Round 2: US Open

Still looking smart with Angel Cabrera still in the lead at Even par. Of my 4 picks, all 4 made the cut (all the players aren't in yet, but it looks like +10 will be the cutline), and two have a good chance to win (Cabrera and Rose).

Yesterday I said those at +2 or worse probably didn't have a chance to win. Now, after round 2, I think that those currently at +4 or better have a chance to win. That's within 4 shots of the lead and with Paul Casey's 66 today, I think it's a good estimate. So, here's the list of those +4 or better:

Cabrera
Watson
Ames
Baddeley
Rose
Fasth
Casey
Pernice Jr
Petterson
Snedeker
Toms
Verplank

Those above who were +1 or better yesterday: Cabrera, Watson, Rose, Fasth, and Snedeker. It will be interesting to see if any of these five players will be within 2 or 3 shots of the lead after Saturday's round.

Announce Team Criticism: ESPN people made excuses for Tiger Woods. They said Tiger hit 5 fairways today, THEN said "that's misleading because some of his shots ended up in the intermediate cut of rough." HELLO!!! Rough is Rough, the stat did not lie. As they say, you're either pregnant or you're not. He's either in the fairway or he isn't. If you ask anyone at the USGA, they will tell you that the intermediate cut is considered rough. And if it isn't rough enough, I'm sure they will let it grow and not cut it. Next year's US Open's intermediate cut will be 3 or 4 inches high if the USGA hears the announce crew suggesting that the intermediate cut isn't rough enough and doesn't penalize.

As for Spaniard Watch: Jose Maria and Pablo Martin advanced, Sergio did not. Although, Sergio did improve from his round yesterday so he has something positive to take away from these two rounds.

I have been listening to the Golf Channel and Steve Sands asked some course guy if the course was dangerous to golfers (in the wake of Mickelson's comments about injuries and ending careers and such). My view: If you keep it in the fairway and hit greens, the course isn't a bit dangerous. If you hit it in the rough, then there are options with varying degrees of difficulty. It's the decision of the player that makes the course harmful. Not the course.