U.S. Open 2011: News And Notes Leading Up To Golf’s Second Major

The U.S. Open has been billed as golf’s most grueling test, and in recent years, that has meant that the winners are often plucked from obscurity — and returned to it after their victories. Northern Ireland’s Graham McDowell, winner of the 2010 U.S. Open, is looking to reverse that trend at the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Golf Club beginning on Thursday, but he’s not exactly optimistic.

McDowell will be among the first groups to tee off on Thursday, and he shares his U.S. Open tee time with 2010 U.S. Amateur champion Peter Uihlein and 2010 British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, so there’s a good chance that his group will never need to buy a vowel. McDowell isn’t too bullish on their chances of good fortune at Congressional, though, telling British papers that the course is “brutal” and admitting “I am not sure if I can win around it.”

The 2011 U.S. Open will be without golf’s biggest star, as Tiger Woods rehabilitates an injury. And even with Tiger prowling the Congressional Golf Club course, it may have been as wide open a major as golf has seen in years, as the American Foreign Press notes.

Since Padraig Harrington won the 2008 British Open and 2008 PGA Championship in consecutive months, no golfer has won two straight majors. And in that span of nine majors, only Angel Cabrera and Phil Mickelson have added to pre-existing major trophies; a full seven of the last nine major-winners have been first-time victors.

For Steve Williams, the 2011 US Open will be a significant break from the norm. After all, Williams is known as Tiger Woods right-hand man, and has been on the bag for the PGA Tour star since 1999. Williams and Woods have been partners in crime, and the two are synonymous with each other on tour. But with Woods sidelined with an injury, Williams will switch bags, and guide Adam Scott around the course at Congressional this weekend.

Scott is in the midst of finding a new caddy, leaving some to wonder whether Williams may be that man. Both Williams and Scott shot-down the notion saying this is a temporary arrangement while Woods is out with an injury. And before Williams took the job, he ran the idea by Woods before accepting it with his blessing.

Today is Fred Funk’s 55th birthday. Thursday, he’ll tee off in the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club as the oldest participant in the field.

Slightly more than a year-removed from knee-replacement surgery, Funk was emotional when he narrowly qualified for the U.S. Open.