At an unknown LACC, we consult the spirits to select a winner

LOS ANGELES – “It’s got to be Scottie Scheffler,” Harry Cooper said from the clubhouse veranda at Los Angeles Country Club. His skin had a ghostly pallor, and his iced tea seemed to be going right through him. He’d brought his friends to talk about the 123rd U.S. Open.

“Lighthorse” Cooper – so named for his rapid pace of play (he was also called the Texas Tornado) – won the 1926 Los Angeles Open (now The Genesis Invitational) at LACC’s North Course. It was the first big tournament to come to California, and, thanks to the L.A. Junior Chamber of Commerce, it featured golf’s biggest purse: $10,000. Cooper won $3,500.

George Von Elm, the Utah legend who would beat rival Bobby Jones in the U.S. Amateur final later that year, finished second at LACC, three back.

Joe Kirkwood, Jr., a pro golfer and actor who played comic book character Joe Palooka in a series of films, tied for third, as did Al Espinosa of Chicago. Wild Bill Mehlhorn, who liked to play poker and golf in a cowboy hat, was in a large group at T13.

The five were found roaming the grounds amid a thick marine layer earlier this week, and given their intimate knowledge of LACC, PGATOUR.COM sat them down for an ethereal round-table discussion with deceased competitors of a bygone era at LACC. Their comments have been edited for clarity.

Gentlemen let’s get to it. Given that LACC hosted the L.A. Open five times (’26, ’34-36, ’40), you know it as well as anyone, so who wins this week?

Wild Bill Mehlhorn: Collin Morikawa. He won all four of his matches at the 2017 Walker Cup here – I watched the whole thing, didn’t even buy a ticket.

George Von Elm: Isn’t Morikawa injured?

Mehlhorn: He was injured – hurt his back a couple weeks ago, but he’s fine. Said he might just look a bit of a duke of limbs getting the ball on the tee.

Harry Lighthorse Cooper: I’ll tell you about injured. I once hurt myself dancing.

Joe Kirkwood, Jr.: Wait. What?

Cooper: I was all set to play in the 1940 L.A. Open at Riviera, but my wife and I were taking a rumba lesson and she grabbed for me and cracked my thumb. Hurt like the dickens. Missed the tournament and a few more, besides. Good thing I had insurance.

Kirkwood: Viktor Hovland. A bit of an unlicked cub at 25, but he’s coming off a win and the only guy with top-10 finishes in each of the last three majors. Plus, he’s tireless – day after he won the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday he strapped on a bag and caddied for a pal in U.S. Open Final Qualifying!

Von Elm: Big deal. I caddied. We’ve all caddied. Two words: Tony Finau.

Mehlhorn: Well, that didn’t take long. (Puts up air quotes.) Utah’s Golfer of the Century has spoken, and he likes the big bopper from the Beehive State.

Von Elm: Finau’s got a real muscular thrust, which should come in handy on a course with two 290-yard par-3s. He’s more than ready – 12th in the world, fifth in the FedExCup…

Mehlhorn: George is so old he played for the Horse-drawn Wagon Cup. (Laughter)

Kirkwood: Finau was great in “Full Swing,” and he’s got two wins this season, but you surprise me, George. I’d have thought you’d pick an amateur. Maybe the No. 1-ranked Gordon Sargent, or perhaps one of those four Stanford kids. I thought as a past Northern California Amateur champ you may be partial to the Cardinal quartet.

Mehlhorn: Yeah, George, what about the amateurs, someone like the great Bobby Jones?

Von Elm: Phooey. I beat that cow-handed gasser in ’26, I’d beat him today.

Al Espinosa: OK, fine, Finau won the Mexico Open at Vidanta, but let’s see him win it four times in a row.

Von Elm: Oh, here we go.

Espinosa: I’ll take Jon Rahm, who also won south of the border and darn near did it again this year. Four wins this season, including the Masters. First in Par 3 Scoring, first in Birdie Average – need I go on? He’s hotter than Dutch love in harvest.

Cooper: Scottie Scheffler, and anyone who disagrees is dumber than a box of hammers.

Kirkwood: Gee, thanks, Harry.

Mehlhorn: What a surprise, the Texas Tornado picks another Texas Tornado.

Cooper: It’s not just that Scheffler has two wins this year, at the WM Phoenix Open and THE PLAYERS Championship, or the fact that in his last 15 starts he has 12 top-10 finishes – the most on the PGA TOUR by four.

Von Elm: Get to the point, Fred Astaire.

Cooper: It’s the three starts where he didn’t top-10: T11s at the RBC Heritage and The American Express, and a T12 at The Genesis Invitational. His bad is other people’s good. He hits it better than anyone, and Morikawa isn’t the only one who played in the 2017 Walker Cup. So did Scheffler. He knows his way around. Don’t mess with Texas, boys. If he makes anything at all on the greens, it’s over.

Mehlhorn: As long as he forgoes the rumba lessons.