For many of the players, it is on to the U.S. Open. A handful of the top stars will play this week in Potomac, Md. But most of them will be practicing their putting on their kitchen floors in anticipation of the slick greens at Olympia Fields Country Club.
The Memorial tournament in Dublin, Ohio, provided a final indicator of who’s hot and who’s not going into the Open, which begins June 12.
One player didn’t fit neatly into the two categories.
Who’s in between
Tiger Woods: He was headed for the cold department until firing a 65 Sunday. The round should warm him up a bit, especially after his 76 on Saturday.
Woods insists he is on schedule, even though his performance has been up-and-down since winning Bay Hill in March.
“I have been playing like this,” Woods said. “You guys may not believe me. One bad stretch of holes [Saturday] put me out of contention to win. [Sunday] I went out there and hit the ball just as flush as I have been hitting it.”
Who’s hot
Kenny Perry: He is on fire after winning two tournaments in a row. But will the flame go out by the time he reaches Olympia Fields?
Vijay Singh: He may be hearing backlash to his Annika Sorenstam comments, but it doesn’t seem to be bothering him. In his last three starts he has finished second, first and fourth. Singh, though, gave no interviews during the entire weekend at the Memorial. Will he continue his media boycott for the Open?
Mike Weir: The Canadian isn’t resting on his Masters laurels. He shot a 65 Sunday to move into third. Weir is looking forward to Olympia Fields, but he is making a side trip first. He will be in Anaheim on Monday night to watch his friend Adam Oates in Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals.
Lee Janzen: He hadn’t done much lately, dropping his world ranking to 115th. However, a strong second at the Memorial now makes him a player to watch. The two-time Open winner knows how to get it done.
Who’s not
Ernie Els: He appears to have lost the momentum from his early-season start. He says he is over a wrist injury he sustained in March, but his game hasn’t returned to peak form. He wasn’t in the hunt at the Memorial, finishing in a tie for 13th.
Sergio Garcia: His game is in a shambles. He missed the cut at the Memorial, his fourth in the last five. He is reworking his swing. Obviously, he has a long way to go.
David Duval: Making the cut usually isn’t big news for Duval. But this week marked the first time he made it to Saturday in seven tournaments. However, a pair of 78s on the weekend killed any positive momentum. The mysterious fall of Duval continues.
Phil Mickelson: Mickelson didn’t play in the Memorial, but he is entered in this week’s Capital Open. Winless this year, he will be looking to find some momentum for the Open.
Memorial tournament vs. U.S. Open winners
Using the Memorial tournament as a barometer for the U.S. Open the past five years.
Memorial winner
HOW PLAYER FARED IN THE U.S. OPEN
2002 Jim Furyk missed the cut
2001 Tiger Woods T-12
2000 Tiger Woods won
1999 Tiger Woods T-3
1998 Fred Couples T-52
U.S. Open winner
HOW PLAYER FARED IN THE MEMORIAL
2002 Tiger Woods T-22
2001 Retief Goosen did not play
2000 Tiger Woods won
1999 Payne Stewart T-24
1998 Lee Janzen T-31
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