Sergio Garcia
With 17 career top-10 finishes in major championships, can Garcia finally shed his 'nearly man' status at the US Open? His recent form would suggest it's a possibility – the world No 22 enjoyed a good run at the Masters – but that's the frustrating thing about the sometimes petulant Spaniard: he's so unpredictable. Garcia has been tied for third or better entering the final round of a major on six occasions; but in five of those he has scored over par.
What we like: One of the best shot-makers of the modern game, Garcia's imagination alone should have been enough for him to capture at least a couple of the big ones.
What's stopping him: A notoriously streaky putter, the Spaniard doesn't exactly excel in the face of adversity – and make no mistake, he, like everyone else, will be confronted with plenty of that in San Francisco.
