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My Shot Look to the stars, not to the stats, if you want to know who will win at Pebble Beach

The difference between winning and losing the U.S. Open won't be
determined by seaside winds, fast greens or strange bounces. The
difference is in the heavens. When and where a golfer was born,
and the energy fields from the alignment of the moon, the planets
and the sun will shape the traits that will determine his success
on the course. The stars say a Capricorn will win at Pebble
Beach, and you know what that means.

Astrologically speaking, Tiger Woods, who was born on Dec. 30,
stands the best chance. Capricorns have dominated the Tour stop
at Pebble Beach for 30 years, winning seven times. Like Woods,
who won the Pebble Beach Pro-Am in February, Capricorns tend to
be disciplined, persistent and patient, useful traits in Pebble's
ever-changing conditions.

Can some other player win? Of course, but he must battle not only
the heavens but Tiger as well. As a Taurus, Hal Sutton has a
tough, practical and enduring nature, but the weather may work
against him because the typical Taurus is slow to adapt to a
fickle environment. On this difficult course, David Duval must
rein in the all-or-nothing philosophy that most Scorpios exhibit.

Winning will be difficult for Phil Mickelson, a Gemini. Geminis
don't have a winning-is-everything attitude, and they are
inconsistent if their energy isn't flowing. As Pisces, Tom
Lehman, Jesper Parnevik and Vijay Singh could do well because
Pisces are the most intuitive and adaptable. Only one Pisces has
won either the Open (Andy North) or the Pebble Beach Pro-Am
(Peter Jacobsen) in 30 years. Colin Montgomerie is a Cancer, and
the Open can bring out the fears and insecurities that
Moonchildren conjure up to feed their fertile imaginations. The
last Cancer to win the Open was Payne Stewart in 1999.

Michael Zullo, 58, a 28 handicapper from Asheville, N.C., is the
author of Golf Astrology.

COLOR PHOTO: PATRICK MURPHY-RACEY