La Jolla, CA (Best E Casino) - If you take a quick look at the list of U.S. Open champions, it's pretty clear that not just anyone wins this title.
Nicklaus, Woods, Jones, Hogan, Hagen, Nelson, Sarazen, Palmer and Player.
Streelman? Hicks?
Obviously, Streelman and Hicks are no locks to be hoisting the trophy on Father's Day or maybe even Monday, but it's pretty astonishing that those two names are the ones atop the leaderboard at the U.S. Open.
Kevin Streelman will be 30 in November. He is Duke product via Winfield, Illinois. He played the Hooters Tour in 2007, winning the Opelika Classic before earning his PGA Tour card through all three stages of Q School.
Justin Hicks is a Michigan boy, born there and educated there at the University of Michigan. He played in the 2004 U.S. Open at the brutally difficult Shinnecock Hills and was 80th on the Nationwide Tour's money list last year. He'd kill to be 80th this year. Hicks missed three of six cuts in '08, including one six days ago, and is 156th with a little over $8,400.
Streelman and Hicks.
Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, ranked one and two in the world, have nine titles at the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines and combined for a 143 on Thursday.
Streelman is 608th in the world rankings. Hicks is 722nd. They shot a 136.
Streelman and Hicks.
"It probably hasn't quite sunk in yet, but it's pretty cool," acknowledged Streelman, who recently got married.
"I think I heard somebody out there on about the sixth hole as I was walking by say something about, you're leading the U.S. Open, or that's Justin, he's leading the U.S. Open, or something like that," said Hicks. "And for a second there, I kind of heard it in my head, and then I just kind of said, well, there's a lot of golf to be played out here today, so really does it ever really matter when you're leading the Open unless it's the final round?"
For a guy who has barely competed on the Nationwide Tour, it has to be quite a shock to the system to sleep on the U.S. Open lead. For Streelman, the case might be different.
At this very venue in the winter at the Buick Invitational, Streelman shot a 67-69 and found himself paired with one Mr. Woods on Saturday. He posted a 75 that day, then a 77 on Sunday to tie for 29th.
"The main thing I took out of it was the necessity of rest, especially after a day like that," said Streelman, referring to his Tiger experience. "I'm definitely going to take that into regards tonight and tomorrow."
Hicks doesn't have that to knowledge or experience on his side. He has played in the U.S. Open and took the attitude of this is just one day.
"I know there's three days left here, and I don't just want to be another guy that shows up and disappears," said Hicks. "So I'm out here to have a good week and play some good golf over four days."
Both Woods and Mickelson are lurking, certainly in the hunt. Former winner Geoff Ogilvy and Stuart Appleby are only one back. Two-time U.S. Open champion Ernie Els, Lee Westwood and a host of talented players are in at minus-one.
But for one day and one night, the names are not Woods, Mickelson, Els, Singh, Garcia or Scott.
It's Streelman and Hicks.
