Three men who can win the US Open

Although a certain football tournament is destined to overshadow the second golf major of the year, there will still be plenty of interest all over the world in the US Open which gets underway at Pinehurst Number Two tomorrow.

Whilst certain golfers love Augusta and The Masters and others handle the links conditions of Open Championship courses more so than others, the US Open is fiendishly difficult to predict. 

This years will be played on a course what can be described as unique in US Open terms. With no rough and browned out fairways, it is set to favour the long hitters as it measures in at 7,562 yards with the Par being just 70.

With Tiger Woods still out injured, the talk is of Phil Mickelson finally getting his hands on a trophy he wants so badly after six near misses in the tournament including at Pinehurst in 1999 or a Rory McIlroy V Adam Scott rivalry truly coming to life.

However, here are three men with longer odds at the bookies who I feel will be in contention come Sunday.

Webb Simpson:  The 2012 US Open champion is my main pick for this tournament. He showed magnificent patience and shot making when winning two years ago and that is something you are going to need at Pinehurst, particularly if it is going to be blazing hot.

Not many people shoot 68-68 over the course of a US Open weekend but that is exactly what Simpson did at the Olympic Club. And the 28 year old is coming back into form at just the right time after an indifferent 2014 which has seen him miss the cut at both The Masters and the Players Championship.

However a tie for third at last weeks St Jude Classic suggests Simpson is feeling good about his game again. Blessed with a great ball striking game and a hot putting streak, Simpson has all the attributes to tame Pinehurst and collect that trophy for the second time in three years.

You can back him at a best price of 45/1.

Matt Kuchar: Anyone that has had the 'pleasure' of listening to me talk about golf for the last couple of years knows that I'm utterly convinced Kuchar will be a Major winner some day.

And whilst Webb Simpson might be my main pick this week, I fully expect Kuchar to be in the mix come Sunday. He might not be the longest hitter, but he hits two out of every three fairways as well as a similar amount of greens in regulation. He's also sixth in the scrambling stats on the PGA Tour this season, a talent that is required at any US Open course, no matter the layout.

Unlike Simpson, Kuchar has enjoyed a very impressive 2014, winning the Heritage a week after finishing in the top five at The Masters and before that he had enjoyed top four finishes at both the Houston and Texas Opens.

There is a school of thought that Kuchar is too nice to win a major, but if he was so nice he wouldn't even want to put himself in contention the amount of times he does. With a great iron game that will give him plenty of birdie chances and the fact that he is in fine form, Kuchar is worth a bet at a best priced 28/1 currently.

Henrik Stenson: The man from Sweden who enjoyed a sensational 2013 has found the going a bit tougher in 2014 but this is a course that should suit his long hitting and he is coming into some form at the right time.

He isn't getting any younger having turned 38 in April and will be keen to lift a first Major sooner rather than later. He finished in the top three at both The Open Championship and PGA Championship last year as well as completing a historic double by winning the PGA Tour's Fed Ex Cup series as well as the European Tour's Race to Dubai, becoming the first player to do so.

As a former winner of The Players Championship, the World Matchplay Championship and the Dubai Desert Classic, the current World Number Two is a man for the big occasion.

With top ten finishes recently in his homeland at the Nordea Masters, at Wentworth in the BMW PGA Championship and in China, Stenson is on the prowl for a win and a US Open course with no rough and ideal for great driving might just suit him. You can back him at 28/1 as well.

Of course, the US Open has thrown up some surprise winners over the years including Michael Campbell at Pinehurst No 2 in 2005, so I could be way off with my tips. But I believe the three men above have the game to tame Pinehurst and be in with a shot at glory come the back nine on Sunday.