The historic Oakmont Country Club will again play host to one of golf's major championships this weekend - the 2010 U.S. Women's Open. All of the world's top players will be there including the entire top ten in the World Golf Rankings. At $20 (free for children 17 and under), it's a reasonably priced major sporting event.
While many fans will undoubtedly be following golf prodigy Michelle Wie and the LPGA's top player and two-time major winner Cristie Kerr, there are plenty of golfers outside of the top ten to watch:
Paula Creamer: One of the youngest and most successful players on tour, Creamer has ten wins under her belt, but is without a major championship. She's finished third a couple of times, but some fans will be waiting to see if she can break through and claim her first major golf title.
Morgan Pressel: At only 22, Pressel is another young gun on the LPGA tour. She already has a major, winning the Kraft Nabisco Championship in 2007. Pressel could easily have two major titles as she finished in a tie for second in the 2005 U.S. Open. She was tied for the lead going into the final hole, when Birdie Kim made, what else, a birdie, to take the title from Pressel.
Se Ri Pak: Pak is a Hall of Famer and one of the best golfers of her generation. With 25 career wins and five major championships, she has little to prove. She hasn't really competed for a major championship since 2006 when she won her last major, the LPGA Championship. Still, many fans will not want to pass up the opportunity to watch an all-time great, even if she's not in contention. Ranked #29 in the world, she still has plenty of game left and may surprise a few people.
Laura Davies: At age 46, Davies is likely out of the hunt for the title, but she falls somewhat in the category with Se Ri Pak - she gives fans another all-time great to follow. Davies is just outside the qualifications for reaching the Hall of Fame - she can get in by winning one more major (she has four) or two other LPGA tour events. Stranger things have happened and she was able to contend as recently as 2004, finishing in the top ten in the British Open. At her age, winning the U.S. Open would be one of the great feats in women's golf history.
Natalie Gulbis: Natalie is many fans' favorite golfer for, well, let's just say a variety of reasons. In addition to her freakishly good looks, some will be following her to perhaps see if ex-boyfriend Ben Roethlisberger makes an appearance. Gulbis has yet to win a major and hasn't had a ton of success on the tour, but I'm sure that likely doesn't mean much to her followers.