There’s Hope for Europeans

One of the longest losing streaks in U.S. Open history is still intact -- no European has won since Tony Jacklin in 1970. That has to change sometime, maybe even at Pinehurst, where Luke Donald is getting some support from Tiger Woods as the most likely European to break the streak.

“The way he plays and the way he plods along, I think he’s got the greatest chance,” Woods said.

Donald, 27, from Hempstead, England, turned pro in 2001 after a standout career at Northwestern, where he was a two-time Big Ten individual champion. He won the 2002 Southern Farm Bureau Classic and has two European Tour victories this year.

At the Masters, Donald tied for third and he has three other top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in 10 events.

Donald said any praise is a reaction to how well he has played this year.

“It’s nice to hear those kind of things, to hear that people believe in me that I have a chance to win most weeks, and hopefully I can get one of those wins soon.”

Said Ireland’s Padraig Harrington: “You know, it’s going to happen sooner or later ... we’re going to get a few wins in the U.S. Open.”

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Forty-nine golfers are making their U.S. Open debuts this week, including Pepperdine star Michael Putman, who advanced through sectional qualifying by shooting 69-66 at Woodmont Country in Rockville, Md.

Putman just concluded a remarkable season in which he set a school record with a 70.58 scoring average in 45 rounds. Putman was a three-time All-American and runner-up at the recent NCAA championships, losing a three-hole playoff to Washington’s James Lepp.

Another qualifier to watch: Conrad Ray.

Current profession? He’s the golf coach at Stanford and a former teammate of Woods.

Ray failed to make it through U.S. Open sectional qualifying, but he earned a trip to Pinehurst as first alternate after Northern Ireland’s Darren Clarke withdrew.

Ray played an all-Pacific 10 practice round Wednesday with Woods (Stanford) and Corey Pavin (UCLA), but his 8:44 a.m. grouping for today’s first round won’t be as star-studded.

Ray will be playing with Graeme McDowell of Northern Ireland and Steve Allan of Australia.

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Two-time champion Ernie Els returns to a U.S. Open venue for the first time since shooting 80 on the final day last year at Shinnecock Hills.

“I’ve had some really frustrating times in majors,” Els said this week. “I don’t know if that was the most frustrating. It was right up there, though.”

Last year, Els took the brunt of a Shinnecock course that turned wicked over the weekend.

Unlike some others, though, Els does not think the USGA will allow similar course conditions to occur at Pinehurst.

“I don’t think they’re going to let that happen again,” Els said.

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The Olympic Club in San Francisco will play host to the 2012 U.S. Open, the USGA announced Wednesday. The course has been the site of four other U.S. Opens, most recently in 1998, when Lee Janzen won. It’s also where Jack Fleck defeated Ben Hogan in 1955.

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As usual, the driving range is one of the busiest places at Pinehurst. There are six brands of balls at the range -- Titlelist, Callaway, Nike, Hogan, Srixon and Bridgestone -- with one major exception.

Woods’ OnePlatinumTW golf balls are sorted out from the rest of the Nike balls by range workers and delivered to Woods so he has his brand to hit. Being No. 1 has its privileges.