LOS ANGELES — There are several legitimate California dreamers chasing a U.S. Open trophy this week at Los Angeles Country Club.
The 123rd U.S. Open begins Thursday, and it does so with some LA-area natives very much with a chance to hoist the chalice by Sunday night.
The roster of SoCal stars includes Max Homa, Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele, Rickie Fowler and even Phil Mickelson, who’s from San Diego.
Since it was announced in 2015 that the U.S. Open was coming to LA for the first time since 1948, all the locals have looked forward to it.
“This is a major that I cared about when I was like in college and I knew about LACC hosting a U.S. Open,’’ said Morikawa, who grew up in LA. “I didn’t know where my path was going to be. I didn’t know if I was going to be on [the PGA] Tour, if I was going to have to qualify for this.
“I didn’t know where I was going to be, but this is the one that I wanted to make it and be at just because it is home for me. This week means so much. It always will be. It’ll always be really special. That’s just the added bonus and added fuel for me to just go out there and put everything I have and not waste my energy on anything else.’’
Cantlay went to UCLA, which is almost across the street from LACC, and said he’s played the course “dozens of times.’’
“They had announced the tournament in [2015], so it’s been a long wait to get here, and it’s going to be great,’’ he said.
“It’s special,’’ Homa said. “To have a major in my hometown, 18-ish miles from where I grew up, I think that’s a dream come true.’’
Homa, who was born in Burbank, raised in Valencia and learned the game on a double-deck range at Griffith Park, bleeds LA and has been prone to wearing his Dodgers jersey on occasion as a way to show love for his favorite team.
Homa shot 61 in the 2013 Pac-12 Championships at LACC as a senior at Cal and the North Course record still stands.
Ten years later, Homa is a six-time winner on the PGA Tour with two of those coming in his home state.
“It’s cool to be back here,’’ Homa said. “I’ve only played twice since the Pac-12s back then. Just a really cool place. I took my mom to the [2017] Walker Cup here, so we watched Collin [Morikawa]. I have some cool memories of that. It feels kind of like the same place. They added some tees, but nothing crazy. It’s just a really great golf course in my favorite city in the world.’’
Morikawa and Scottie Scheffler, a New Jersey native who grew up in Texas and is the No. 1 ranked player in the world, played on that Walker Cup team together. This week, Homa, Morikawa and Scheffler are grouped together for the first two rounds.
“I know the U.S. Open does themes for their first- and second-round pairings, so it’s nice they put the three good-looking guys together yet again,’’ Homa said with a smile.
Homa said he tried to arrange a practice round with Morikawa this week, but Morikawa had a schedule conflict.
“When we got our tee times, I told him he can’t really hide from me,’’ Homa joked. “I am glad I get to go walk around with him for 36 holes. It’s always cool playing with Scottie. Obviously just a tremendous golfer, really nice dude. It’s a very fun pairing.’’
The 26-year-old Morikawa has won two majors already, but burns to win one in his hometown.
“Stayed at my parents’ house on Saturday night,’’ he said. “Every time I come back to LA, it’s my favorite spot in the world. It’s always going to be home for me no matter where I live, no matter where I move to. There’s just that extra added touch, specialness when you’re playing at home, when you’re playing in the state of California for me. Hopefully, I can put together four really good rounds out here and see what happens.’’
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