There’s a national championship on the line, and the best players in the world are gathered in Los Angeles to take a run at it.
These are the very best golfers on the planet, and this weekend they will tee it up at the L.A. Country Club. It’s the U.S. Open, the third of the four major championships played on one of best golf courses in the world.
There’s an added extra to this year’s U.S. Open. This will be the first major tournament played in the new PGA-LIV era. Less than two weeks ago, the PGA Tour merged with Saudi Arabian-backed LIV Golf and created a new golf league.
It will be interesting to see if fan interest is changed by the new PGA-LIV merger.
Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, for the first time, has taken a significant financial stake in an established worldwide league. Saudi Arabia had previously been interested in individual teams or events, like Newcastle United in the Premier League and Formula One.
I don’t think the merger will change the way we watch and enjoy pro golf. It looks like the merger will certainly increase the money the golfers play for. The pot of money that goes to the players will no doubt get bigger.
And, if anything, that increases our level of interest.
It is hard to fathom the amount of money that is tossed around at PGA Tour events. And, of course, the money is even bigger at majors.
The winner will take home millions — as in multimillions.
For the everyday casual golfer, many who play and compete with friends, there is often a small wager of some kind involved. To those golfers, and fans of the game, the pro golf game is similar to their own, except it’s played at a much higher level.
And the prize money Is truly unimaginable.
So here they are. The best players in the world gathered at one of the best golf courses in the world playing in what, I believe, is the biggest and best tournament in golf.
The U.S. Open is a true “open” golf tournament.
Anyone in the world can play, amateur and professional.
All anyone must do to play in the U.S. Open is qualify.
There are qualifying tournaments all over the country, and many U. S. Open contestants come from these tournaments.
Of course, professionals still make up much of the field. And I’m not talking about the local club pros, these are the golfers from the PGA Tour.
Yes, this is a true open tournament where everyone is invited, which is what makes any open special.
Most nations have their own open championships. Golf fans get involved with and follow the British Open (I know it’s now called just “The Open”). Like tennis, golf has its French Open and Australian Open. We just witnessed the Canadian Open.
But this is ours, the true U.S. championship.
Picking a winner in the U.S. Open is just as tough as it is to pick a winner in any golf tournament, maybe tougher.
All of the best players in the world are here, and that makes picking a winner even more difficult.
The so-called amateurs are certainly qualified to take a run at it too. They have played their way here, and obviously had to play well to get here.
There will be more than 100 players in the field, and all are capable of putting together a number of good rounds of golf.
Every player has the talent and ability to win.
With all of that in mind, my wild flyer pick to win the U.S. Open: I’ll take Brooks Koepka.
