This should be a great driving course for a player like Tiger Woods. Since the greens are very small, they will also be tough to not only hit but hold. Scrambling will be at a premium, so look for good chippers, such as Phil Mickelson, to have a great advantage here.

Putting is always a key in winning, but this year with smaller greens the longest putts will be from 40 feet, thus giving players more chances to make putts. Weather will also play a factor. It won't be the heat and humidity that has played a role in past Opens but winds coming off the Pacific Ocean. Pebble will play at 6,846 yards, which is considered short for an average PGA Tour professional. However, it won't play as short as you may think because during the week temperatures will vary from the low 60s to the mid 70s, meaning that the ball won't fly as far as you would see on a warm day.

Many will think those who play well in the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am will have an advantage, but that is not necessarily true. Yes, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, and Tom Kite have won both the AT&T and U.S. Open at Pebble, but some of the others who have done well at the AT&T, such as Mark O'Meara, haven't played well at the Opens held at Pebble. What many forget when they compare the AT&T and the Open is that they are played in different seasons, and the professionals only play two rounds at Pebble during the AT&T. In some ways, those that played in the 2000 AT&T won't recognize Pebble during the Open. First, par will be different with the second hole being played as a par 4 instead of a par 5, and the course will have rough, which never is a factor during the AT&T. More importantly, the course will be hard and fast, something that isn't seen in February when the AT&T is played.

Only three of the last16 champions have led after the second round. Maybe the reason so many go down in flames is that instead of playing their same game over the weekend, they get too conservative. No matter what, the Open is always exciting, and the previous three U.S. Opens at Pebble have produced first-class finishes.

Best bets:

Tiger Woods

Of course, Tiger is our main pick. Would you take anyone else? Just like Nicklaus, Watson and Kite, Tiger has won and had success at Pebble in the past. But we pick him because he is playing the best of anyone in the field.

Phil Mickelson

If there ever was a place for Phil to win the U.S. Open, it's at Pebble. Just like last year at Pinehurst, where he was runner-up, Pebble is the type of course that rewards scramblers. Mickelson is one of the greatest at this. He also has won at Pebble in the past, and he is playing very well right now. If there ever was a major that Phil could win, it's this one.

Davis Love III

Just like with Phil, he has a lot to prove, and a victory this week would elevate him to a new level. Yes, he has been playing well in 2000, but he just can't make the key shots at the key time. The golf gods owe him big time, and this would be a perfect time for him to cash in. Can he win? Maybe. Will he be in the top 10? Yes.

Jesper Parnevik

Jesper has had a great year, winning twice, but the big question is can he do it in a major? We think he can. He has the game and the right attitude to contend on Sunday of the U.S. Open.

Vijay Singh

Vijay has a lot of baggage as the Masters champ. He will be bothered from a lot of folks for his time, and that could put a strain on him properly preparing. Also, his putting is sometimes suspect, and that's a problem on courses with small greens. The upside is he is a great player, and his game is tailor made for Open-style golf. Look at his record -- he always wins on tough courses, just like The Masters and the 1998 PGA. This could be his week.

Long shots:

Colin Montgomerie

Again another major with the major question being this -- can Colin Montgomerie finally win one? When they go through the list of best players not to have won a major, his name is on top of the list. Yes, he has done well in Europe, but he has struck out in the United States. It's not really his game that is at fault but his attitude, which really stinks. Everything bothers him -- whether it's the fans, the media or something. If he can go one week with a smile on his face, plugs in his ears, and the attitude that he is the best player in the world, he will win. But that's a tall order. We'll probably see him get beat again.

Tom Lehman

If you believe in destiny, you believe that Tom Lehman will win the U.S. Open. He has finished in the top five in four of his last five Open starts, leading three of those going into the final round. One thing to remember is his performance in 1992 at Pebble. He was an obscure Hogan Tour player at the time, and he finished T6th -- so he knows how well to play at Pebble during the U.S. Open.

Jim Furyk

He has the game to play well on tough courses, and has a good record on Open courses. If he is putting well, look for him to do well.

Darren Clarke

Clarke's game has hit a different level this year. He can very easily contend in this Open. Matter of fact, it would be a big surprise if he doesn't.

Paul Azinger

Don't be surprised to see Azinger play well. Has had some good finishes, not only in the U.S. Open but in the last month on the PGA Tour. He has the game to win and has won at the AT&T Pebble.

Hal Sutton

2000 has been a dream season for Hal. He fought back to become one of the best players on tour today, and a U.S. Open win would cap off his career. Can he win? Yes. Even with putting that is suspect at times, the rest of his game can make up for that void. The big plus is his attitude. He showed us at The Players Championship that he can win under pressure. With Tiger bearing down on him, Hal showed us the will power and mental fortitude it takes to win. Just as impressive was the way he handled things two weeks later at Augusta. Even with a string of missed cuts and everyone reminding him how poorly he played in The Masters, Sutton showed the capacity to change his attitude and like the course instead of hating it. What happened is he finished T10th. That proved to a lot of us that he can win at anywhere, anytime.

Lee Westwood practicing at Pebble Beach before the US Open. Allsport

Lee Westwood

Westwood's game has come around in the last month, making him a quiet favorite for Pebble.

Why they won't win:

Here are a couple of players that I don't think will win the U.S. Open and why. Of course, the last time I had a section like this and said Tiger Woods couldn't win the AT&T Pebble Beach National Pro-Am, he went out and won it.

David Duval

With the U.S. Open being played at Pebble, many think that this puts Duval in the catbird's seat. Not only does he play well at Pebble, but many think his game is perfect for the Open. However, Duval is having major putting problems this year, and that's kept him out of the winner's circle. This is one of the reasons that I don't see him winning this week. Also, he hasn't shown us the type of winning attitude at Hal Sutton, for example, has.

Ernie Els

If you look at Ernie Els's record in the U.S. Open, he always plays well on traditional Northeastern type of courses, such as Baltusrol, Oakmont, and Congressional. But at courses that don't fit that mold, like Pinehurst and Shinnecock Hills, he has missed the cut. Pebble is like the latter courses, so look for him to have a poor week. Another strike against Els is the fact that he hasn't played in any AT&Ts, so he really doesn't know the course.

Justin Leonard

Yes, Leonard's game has come around in the last month, but we feel that his past Open record hampers him. Other than last year, he hasn't played that well in the U.S. Open. We could be wrong, since he did play well at the AT&T in 1999, but that was only a 54-hole affair.

Mark O'Meara

We will hear all of the hype about Mark O'Meara being the prince of Pebble. Yes, he has won five AT&Ts, but he rarely played well in the U.S. Open and has not played well when it has been held at Pebble. O'Meara isn't the same player who won all those AT&Ts as well as the 1998 Masters and Open. Don't look for much from him this year.

Lee Janzen

Just like Els, Janzen is a great U.S. Open player, but we don't expect much from him this year. He has been struggling since his win at Olympic in '98, and he also will struggle this year. Even though he finished sixth in the AT&T in 1993, he has missed three cuts in his last five starts in the AT&T and also missed the cut in '92 Open. Pebble may not be his cup of tea.