For all the focus on Phil Mickelson’s quest to complete his career grand slam at next week’s U.S. Open – a victory that would make him only the sixth player to accomplish that feat – there are plenty of other storylines shaping up at Pinehurst No. 2.
The breakthrough win by Justin Rose last year, which left Mickelson with his record sixth Open runner-up finish, was a reminder that some of the best players on the PGA Tour are still without a major. Here are five who just might be able to pull it off next week:
- Matt Kuchar _ In a span of four tournaments this spring Kuchar finished fourth at San Antonio, lost a playoff at Houston, took fifth at the Masters and won the following week at Hilton Head. Now ranked fifth in the world and third on the FedEx Cup points list, Kuchar has enough game that he should be considered a contender anywhere he plays.
- Sergio Garcia _ A knee problem forced the Spaniard to withdraw from the BMW Championship after the first round two weeks ago; he planned to get treatment back in Spain, but if that remains a problem all bets are off. Otherwise, Garcia has the length and accuracy with his irons to contend in any major and has played consistently well this year, as his five top-10s in eight PGA Tour events would attest.
- Henrik Stenson _ The big Swede owes his No. 2 ranking a lot more to his strong finish to 2013, when he won the Tour Championship, finished second in the British Open and third in the PGA Championship, to anything he’s done this year, in which his fifth at Bay Hill is his lone top 10 in eight events. Stenson has to figure out his putting problems, where he ranks 154th, but if he can do that, his length and excellent all-around game should put him in the mix.
- Jordan Spieth _ With one win and five runner-up finishes in his 48 events over the past two years, there are whispers that the 20-year-old isn’t yet up to finishing after starting the final round in contention, as evidenced by his second at the Masters and fourth at the Players. David Duval faced the same charge before he started winning. With six top-10s in 17 events this year, it seems only a matter of time before Spieth breaks through and wins a big one.
- Bill Haas _ Some might consider it a stretch to put Haas on this list, as he ranks only 32nd on the FedEx Cup standings. But he showed he has game with his impressive fast start at the Masters, where he finished 20th, and has played consistently well enough to post 11 top-25 finishes in 17 events this season. An excellent bunker player who ranks a respectable 42nd in putting, Haas has the physical tools to contend, but needs to show the necessary mental toughness to emerge a major winner.
