US Open Preview

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Developing Stories 📰

The golf world descends upon Pinehurst North Carolina for the third men's major championship of the year as Pinehurst No. 2 hosts the 2024 U.S. Open. Pinehurst No. 2 is a long 7,543-yard par-70 designed by Donald Ross originally in 1907 restored by Rees Jones in 1999 and most recently restored by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw from 2009 to 2011.

The course switched to Champion ultradwarf bermudagrass from bentgrass in 2014 after hosting both the U.S. Open and U.S. Women's Open in consecutive weeks. This is the first ever U.S. Open competed on Champion ultradwarf bermudagrass greens and it is also the first time that bermudagrass greens will be featured on the PGA Tour since the Arnold Palmer Invitational in March among non-opposite-field events.

The average green size at Pinehurst No. 2 is relatively large at 6,500 square feet. The fairways tees collars and approaches all feature Tifway 419 bermudagrass. The greens at Pinehurst No. 2 are known for their unique domed shapes that are often described as turtlebacks or like an upside-down saucer. While the greens are large they will play significantly smaller because less precise approach shots will bounce away from the center of the green and consequently there will be an even more significant emphasis on quality approach play this week than usual.

The greens will be rolling on the stimpmeter this week and the lack of traditional rough near the greens means that golfers will need to use their imagination from the shortgrass by playing anything from a fairway wood to an iron to a lofted wedge or simply a putter to get up and down. Those who miss the landing areas in the fairways at an average of 35 to 45 yards wide will find the sandy native areas littered with wiregrass.

While the fairways are relatively wide Ross' design often includes undulating landing areas such as swells tilts or dips. The fairways at Pinehurst No. 2 also often run at unsettling angles that are intimidating off the tee and careen around the sandscapes which makes off-the-tee play difficult. Golfers will need to get lucky if they find the native areas to avoid tricky wiregrass lies that allow only a pitch out to the fairway. Compared to the last U.S. Open in 2014 the native areas have grown in more which will pose a bigger challenge for wayward golfers off the tee. The native areas were incorporated much more significantly throughout the property as a major part of the Coore and Crenshaw renovation.

Additional wiregrass plants have also recently been added near the landing areas for this week's U.S. Open and will be relocated after the championship so that regular play won't be slowed down. Overall there are 40 native sandscapes 117 sand bunkers and only one water hazard penalty area. The course roughly 100 miles east of downtown Charlotte features just two par-5s along with four par-3s which all have scorecard yardages from 184 yards to 228 yards.

Pinehurst No. 2 also includes 12 par-4s with seven of them listed at least 470 yards. Between the longer par-4s and lengthy par-3s iron play from at least 175 yards will be at a premium.There are no par-4s shorter than 381 yards so there likely won't be any drivable par-4 opportunities this week. Combine this with only two par-5s playing long at 617 yards and 588 yards respectively and scoring opportunities will be extremely tough to come by this week. This helps put into perspective how only three golfers Martin Kaymer Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton broke par here in 2014.

Headlines 🚨

1939 Baseball Hall of Fame is dedicated in Cooperstown, New York.

1990 Cal Ripken plays his 1,308th consecutive game to move past Everett Scott into 2nd place on the all time list.

2023 The Nuggets beat the Heat 94-89 to win the Franchises first Championship.

All Time NBA great Jerry West passes away at the age of 86.

Kristaps Porzingis has rare leg injury and is questionable for game 3.

The Los Angeles Dodgers acquire Cavan Biggio in a trade with the Blue Jays.

Phillies catcher J.T Realmuto is placed on the IL after knee surgery, he will miss one month.

Sothern Miss DB Marcus Daniels was killed Tuesday night after being shot at his apartment complex.

Trends 📈📉 via Oddsshark

🏀 Celtics at Mavericks

• Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

• Boston is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing Boston

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Dallas's last 5 games when playing at home against Boston

⚾️ Athletics at Padres

• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Oakland's last 9 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Oakland's last 5 games on the road

• San Diego is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games when playing Oakland

• San Diego is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing Oakland

⚾️ Braves at Orioles

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Atlanta's last 5 games when playing on the road against Baltimore

• The total has gone UNDER in 7 of Atlanta's last 9 games when playing Baltimore

• Baltimore is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games

• Baltimore is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games

⚾️ Nationals at Tigers

• Washington is 5-1 ATS in its last 6 games on the road

• Washington is 4-1 ATS in its last 5 games

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Detroit's last 5 games

⚾️ Cubs at Rays

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games when playing Tampa Bay

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Chi Cubs's last 5 games on the road

• Tampa Bay is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing at home against Chi Cubs

⚾️ Phillies at Red Sox

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Philadelphia's last 5 games

• Philadelphia is 10-2 ATS in its last 12 games when playing on the road against Boston

• The total has gone UNDER in 8 of Boston's last 11 games when playing at home against Philadelphia

• The total has gone UNDER in 15 of Boston's last 21 games at home

⚾️ Guardians at Reds

• Cleveland is 6-1 ATS in its last 7 games when playing on the road against Cincinnati

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Cleveland's last 6 games when playing Cincinnati

• The total has gone UNDER in 9 of Cincinnati's last 10 games at home

⚾️ Yankees at Royals

• NY Yankees is 5-0 ATS in its last 5 games on the road

• NY Yankees is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 10 of Kansas City's last 12 games at home

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Kansas City's last 5 games 

⚾️ Angels at Diamondbacks

• LA Angels is 9-3 ATS in its last 12 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 6 of Arizona's last 7 games

• The total has gone OVER in 5 of Arizona's last 6 games when playing at home against LA Angels

⚾️ White Sox at Mariners

• The total has gone OVER in 4 of Chi White Sox's last 5 games on the road

• The total has gone OVER in 7 of Chi White Sox's last 9 games

• Seattle is 5-0 SU in its last 5 games at home

• Seattle is 5-1 SU in its last 6 games when playing Chi White Sox

🏒 Panthers at Oilers

• The total has gone UNDER in 5 of Florida's last 5 games

• The total has gone UNDER in 4 of Edmonton's last 5 games

Public Money 🤑 via VSiN at 9AMCT

🏀 NBA

48% of bets and 82% of money is on DAL -3

⚾️ MLB

57% of bets and 75% of money is on UDNER 7.5 HOU at SF

33% of bets and 59% of money is on HOU +1.5 (-205)

32% of bets and 70% of money is on UNDER 7.5 WSH at DET

59% of bets and 81% of money is on CHC -110

34% of bets and 77% of money is on CHC -1.5 (+154)

62% of bets and 85% of money is on OVER 7.5 MIA at NYM

50% of bets and 72% of money is on UNDER 8 CLE at CIN

39% of bets and 75% of money is on OVER 8 PIT at STL

44% of bets and 77% of money is on OVER 11 NYY at KC

43% of bets and 63% of money is on UNDER 7.5 CWS at SEA

13% of bets and 45% of money is on TEX +160

28% of bets and 67% of money is on UNDER 8 TEX at LAD

🏒 NHL

35% of bets and 56% of money is on EDM -1.5 (+200)

Future Odds 🔮 via Bovada Sportsbook

Picks 🔒

Phillies F5 -110 | Philly is 18-10 on the road. Pivetta is coming off his longest outing of the year and rarely lasts six-plus frames. A shorter start will put additional pressure on the home team's bullpen which has surrendered 11 more long balls than the visitors' pen. The Red Sox have been underwhelming at home and strike out in 32.6 percent of their at-bats versus lefty pitchers.

Oilers -130 | The Oilers average 3.56 goals per game and should focus on scoring a lot by controlling the offensive zone and making quick passes. They need to stop the Panthers from scoring by creating turnovers and limiting their shots, helping goalie Stuart Skinner make big saves.

Mavericks -135 | Getting back home for a Finals game is just what the Mavericks need to restore their offense.

Outright

Morikawa +2000 .5U

Koepka +2000 .3U

Matsuyama +5000 .2U

Top 20

Morikawa -120

Justin Thomas +150

Hovland -110