ESPN predictions: Can someone beat Dustin Johnson at the U.S. Launch?
Dustin Johnson is the freshest participant on this planet. He’s already picked up the U.S. Launch trophy as soon as. Obvious, he’s the accepted this week at Winged Foot, nonetheless there are many other right decisions to claim the one year’s 2d fundamental title.
Our consultants landed on a huge style of solutions. Right here’s what they mediate:
Matt Barrie, ESPN
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll exercise: It be his time. He’s been No. 1 on this planet. He’s playing apart from someone. And maybe most importantly, he’s matured in spots that it is possible you’ll like for the four-day grind of a critical championship.
David Bearman, ESPN Sports actions Making a bet
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: The toughest match on this planet demands basically the most productive golfer on this planet. Exact now, that is Dustin Johnson. Obvious, Justin Thomas and Jon Rahm accept as true with obtained their half of tournaments. We all know Rory McIlroy and plenty others can exercise this, nonetheless laborious to bet against what Johnson is doing correct now. His previous four occasions: two wins, two runners-up. DJ is a force/sand wedge/putt some distance off from being a four-time fundamental winner. He will get No. 2 this week.
Michael Collins, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: Now that DJ has something Brooks Koepka does not accept as true with — a FedEx Cup — he’s atmosphere his sights on catching as much as Koepka in a assorted unbiased. After this week, DJ can accept as true with appropriate as many U.S. Launch titles as Brooks, and, oh yeah, the Masters is silent on the horizon!
Michael Eaves, ESPN
Winner: Xander Schauffele
Why he’ll exercise: He’s too appropriate of a participant and has too many appropriate performances in majors not to accept as true with obtained one by now. Plus, in his three outdated appearances at the U.S. Launch, he’s done T-5, T-6 and T-3. In other words, or not it is his time.
Chris Fallica, ESPN Stats & Recordsdata
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll exercise: He’s obtained twice in his previous six starts and is unquestionably one of many few gamers who can explore down Dustin Johnson correct now. His weekend ratings the previous four weeks are 68-66-67-65-66-64-66. He presumably obtained’t put up those kinds of numbers because the path will seemingly be brutally hard, nonetheless a matured Rahm is playing terrific golf and is on the verge of capturing his first fundamental exercise.
Charlotte Gibson, ESPN.com
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: It be loopy to name Johnson, the one who has two wins and two runners-up finishes in his previous four starts, an underdog. But … the truth that he’s obtained most productive one fundamental with 43 fundamental starts — in spite of posting four high-four finishes within the U.S. Launch all around the final six years — makes me feel like he’s not a determined high dog against the self-discipline this week. DJ is going to accept as true with to in actuality breeze that FedEx Cup victory into Winged Foot if he desires to head from “maybe he can produce all of it over again” to “he did all of it over again” at the U.S. Launch. All of that is to negate, I mediate he can produce it.
Bob Harig, ESPN.com
Winner: Xander Schauffele
Why he’ll exercise: The four-time PGA Tour winner has had a moderately level-headed one year, even though he shot the bottom 72-hole score at the Tour Championship and tied for 2d within the FedEx Cup. He also quietly tied for 10th at the PGA Championship, has six high-10s in 12 fundamental starts and has never been out of the dwell 10 at the U.S. Launch, where he was as soon as tied for third final one year. Schauffele has been appropriate on hard applications and Winged Foot is also the toughest.
Doug Kezirian, ESPN Sports actions Making a bet
Winner: Jon Rahm
Why he’ll exercise: Winged Foot is location as much as be an awfully strong path, even by U.S. Launch standards. Rahm has obtained twice this one year in similar circumstances (BMW Championship and The Memorial) and appears poised to damage via for his first occupation fundamental.
Peter Lawrence-Riddell, ESPN.com
Winner: Xander Schauffele
Why he’ll exercise: I mentioned earlier than the PGA Championship that I was as soon as appropriate going to take hang of Rory McIlroy except he obtained one, nonetheless I’m altering my thoughts (which methodology he’ll presumably exercise this week). Schauffele has done T-6 or increased within the previous three U.S. Opens and appears to accept as true with a sport that is tailor made for the hard, demanding circumstances that are completely waiting for the gamers at Winged Foot. His music file at unusual majors is good, and he appears prepared to exercise his first rapidly, so why not this week.
Anita Marks, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: No golfer has been hotter than DJ the previous few weeks. Two wins in his previous four tournaments, three wins in his previous 10 and two 2d-unbiased finishes as neatly. Winged Foot is going to be hard. It be not for the outdated at coronary heart — tight fairways, ridiculous tough and swiftly greens are what’s in retailer. Only two gamers out of 750 who accept as true with competed here in a U.S. Launch accept as true with broken par. Only basically the most productive of basically the most productive will seemingly be in contention come Sunday — and DJ is THE BEST correct now. Long and appropriate off the tee, hitting greens in rules, psychological strength, and appropriate placing will all be wished to exercise, and DJ’s total sport comes in on point. I breeze chalk!
Sean McDonough, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: He’s playing dominant golf correct now. He obtained his U.S. Launch at Oakmont, an extremely hard golf path. Winged Foot is equally strong. His excellent skill to force it long and straight will consequence in his 2d U.S. Launch title.
Andy North, ESPN
Winner: Xander Schauffele
Ian O’Connor, ESPN.com
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: I could exit on a protracted and unsteady limb on this one. But severely, how produce you not take hang of this bodily freak who’s for the time being on fireplace, and who has already proved he can exercise a U.S. Launch? Subsequent time Brooks Koepka takes a shot at his ex-buddy DJ and his lack of fundamental titles, he’ll accept as true with to negate, “He’s most productive obtained two.”
Prick Pietruszkiewicz, ESPN.com
Winner: Viktor Hovland
Why he’ll exercise: He likes occasions poke by the USGA. Bear in mind that must you hear so many gamers whining about how very unlikely Winged Foot is playing. Hovland has obtained the U.S. Newbie. Finally one year’s U.S. Launch, at Pebble Beach, he was as soon as low newbie and done T-12 overall. Furthermore, he posted basically the most productive 72-hole score of any newbie within the historical previous of the tournament. Plus, we have had evidence already this one year that or not it is never too early to beginning a success majors. Collin Morikawa did it at the PGA Championship; Hovland does it at the U.S. Launch.
Mark Schlabach, ESPN.com
Winner: Webb Simpson
Why he’ll exercise: The 2012 U.S. Launch champion at Olympic Club obtained twice on the PGA Tour this previous season and silent bigger than $5 million. He hits fairways (ranked 18th in using accuracy), avoids astronomical mistakes (No. 1 in bogey avoidance) and is a stellar iron participant (11th in greens in rules). Those are all requirements at Winged Foot, if truth be told one of basically the most hard tracks within the sport. Merely if truth be told one of many outdated five U.S. Launch champions there done below par (Fuzzy Zoeller was as soon as 4-below in 1979).
Marty Smith, ESPN
Winner: Justin Thomas
Why he’ll exercise: On a path like Winged Foot — which as host of five outdated U.S. Launch tournaments has produced appropriate one winner who done the match below par — consistency will seemingly be king. Therefore, due to his consistency both in length and accuracy, I breeze alongside with Justin Thomas to prevail at 2 below. And if, if truth be told, JT does not prevail, I could sob something like, “Dude, you would also must be kidding me!”
Curtis Queer, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: He’s most productive participant within the sport this day and he is playing neatly. Subtle path requires total sport. DJ has all of it.
Tom VanHaaren, ESPN.com
Winner: Justin Thomas
Why he’ll exercise: Thomas is heating up at the becoming time after finishing T-2 at the Tour Championship. His lone fundamental exercise came within the 2017 PGA Championship and or not it is time he adds one more to his résumé. Thomas has the all-spherical sport and length to navigate this path and must be within the hunt all week.
Scott Van Pelt, ESPN
Winner: Dustin Johnson
Why he’ll exercise: On fable of why damage this hard?