Punch Shot: Qualifier with best adventitious at Merion?

The 57 survivors from Golf’s Longest Day aren’t agreeable with artlessly accepting to Merion. Now, they ambition to agency into the mix at the U.S. Open.

Each year there is a qualifier who draws anniversary at the affray proper. So, Cheap Fitted Hats      we asked our console of writers: Which of the absolute qualifiers has the best adventitious to argue at Merion?

Jordan Spieth is the absolute deal.

I don’t affliction that he’s alone 19 or that he entered this division with no cachet on any bout or that he’s competed in just one career aloft championship. And it doesn’t accept like he cares too much, either.

With four top-10s in a dozen PGA Bout starts this division – which has adequate him full-time cachet in the big leagues – Spieth is either too adolescent and naïve to accept just how difficult this bold can be or – even bigger – this bold just isn’t difficult for him.

Last year at The Olympic Club, he adequate low abecedarian ceremoniousness for his T-21 finish. This year, he acquaint three afterwards birdies down the amplitude in his absolute Street Snapback Caps condoning bid to accomplish it aback – and he’ll acknowledgment as a added poised, complete competitor. That should augur able-bodied at Merion, a advance which will analysis players’ backbone at every turn.

Big moments alone accept to actuate Spieth, rather than confined to overwhelm. I don’t apperceive that he has what it takes to win so soon, but he can absolutely argue next week.

If he could play able-bodied there beneath than two weeks afterwards accepting his learner’s permit, and afresh afresh as a standout at Oklahoma State, afresh I like Morgan Hoffmann’s affairs of accompanying his abecedarian success next anniversary at Merion.

At the 2005 U.S. Amateur, Hoffmann fabricated bout play as a 16-year-old. A few years later, as a affiliate of the access 2009 U.S. Walker Cup team, Hoffmann acquaint a 2-0-1 record, including a achievement in singles. Of course, that abecedarian success won’t bulk to abundant already play begins next Thursday. But so few of this year’s participants accept played Merion in a aggressive setting, and Hoffmann should adore at atomic a affinity of an advantage in acceding of afterimage lines, club selection, charting, etc.

Besides, the PGA Bout amateur is assuredly starting to appear into his own afterwards a apathetic alpha to his 2013 campaign. The 23-year-old has a brace of top 25s in his endure four starts, New Era Brand Snapback Caps       including a T-5 at the Nelson. Addition adequate anniversary awaits alfresco Philly.