Although Buffalo has yet to receive official coronation as the Vegas of the Great Lakes, the Monaco of the Midwest, it is only a matter of time. As such, I will go out on a limb hyar and give you my six picks to win today’s Open championship. Keep in mind that my selections are based solely on one fact: ludicrous abstention from major championship success.

We begin with Stewart Cink and Chris DiMarco. Cink three-putted in 2001 from some two yards to give away a playoff opportunity for the US Open. He hasn’t been the same since, although he was recently the subject of a tell-all confessional in a golf magazine of considerable thickness. DiMarco has lost two playoffs for a major championship, and is the defending runner-up to the estimable Mr. Woods at the Open championship. Given their relative success as runners-up, accompanied by their current positions of six strokes in arrears, they receive my greatest consideration for success today.

We continue with Padraig Harrington and K.J. Choi. Harrington has long received touting as a major championship contender but, to the best of my recollection, has not really challenged since the 2006 US Open at Winged Foot. He certainly hangs around, as evidenced at Bethpage in 2002, but does not reach th final pairing on Sundays. He is one of those guys who makes the scene, but does not get the girl or guy, depending on how you lean. Choi has reached a certain birth this year, with victories at Memorial and AT&T Version 2.0, missed the cut last month at the US Open, and tied for 27th at Masters. Given this run of mediocrity at majors this year, Choi is a translucent selection for Claret ownership. Harrington, too, should work himself into contention from six back.

Our final couple of likely victors is comprised of Richard Green and Hunter Mahan. They have two of the hottest rounds currently going (both at -4 through 12 and 11 holes, respectively) and are non-major winners momentarily seven shots in Sergio’s rear-view mirror. A few eagles away is a position at -6, close enough to cause a commotion.

There you have it: Cink, Choi, Harrington, Mahan, Green and DiMarco. Your winner comes from that grouping, or I cannot make odds.

DISCLAIMER: RonMon has never actually won a bet, based on predictions and personal performance, in his forty-odd years of life. As such, please disregard any claims made in this blog entry as neighboring lucid commentary.

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