Here at Southern Hills' indoor courts 9, 10 and 11 -- otherwise known this week as the U.S. Open Media Center -- the talk among America's hacks centers around three topics: Which is closer to the face of the sun, Mercury or Tulsa?; Why do golfers wear watches when they play?; Can anyone beat Tiger Woods?

It was a pleasant 171 degrees here Wednesday, so I don't think weather is going to be a factor. Nick Price, who won the PGA Championship at Southern Hills in 1994, says the same thing. "Everyone out here is fit," says Price. "Everyone out here can play 18 holes in any kind of heat."

Price obviously hasn't seen Tim Herron these days. Herron won't win the Open, but he will lead the tournament in, "Most Salt Stains on Golf Shirt."

As for the wristwatch thing, who knows? Phil Mickelson wears one during play, so does Colin Montgomerie and a handful of other touring pros. Tiger wears one during those photo-op moments while kissing tournament trophies. Sure, there are endorsement issues, as well as vanity. Whatever the case, the whole thing undermines the golfer-as-athlete argument. After all, you don't see Allen Iverson driving the lane wearing a Rolex strapped to his left wrist.

Which brings us to the Open itself. Can anyone beat Tiger? That's what the hacks are asking. That's what everyone is asking. It has become a Wednesday media center ritual at the Majors.

John Rohde, the fine columnist of the Daily Oklahoman, worked the room and asked 20 different writers for their U.S. Open choices. Not surprisingly, 18 of the 22 picked Tiger. Then he asked for a non-Tiger selection. Mickelson was the chic pick, followed by Justin Leonard, David Duval, Sergio Garcia, Hal Sutton, Ernie Els, Jack Fleck and Ben Hogan, among others. Hogan is something of a longshot, what with him being dead and all.

I listened to several very good golf writers explain why they liked Garcia or Tom Lehman to pull off the upset. In serious, well-reasoned arguments, the writers explained why winning at Colonial (Garcia) means something at Southern Hills. Then there was something about Tommy Bolt in '58 and suddenly I felt my eyelids grow heavy, as if I had been magically whisked away to Latin lecture hall.

The pre-Open analysis is nice, but useless. The late, great Jim Murray of the Los Angeles Times proved that much in 1990, when he jokingly wrote a column about his Open pick: tour grinder Mike Donald. Donald almost won the dang thing, finishing second to Hale Irwin in the first-ever sudden death playoff hole in Open history. No one was more surprised then Donald, followed by Murray.

As for me, I'm taking Mickelson in this thing.

I'm trying to get a Rolex deal.