By: Christian Goeckel

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

Father’s Day is right around the corner and as we come into the weekend another yearly tradition approaches. Dad and/or grandpa telling us to leave him alone, the U.S. Open is on.

Golf? Who watches golf? Believe it or not, a lot of us do. There’s nothing quite like the state of nirvana you slip into after eating a huge lunch and sinking into the couch, watching pro’s hit shots you dream of hitting. It’s hours of relaxation, sprinkled with moments of heart stopping majesty. And Dad deserves that on his day right?

Now I get it, why would you want to watch that? It’s not like bowl season or march madness, where you have betting pools going on. It can be a little tedious watching guys you’ve never even heard of. “Where’s Tiger?” “Wait, Phil isn’t playing because of his daughter’s graduation?” All valid points, but if you can find a couple guys that you have vested interest in watching, it changes everything. So, to help you find those guys, here’s a list of a bunch of dudes with ties to the area. Who doesn’t love pulling for the hometown guy?

Harris English: Harris is about as hometown as it gets. The Valdosta resident is a UGA grad and apparently loved Frat beach so much that he now calls St. Simons home. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2016 T-37

Zach Johnson: This former Masters and Open champion currently resides on St. Simons, and trains at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center. Johnson is one of the most respected men on tour, and is a wonderful ambassador for the Golden Isles. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2016 T-8

Kevin Kisner: Another St. Simons resident and another Dawg. Kisner has been one of the most consistent players on Tour, with his name seemingly stuck on the leaderboards. The winner of two events on Tour, Kevin also trains at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2015 T-12

Matt Kuchar: KUUUUUUUCHHHH! Matt Kuchar is a fan favorite on tour, ever since he played as an amateur at the Masters twice while at Georgia Tech. A Sea Island resident, Kuchar has eight career top 10 finishes in Majors, and has been a member of the last 4 Ryder Cup teams. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2010 T-10

Patrick Reed: Reed, an Augusta State grad, is one of the fastest rising stars in the game. In just his sixth year on tour, Reed has put together 5 wins to go along with 2 Ryder Cup appearances. His aggressive play and fiery attitude has made him a great player to watch. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2015 T-14

Brandt Snedeker: The golden locks of Brandt Snedeker have become a familiar site on Tour. To date, Brandt has 8 wins on tour, and has 8 top 10 finishes in Majors. He is a St Simons resident and trains at the Sea Island Golf Performance Center. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2015 8^th

Bubba Watson: Bubba Watson is just plain fun to watch play. The two-time Masters champion consistently crushes the ball over 315 yards, and has no problem playing a hook out of the woods. The former Dawg is married to another UGA alum, Angie Watson, who played Basketball for Georgia. Highest U.S. Open Finish: 2007 T-5

Davis Love IV: No, that’s not a typo. Davis Love III’s oldest son, Dru (short for quadruple) will be making his U.S. Open debut. The 6’5 Love won’t be doing it alone though. His father, with his 21 tour victories, will be caddying for him this weekend. That’s right, the two time Ryder cup captain and the man many credit for St. Simons golf being where it is will be toting his son’s bag all over Erin Hills. This has to be the best father-son moment in golf since Jack Nicklaus’ Masters win in ‘86.

So, don’t give dad a hard time on Sunday. Sit down and join him. Let him tell you all the stories I just did and all the ones you’ve heard a million times. It’ll be the best part of his day.