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

By Brandon Raper

SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 12: Tiger Woods of the United States putts on the fifth green during a practice round prior to the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 12, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images)
SOUTHAMPTON, NY - JUNE 12: Tiger Woods of the United States putts on the fifth green during a practice round prior to the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 12, 2018 in Southampton, New York. (Photo by Warren Little/Getty Images) /
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U.S. Open Sergio Garcia
PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL – MAY 12: Sergio Garcia of Spain plays his second shot on the 15th hole during the third round of THE PLAYERS Championship on the Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass on May 12, 2018 in Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida. (Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images) /

The U.S. Open might be the American national championship, but us Yanks are far from having a monopoly on the title. Since the year 2000, Americans have won just nine U.S. Opens, with the last three (Spieth, Dustin Johnson, and Brooks Koepka) bringing the Stars and Stripes to the .500 mark.

No Spaniard has ever won the U.S. Open. Seve Ballesteros finished in the top ten at this major three times, as did Jose Maria Olazabal (1989-91). Miguel Angel Jimenez did it twice. Of course, those are also the types of players who paved the way for this trio to enjoy as much American success as they have.

Sergio Garcia, the 2017 Masters champion, is the only one of this group to have played Shinnecock the last time the U.S. Open was held here, in 2004. He finished tied for 20th that week, so the history aspect is in his favor.

Unfortunately, the “recent form” factor is decidedly against Sergio. He’s made just one cut in his last five PGA TOUR starts, and that was a brutal 70th-place finish at THE PLAYERS, as he shot 75-76 on the weekend to ruin what was a promising start.

Looking for a potential winner in this group? Put your money on Jon Rahm. He can be a bit of a roller-coaster ride from week to week, but he’s basically built for Shinnecock Hills. With an absolute bomb for a driver to go with a solidly above-average putter, this could be a big week for the 23-year-old out of Arizona State.

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