginally shorter, with the biggest difference being 10 yards (the par-4 seventh goes from 385 yards to 375 yards).

“[Architect] Gil Hanse has done some work that allows us to keep the long holes long, and the shorter holes will still be demanding,” said Hall. “Like any U.S. Open, you’ve got to have control of your ball. It’s going to be fascinating to watch.”

Hanse has done work on several U.S. Open courses, including 2020 host Winged Foot Golf Club and The Los Angeles Country Club, which will host in 2023. Through previous projects, Hanse crossed paths years ago with Dave Johnson, director of grounds at TCC.

“I started here in 2018, and what began as an effort to help the greens drain more quickly resulted in Gil expanding the green surfaces and restoring the bunkers,” said Johnson. “The biggest benefit is creating – or recreating – some hole locations that many of the members had never seen.”

Hanse used images taken when TCC hosted the 1934 U.S. Amateur to reestablish lost features and bring greens closer to bunkers, in many cases removing rough between them. The uphill second hole, at 215 yards, is a subtle, yet visually dramatic example of Hanse’s work.

“You could not see any of the green from the tee previously, just a flag sticking up in the air,” said Johnson. “We added a small fairway approach area and lowered the front of the green by about 6 inches to blend it into the approach. Now when you stand on that tee, you see the entire front of the green.”

 

“We also lowered the floors of most of the bunkers on the course, sort of scalloped them out so you can see into them,” said Johnson. “They’re not any bigger, but it makes access into them easier and it matters a lot from the golfer’s perspective.”

Perspective and history are omnipresent at The Country Club, which will have hosted at least one USGA championship in 12 of the 13 decades since 1900.

“Look at the people who have won here,” said club historian Fred Waterman. “Francis Ouimet went on to win a pair of U.S. Amateurs. Lawson Little won two U.S. Amateurs and a U.S. Open. Julius Boros won three majors. Curtis Strange won two U.S. Opens and Jay Sigel won five USGA championships. The best courses find the best players.”

It’s a formula that keeps bringing the USGA back to Brookline.

OUR PICKS

SHANE LOWRY 28/1 £5EW WILLIAM HILL 9PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-MC-9-2-46-MC-28-43-65

First on the list and a player who always seems to deliver for us is Shane. We would have preferred a worst finish in Canada to be fair as the odds would have been a little more in our favour but he goes in no matter what.

We caught up with Shane and his caddy at the Honda Classic where he came very close to winning that week. He is enjoying his golf right now and when we asked about his goals for this year he said he would love to get a more consistent scoring week at the Majors. Well he has done that so far with a third place at the Masters and then top twenty five at the PGA championship were pretty impressive.  Let’s now forget he went four missed cuts at the Open then goes and wins it in style.

I feel this place and the setup we have seen could be just the ticket for him to claim victory in the US. The run off areas are pretty scary we threw a few balls around most of the greens to see where they end up and I mean if your short game is not on point you will be found out around here.

Solid week I feel could be an early front runner.  

DANIEL BERGER 50/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: 28-37-MC-6-49-34-7

Not really played Berger in many of my reports over the years but feel this week he is coming in under the radar. He has also been here early we saw him out gearing up his game last week and boy was he looking on fire.

One of the main factors I picked up on over his last couple of events was is marked improvement in his driving accuracy will have to be nailed on here. OK you will need distance as well but it’s not going to favour a Bryson type smash and grab because this place has some nasty rough and plenty of difficult greens where you will have to hit high ball flights in order to cover the landing areas on the greens.  

This is another plus for him his strokes gained approach is pretty impressive gaining over half a shot on the field per round could be the difference in winning it around here for sure.

He has done his homework on the greens already that we have seen so he could be adding PGA win number five and what a place to do it.   

PATRICK REED 80/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: 35-14-MC-13-4-32-13-19

I have played Mr Reed twice in 2022 the first event was the Sentry TOC he had a good week for us just missed out on a place in the end at 30/1, the American Express was the other event where he ended up in 55th place, that was the week we also tipped Hudson Swafford who brought us home the winner.    

Is his game there yet well still a few question marks I agree, but it’s a Major and class always rises to the top he will be in the mix if he can get through to the weekend?   

His win at the Farmers last year was some of his best golf we have seen inside the ropes for a few years. Something you will not get by watching him on TV is the way he flights his pitches and scrambles around the green. I would say that the two best players around the greens here that we have seen so far is Shane and Patrick.

We were in his group on the final day of the Charles Schwab it was a lot better than a 72 only four back from the leaders and he could have been there if a few of the putts had dropped.

This could ignite his 2022 with winning this and could see his odds crash for the OPEN next month.    

MATT FITZPATRICK 22/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: 48-54-35-12-12-MC-55

No question he will be on a lot on betting slips this week and for good reason.

Tough courses are his thing so a no brainer bet here really check out his best results so far in 2022

  • AT&T Pebble – 6TH
  • WM Phoenix Open – 10TH
  • Arnold Palmer – 9TH
  • Valspar – 5TH
  • WGC Dell – 18TH
  • Masters – 14TH
  • Wells Fargo – 2ND
  • US PGA – 5TH
  • RBC Canadian – 10TH

This is why his odds are so low he has to get a win in soon on the PGA so why not do it on the global stage and pick up his first Major here on US soil.

One of our ex caddies spoke of when he saw him play at the European Tour school back in 2014, that week he grinded it out on the last day to make the 11TH place in order to qualify for the European Tour. Since then he has never looked back. But one thing I like about that story is his fight on the back nine to close the deal and achieve his goal. After speaking to Matt at the Wells Fargo his goal in the next couple of years is that Major win so if he has a chance on Sunday you better be ready.

CAMERON YOUNG 40/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-MC

Two times played in the US Open and two missed cuts. In 2022 he has found something in his game this year that has seen him really climb up the FedEx Cup rankings where he sits in sixteenth place right now.      

This would be some time to get your first victory on the PGA Tour with a Major win.

The team just think it could be his time, they have said he will make the cut this year he is playing far too well not too. We covered his last four events an analysed every round.

  • RBC Heritage – Friday’s round just did not feel it on the greens shot 73 he hit the hole with two putts that could have dropped winning score was 271 he was 272.  
  • Wells Fargo – Again Friday’s round his worst 71 ok does not sound that bad but where the average that day was nearer 69 that’s a couple of shots in the wrong direction. Winning total score 272 he shot 274
  • US PGA – Not much to say apart from beaten by the quality of JT anyone shooting a 67 on the final day of a Major should deserve it.

Again another player who has been here a while adjusting to the course set up and boy can he get the ball out there off the tee. Seventh in the PGA rankings for driving distance 317 Yards.

Strokes gained off the tee also speaks volumes for this course, nearly one shot better than the average field.

Watch this space.       

JOAQUIN NIEMANN 30/1 £5EW BOYLE 11PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-23-31

I am taking the teams word for it on this choice so hope that are right.

He just seems to be trending in all the right places and has all the right boxes ticked for this week.

  • Driving Accuracy – Up to 57%
  • SG – Off the Tee – Now .574 13TH on the PGA Tour
  • SG – Around the Green – .381 19TH on the PGA Tour
  • SG – Tee to Green – 1.383 8TH on the PGA Tour

 Known as a birdie machine and you only have to look at this season to see how he got that name 238 Birdies in just 54 rounds of golf is pretty special. He also makes his fair share of Eagles so could be going very low if he finds his putting boots this week.

Known as a fast starter so let’s hope he does that for us and is near the top end of the leader board at the end of the week.

THOMAS PIETERS 200/1 £5EW LADBROKES 8PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-MC-23

The world’s number 37th player in the world at 200/1 yes please.  

I have always believed that Thomas has plenty still in his locker, he has such a great game that he should have done so much more in his career by now.  

Winner in 2022 already at the world famous Abu Dhabi HSBC beating the likes of Rory, Scott and Poulter.

Yet to break through on the PGA Tour with a win but feel when he does it will open the flood gates so watch this space.

He missed the cut at the Masters and a pretty poor showing at the PGA but making the cut was for me the achievement that week, he showed get will power and shot a good final round 73 on a very demanding track.

On the DP World Tour however which is something the bookmakers might have not been tracking he has gone ninth at the Soudal Open and then tenth at the Dutch Open. So two top ten’s in the space of a month proves to me the game is on.   

If he can get out of the blocks who knows could be out best outsider pick in a Major for some time.

BRIAN HARMAN 200/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-MC-2-36-38-19

Another one of those great value picks for us here this week. We followed Brian for a few holes last week ad he seems to be in great spirits.      

He is slowly learning his trade at the Majors over the years and seems to build encouragement year after year at all the different courses and events. But the one that comes to the top out of all the Majors is the US Open with his best ever finish was in 2017 and that year no one was stopping Brooks with a four shot win in the end.

Not that long off the tee but he makes up with a very accurate diving stat of nearly 70% so will be hitting from the fairway for most of this week.   

He is one of the best putters here this week and we saw him drain putts from everywhere during practice let’s hope he has not used them all up.

Defo one to WATCH.  

FRANCESCO MOLINARI 200/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: 27-MC-MC-29-MC-23-27-MC-25-16-13

Both brothers seem to be getting back in the groove I tipped his brother Edoardo at the Porsche at 40/1 and returned us a good profit that week so hoping Francesco can do the same for us here this week.

The Open Champion is looking as if his game is nearly there it’s been a long time coming and he has been working hard behind the scenes to get this form back but after seeing his brother coming close on the DP World Tour it has sparked something in him to match if not better that here this week.

We caught up with him at the AT&T Bryon this year and coming off three missed cuts he felt something just seemed to click that week he finished in a tie for seventeenth in the end. Since then he has made a further two more cuts and is starting to hold his own.   

Can he win it this week not too sure on that but ten places being paid at these odds will take a fifth of the odds at 200/1 all day.  

SOME BIG VALUE PICKS THAT COULD FEATURE

WIL BESSELING 500/1 £5EW BOYLE 11PL

US OPEN HISTORY: DEBUT

RIKUYA HOSHINO 500/1 £5EW PP 10PL

US OPEN HISTORY: MC-26
OFFICIAL FIELD

PLAYER, QUALIFYING CRITERIA NUMBERS

Abraham Ancer, 11, 20
Ardi Arnaus, 20
Daniel Berger, 2, 11, 20
Will Besseling, 16
Richard Bland, 20
Keegan Bradley, 20
Sam Burns, 11, 12, 20
Patrick Cantlay, 11, 12, 20
Paul Casey, 2, 20
Stewart Cink, 11
Corey Conners, 11, 20
Sean Crocker, Final qualifying
Bryson DeChambeau, 1, 11, 20
Nicholas Dunlap (a), 5
Harris English, 2, 11, 20
Tony Finau, 11, 20
Matt Fitzpatrick, 20
Tommy Fleetwood, 20
Ryan Fox, 16
Jim Furyk, 3
Sergio Garcia, 11, 20
Talor Gooch, 20
Branden Grace, 2
Austin Greaser (a), 5
Stewart Hagestad (a), 5
Brian Harman, 20
Tyrrell Hatton, 20
Russell Henley, 20
Lucas Herbert, 20
Tom Hoge, 20
Max Homa, 12, 20
Blily Horschel, 10, 11, 20
Sam Horsfield, 16
Rikuya Hoshino, Final qualifying
Viktor Hovland, 11, 20
Mackenzie Hughes, Final qualifying
Sungjae Im, 11, 20
Daijiro Izumida, Japan, Final qualifying
Dustin Johnson, 1, 6, 11, 20
Martin Kaymer, 1
Joohyung Kim, 17
Si Woo Kim, 20
Kevin Kisner, 20
Kurt Kitayama, Final qualifying
Brooks Koepka, 1, 2, 7, 11, 20
Jason Kokrak, 11, 20
Jinichiro Kozuma, Final qualifying
K.H. Lee, 20
Min Woo Lee, 20
Marc Leishman, 20
Luke List, 21
Shane Lowry, 8, 20
Richard Mansell, 16
Hideki Matsuyama, 6, 11, 12, 20
Rory McIlroy, 2, 11, 20
Phil Mickelson, 7
Guido Migliozzi, 2
Francesco Molinari, 8
Jed Morgan, 18
Collin Morikawa, 2, 7, 8, 11, 20
Sebastian Munoz, 20
Kevin Na, 11, 20
Keita Nakajima (a), 14
Matthew Nesmith, Final qualifying
Joaquin Niemann, 11, 20
Alex Noren, 20
Shaun Norris, 19
Andrew Novak, Final qualifying
Thorbjorn Olesen, 16
Louis Oosthuizen, 2, 11, 20
Yannik Paul, 16
Mito Pereira, 20
Victor Perez, 16
Thomas Pieters, 20
James Piot, 4
Seamus Power, 20
Jon Rahm, 1, 2, 11, 20
Patrick Reed, 6, 11, 20
Justin Rose, 1, 20
Kalle Samooja, 16
Xander Schauffele, 2, 11, 15, 20
Scottie Scheffler, 2, 6, 11, 12, 20
Marcel Schneider, 16
Adam Scott, 20
Laird Shepherd (a), 13
Davis Shore, Final qualifying
Ben Silverman, Final qualifying
Webb Simpson, 1, 20
Todd Sinnott, Final qualifying
Roger Sloan, Final qualifying
Cameron Smith, 9, 11, 20
Stephen Soderberg, 16
Jordan Spieth, 1, 8, 11, 20
Scott Stallings, Final qualifying
Sepp Straka, 20
Tomoyasu Sugiyama, Final qualifying
Nick Taylor, Final qualifying
Justin Thomas, 7, 9, 11, 20
Cameron Tringale, 20
Erik van Rooyen, 11
Harold Varner III, 20
Travis Vick (a), Final qualifying
Aaron Wise, 21
Gary Woodland, 1
Tiger Woods, 6
Cameron Young, 20
Will Zalatoris, 20