The top players head to The County Cub for the 3rd major championship of 2022
There are no lack of story lines heading into this year’s event, with the main talking point being the LIV Golf Tour and the defections that are back to compete for a major championship.
This is the first major since the inaugural LIV Golf event in London. The USGA decided to take no action against the golfers that defected to the upstart rival league despite the PGA Tour suspending the defectors.
USGA President Mike Whan noted that it would be unfair to change the criteria for making the major, yet indicated that future changes would not be ruled out.
Course history
The Country Club was opened in 1882, and was one of the charter clubs that founded the United States Golf Association.
The club is hosting its fourth U.S. Open. The most celebrated of the three past Opens held at the Country Club was the 1913 tournament won by amateur Francis Ouimet. “The Greatest Game Ever Played” was based off Ouimet’s historic win.
Prize money
The purse for the 122nd U.S. Open is the largest of the 4 major championships. Of the $12.5 million the winner will receive the standard 18% payout of $2.25 million.
The players this week will not be focused on the pay day, but for most, focused on securing their childhood dream of being a Major Champion.
But there is a Payday, so it must be compared to the new kid on the block.
The winner of the first event walked away with $4 million of the $25 million prize pool offered by the Saudi-backed golf league.
The controversial league features a format of “54” holes over 3 days, which the “LIV” represents the roman numerals for 54. There is no cut and last place receives a payday of $120,000.
LIV Golf at the U.S. Open
Despite defecting for a huge payday, several players from LIV Golf are exempted into the field this week.
Dustin Johnson, Phil Mickelson, Sergio Garcia, Louis Oosthuizen, Kevin Na, Richard Bland, Sam Horsfield, Talor Gooch, James Piot (a), Shaun Norris, and Branden Grace are the LIV Golf players that participated in the inaugural event last week and are also in the field for the U.S. Open.
The players were suspended by the PGA Tour by commissioner Jay Monahan for being in violation of PGA Tour rules. Despite previously granting releases to players for tournaments not on U.S. soil.
Patrick Reed, Bryson DeChambeau, are in the field for the US Open who are going to participate in the next LIV event in Portland but did not compete in the inaugural event in London.
DeChambeau has vocalized that he is not resigning from the PGA Tour as several of the others that have defected to LIV Golf have. However, it is expected that he will also be suspended by the PGA Tour when he tees it up in Portland at the next LIV Golf event the end of June.
Tiger is sitting this one out to prepare for the Open Championship, but there’s more than enough news to make up for no Tiger news. However, it bears mentioning that Tiger turned down a high nine-figure offer from the Saudis to join LIV Golf.
Players to Watch
Tony Finau
This will be Tony’s 5th U.S. Open appearance. His best finish was 5th place in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills. Finau’s best finish at a Major Championship was his 3rd place finished at the Open Championship in 2019.
Tony is playing well entering the week with three top-5 finishes in his last 5 events, including 2nd place at last week’s RBC Canadian Open. Three rounds in the 60s including a season best 62 this past Saturday for Finau in Toronto.
The jury is still out on Tony’s possible defection to the LIV Golf tour. He has participated in previous editions of the PIF Saudi International, but Tony has yet to make the hard stance against the Saudi-backed league as other who remain on the PGA Tour have done.
Harold Varner III
This will be Harold’s third U.S. Open appearance missing the cut 2018 at Shinnecock Hills, and 2013 at Merion. Harold has made the cut in his last nine events, with 3 top-15 finishes in his last 6 events.
It is rumored that Harold is being wooed by the Saudis to join the LIV Golf Tour. He won the 2022 PIF Saudi International in February and has yet to give a full-throated endorsement of the PGA Tour.
Joseph Bramlett
Bramlett made it into the U.S. Open field by surviving “golfs longest day”. He qualified from the Rockville, MD site, needing to be in the top-4 he finished 1st overall.
This will be Joseph’s 3rd appearance in the field of a U.S. Open, and the first not held at iconic Pebble Beach. He was cut in 2019 and 2010, which were won by Gary Woodland, and LIV’s Graeme McDowell, respectively.
No word on if Joseph has been approached by the LIV Golf brass.
Tee times
Tony Finau: Thursday – 1:14pm; Friday – 7:29am
Harold Varner III: Thursday – 7:51am; Friday – 1:36pm
Joseph Bramlett: Thursday – 8:24am; Friday – 2:09pm