US OPEN: Capsules on top players

A capsule look at 10 notable players in the U.S. Open, to be played June 16-19 at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.:

PHIL MICKELSON

Age: 41 (on Thursday of U.S. Open)

Country: United States.

World ranking: 5.

Worldwide wins: 41.

Majors: Masters (2004, 2006, 2010), PGA Championship (2005).

U.S. Open highlight: Nearly making up a five-shot deficit to Tiger Woods at Bethpage Black in 2002 before finishing second.

U.S. Open lowlight: Setting the U.S. Open record with his fifth runner-up finish in 2009 at Bethpage Black.

Why he can win: He's the best player in the field.

Why he might not: Attitude and putting. Perhaps the biggest mental obstacle for Mickelson to overcome is that Rees Jones - his least favorite architect - did the redesign at Congressional.

LEE WESTWOOD

Age: 38. Country: England.

World ranking: 2.

Worldwide wins: 34.

U.S. Open highlight: Missing a playoff at Torrey Pines by one shot.

U.S. Open lowlight: Leaving a downhill, 15-foot birdie putt short on the 18th green to miss out on a playoff at Torrey Pines.

Why he can win: He's the best all-around driver at the U.S. Open, and that never hurts.

Why he might not: While he brings the best combination of talent, form and ball-striking, his chipping remains suspect. And this being a U.S. Open, chipping tends to take a lot of stress off the putting.

IAN POULTER

Age: 35. Country: England.

World ranking: 13.

Worldwide wins: 12.

Majors: None.

U.S. Open highlight: A 69 in the second round at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2005. It's the only time he broke 70 in the U.S. Open.

U.S. Open lowlight: He has finished in the top 10 at every major except the U.S. Open.

Why he can win: Johnny Miller once said Poulter is not a great ball-striker, which is true. Poulter is No. 1 when it comes to self-belief, and his short game is superb, especially the putting.

Why he might not: Rabbit ears. NBC Sports televises the U.S. Open. Johnny Miller works for NBC.

LUKE DONALD

Age: 33. Country: England.

World ranking: 1.

Worldwide wins: 7.

U.S. Open highlight: Bouncing back from a 78 at Winged Foot in 2006 to shoot 69 and make the cut.

U.S. Open lowlight: Having to withdraw after three rounds at Torrey Pines in 2008 with a wrist injury that kept him out of the next two majors and forced him to miss the Ryder Cup.

Why he can win: He's playing the best golf of anyone in the world, and his chipping and putting are flawless at the moment.

Why he might not: Even though he looks like a good U.S. Open player - not long but straight - he is not always straight off the tee. His key to a first major could lie with the driver.

DUSTIN JOHNSON

Age: 26.Country: U.S.

World ranking: 9.

Worldwide wins: 4.

U.S. Open highlight: Building a three-shot lead through 54 holes at Pebble Beach last year.

U.S. Open lowlight: Closing with an 82, the highest final round by a 54-hole leader in nearly 100 years.

Why he can win: He's powerful, fearless, very talented and has a short memory.

Why he might not: He still hasn't shown he has the patience required at a major.

RORY MCILROY

Age: 22. Country: Northern Ireland.

World ranking: 7.

Worldwide wins: 2.

U.S. Open highlight: Closing with a 68 at Bethpage Black in 2009 to finish in the top 10.

U.S. Open lowlight: Missing the cut at Pebble Beach last year with rounds of 75-77.

Why he can win: He has a dynamic, powerful game that produces lots of birdies and a confidence in every shot reminiscent of a young Phil Mickelson. In nine majors as a pro, he already has four top-10s.

Why he might not: His short putting raises questions. Also must be noted that he has shot 80 from the lead in two of the last three majors, including the final round at the Masters. But the public will remember that more than him.

BUBBA WATSON

Age: 32. Country: U.S.

World ranking: 12.

Worldwide wins: 3.

U.S. Open highlight: Tied for fifth at Oakmont in 2007.

U.S. Open lowlight: Rounds of 77-77 at Torrey Pines in 2008 to miss the cut.

Why he can win: His three PGA Tour victories are the most of any American over the last year. More than just length, he sees shots differently from other players. The question is whether he can pull them off.

Why he might not: Two reasons between the ears. He can get down on himself, which is never helpful in the U.S. Open, and he can have a short attention span. Then again, so did Payne Stewart.

MARTIN KAYMER

Age: 26. Country: Germany.

World ranking: 3.

Worldwide wins: 9.

Majors: PGA Championship (2010).

U.S. Open highlight: A 72-72 weekend at Pebble Beach to finish in the top 10.

U.S. Open lowlight: Open with a 76 on a soft day at Bethpage Black that led to his only missed cut.

Why he can win: He has an efficient game, plenty of power and a knack for scoring that already has led him to nine wins in his career. Will come into this U.S. Open with a better attitude than he had at Augusta, where he all but predicted he would fail.

Why he might not: He still struggles to hit a draw, which will come in handy on certain holes at Congressional. The last four major champions haven't shown great form in subsequent majors.

GRAEME MCDOWELL

Age: 31. Country: Northern Ireland.

World ranking: 8.

Worldwide wins: 8.

Majors: U.S. Open (2010).

U.S. Open highlight: Putting his name on the list of U.S. Open champions at Pebble Beach alongside Jack Nicklaus, Tom Watson, Tom Kite and Tiger Woods.

U.S. Open lowlight: Having to return the trophy when he gets to Congressional.

Why he can win: His toughness and clutch putting make him a good fit at any U.S. Open venue. This is the one major that he has never missed the cut.

Why he might not: He seems to be running out of steam following a dream season. Already has two rounds in the 80s since March, and he lost a one-shot lead at The Players Championship by closing with 79.

CHARL SCHWARTZEL

Age: 26. Country: South Africa.

World ranking: 11.

Worldwide wins: 7.

Majors: Masters (2011).

U.S. Open highlight: A 70 in the second round at Bethpage Black in 2009, the first time he matched par in 10 rounds of a U.S. Open.

U.S. Open lowlight: Missing the cut at Bethpage Black for the only time in his four U.S. Open appearances.

Why he can win: Masters mojo seems to last a little while. The last Masters champion who failed to get to the weekend of a U.S. Open that year was Jose Maria Olazabal in 1999, who withdrew with a hand injury after punching a hotel room wall.

Why he might not: Of the last four major champions, Graeme McDowell is the only player to make the cut in his next major.

LOUIS OOSTHUIZEN

Age: 28.

Country: South Africa.

World ranking: 34.

Worldwide wins: 7.

Majors: British Open (2010).

U.S. Open highlight: Playing at Pebble Beach for his first U.S. Open.

U.S. Open lowlight: Missing the cut at Pebble Beach in his only U.S. Open.

Why he can win: His smooth, repeating swing - Geoff Ogilvy called it the best swing in golf, "and it's not even close" shouldn't get him in too much trouble anywhere. Plays within himself, which never hurts in this major.

Why he might not: He has missed the cut in nine of the 11 majors he has played, the exception being his win at the British Open last year and finishing 73rd in the 2008 PGA Championship.

THE CONGRESSIONAL GUARD

STEVE STRICKER

Age: 44.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 4.

Worldwide wins: 10.

Majors: None.

U.S. Open highlight: Tied for the lead at Oakmont in 2007 with nine holes to play.

U.S. Open lowlight: Shot 42 on the back nine Sunday at Oakmont.

Why he can win: He is the highest-ranked American for the first time in his career, is coming off a win at Memorial and has all the tools to win a U.S. Open, particularly his putter. He was a runner-up at Congressional in the AT&T National in 2007. He tied for 13th in the 1997 U.S. Open at Congressional.

Why he might not: Jack Nicklaus said he would be a factor at Congressional. Nicklaus also said after Tiger Woods won the Memorial in 2009 that he would be shocked if he didn't win the U.S. Open.

HUNTER MAHAN

Age: 29.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 18.

Worldwide wins: 3.

Majors: None.

U.S. Open highlight: Posting a 280 at Bethpage Black in 2009 to tie for fifth.

U.S. Open lowlight: One shot out of the lead in the final round at Bethpage Black, his 8-iron hit the pin on the 16th hole, turning birdie into a bogey and ending his chances.

Why he can win: Not many players make cleaner contact than Mahan, off the tee and particularly with his irons. Two years ago at Congressional, shot a 62 in the final round and was runner-up to Woods.

Why he might not: His chipping has not shown to be up to U.S. Open standards. If he misses greens, he could be in trouble.

ERNIE ELS

Age: 41.

Country: South Africa.

World ranking: 22.

Worldwide wins: 62.

Majors: U.S. Open (1994, 1997), British Open (2002).

U.S. Open highlight: His 5-iron into 12 feet on the 17th hole of the final round at Congressional that secured a one-shot lead for his second U.S. Open title.

U.S. Open lowlight: Playing in the final group at Shinnecock Hills in 2004 and shooting 80.

Why he can win: He has a big game for big courses, especially the U.S. Open. He's strong enough to handle the rough, off the fairway and the greens. And he has the memories of winning his last U.S. Open at Congressional.

Why he might not: The last time he returned to a U.S. Open course where he had won, he shot 301 at Oakmont. He is off to one of his worst starts this year, and is desperately seeking answers for his putting.

ANTHONY KIM

Age: 25.

Country: United States.

World ranking: 60.

Worldwide wins: 3.

Majors: None.

U.S. Open highlight: Closing with a 67 at Oakmont in his U.S. Open debut.

U.S. Open lowlight: Shooting an 80 in the third round at Oakmont to fall out of contention.

Why he can win: He won at Congressional in the 2008 AT&T National, and finished third a year later.

Why he might not: He turns 26 on Sunday of the U.S. Open. The question is whether he'll be around to celebrate it at Congressional. He form has been so bad that he no longer is among the top 50 in the world ranking.

K.J. CHOI

Age: 41.

Country: South Korea.

World ranking: 16.

Worldwide wins: 16.

Majors: None.

U.S. Open highlight: Making it through 36-hole sectional qualifying in 2001 to play in his first U.S. Open.

U.S. Open lowlight: Opening with a 78 at Southern Hills in his U.S. Open debut.

Why he can win: He has been hanging around the top of leaderboards at majors for the last several years, and equipped with a big win at The Players Championship, comes into this U.S. Open filled with confidence.

Why he might not: He has missed the cut in five of the 10 U.S. Opens he has played.