U.S. Open: Ranking the five best early-round pairings at Shinnecock

It’s not every day that the likes of Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth are afterthoughts, certainly not in their own playing group. However, that will most certainly be the case when they begin play at the 118th U.S. Open on Thursday.

That’s because their playing partner is the emotional favorite of basically every golf fan this week. Phil Mickelson’s strife at the U.S. Open is so well-documented that we won’t rehash it here. However, it is important to note that, for whatever reason, he is wildly loved in New York. The California kid might as well be Broadway Joe in the Empire State.

The energy for this trio will be electric, and that will only get amped up if they start to put up some good scores early on. Mickelson is the type of player who can feed on that energy, so make sure you’re watching this group early.

Of course, regardless of what how you feel about Lefty or how he plays, there’s no better time to check out two of the game’s youngest superstars vying for a major. Jordan Spieth has recorded only one top-25 finish since the Masters, but says he’s confident his game will be up to the challenge of the U.S. Open.

On the other hand, Rory McIlroy has played very well lately, with a win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March, as well as three top-20 finishes in his last four PGA TOUR starts. The Ulsterman has missed the cut at his last two U.S. Opens, so he’ll be looking to right the ship at Shinnecock.