PGA Tour Confidential: Sunday prediction: Who wins, and who is heartbroken?

The question is simple: Who wins on Sunday, and who gets their heart broken?

Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Let's face it, Phil is the people's choice and the sentimental favorite. He showed me a lot by coming back from a lousy front nine and hitting some terrific shots on the back to regain the lead. Though I feel somewhat like a fooled-again-Cubs-fan by saying this, this one might finally be Phil's. The heartbreak will be saved for Schwartzel and Donald and maybe Mahan, and it looks like it's going to come on the final two holes, which kicked an enormous amount of rear ends in the third round.

Alan Bastable, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Winner: I'll take the only guy among the leaders who already has a major title but not the scar tissue from five runner-up finishes at the Open: Charl Schwartzel. Phil, Luke, Stricker, Mahan, and Rose all want (or need) it too badly, and come late Sunday, desire can hurt more than help. Heartbroken: Like I have to answer that.

Ryan Reiterman, senior producer, Golf.com: The best putter, Steve Stricker, wins the U.S. Open on Sunday. Phil Mickelson breaks our hearts once again, but it's softened by Stricker's historic victory.

Jessica Marksbury, assistant editor, Golf Magazine: I know it's not very original at this point, but my vote is for Phil! After five heartbreaking misses at the U.S. Open, this has been his tournament since the very first round. And the storyline just doesn't get any better on Sunday: it's his birthday, Father's Day, and he has the chance to finally achieve the elusive title that he so desperately desires. His first round could have been deemed a fluke of red-eye adrenaline, but his second and third showcased the grit, patience and the determination we have come to expect from a Hall of Famer. I sure hope he gets it done, in dramatic fashion!

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: Well, on Wednesday I picked Rose and Stricker to finish 1-2, so I can't run away from it now. Rose entered the week leading the Tour in total driving -- a big reason I picked him -- and that will serve him well on Sunday. Plus, he's due to finally take home his first major. And obviously, anything short of victory would be crushing for Phil. Can you imagine Rose taking him down again in a callback to last year's epic Ryder Cup singles match? Ouch.

Cameron Morfit, senior writer, Golf Magazine: I think Phil wins. He keeps saying after every round that he played better than he scored. He also keeps bouncing back just when you think he'll fade away, and so I think he really believes he can bounce back Sunday, too, when he gets the odd bad break, as seems inevitable. I think Rose hangs around until the very end and Phil beats him at the end, reversing the result of their Ryder Cup singles match last fall.

Coleman McDowell, contributor, SI Golf+: Winner: Rickie Fowler. He trails Mickelson by four shots, which means nothing at a course like Merion where fortunes change in an instant. He only has one Tour win, but that didn't stop Rory McIlroy at Congressional in 2011 or Webb Simpson in 2012. On the week, Fowler is fifth in greens in regulation (40 of 54) and fourth in birdies (11). And the past four U.S. Open champs were under 30. Fowler definitely fits that category. Heartbreak: Phil Mickelson. He will inevitably have the lead of the Open heading into the final hole, you can just feel it. And as picture-perfect as a win on Father's Day would be, it won't happen. Phil wants this tournament more than ever, and it's right in his grasp. But the tee shot on 18 here at Merion is the most daunting of any on the course. And it doesn't get easier from there. Phil won't be able to handle it and will be fitted for a bridesmaids dress once again.

Mike Walker, senior editor, Golf Magazine: Winner: Phil Mickelson. This course has captured Mickelson's imagination the way Augusta National does, with similar results. The heartbreak: Hunter Mahan. Merion will put too much pressure on his short game to keep up with Mickelson and Donald.

Mark Godich, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Those tears 2013 U.S. Open champion Steve Stricker sheds will also be for the heartbreak he feels for Phil Mickelson, who will finish second at a U.S. Open for a record sixth time. Nobody has played better golf through the first 54 holes than Phil, and that's why I think he won't win. Considering the way he has played from tee to green as well as the number of quality putts he's rolled that could have dropped, Mickelson could easily be four or five shots clear of the field. That's going to come back and bite him tomorrow. That said, I hope I'm wrong.

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PGA Tour confidential: Justin Rose WINS u.s. Open, more heartbreak for Phil

Robert Beck, Simon Bruty/sports IllustratedJustin Rose has earned his first career major title by two shots ... While Phil Mickelson brought home a sixth finalist at the US Open. Every Sunday evening, the editors of Golf leads a roundtable discussion by e-mail. Check each week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors and join the conversation in the comments section below.

1. Justin Rose win the US Open, Phil Mickelson or did he lose it?

Gary Van Sickle, senior writer, Sports Illustrated: Justin Rose has won this time. His ballstriking was superior to Phil and all others. Take Phil's hole-the tenth and he anything that doesn't close. Phil did not lose it, but he did not go and win it. Justin did.

Mark Godich, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Justin Rose has won the open today. Do not shoot even par in the final round and back into nothingness. That said, Phil lost the open on Fridays and Saturdays with all those missed opportunities. It should have been five or six clear of the field when he stepped to the first tee today.

Stephanie Wei, WeiUnderPar.com: Justin Rose has won. Phil lost with those double-bogeymen on the front nine and he did not take advantage of the momentum from the Eagle. Everything is going to make mistakes at the u.s. Open, but Rose has done the best job minimizing his. Wasn't sure how he'd handle the pressure down the stretch. Rose could've * easily * thrown away in those closing holes, but has put up a very brave performance. He raised his 18 and just conveyed, then channeled his inner Ben Hogan on that second shot. He deserves all the credit in the world for that victory.

Jim S-print, senior editor, Sports Illustrated: Rose has won. He hit the shots and putts. Played better down the stretch.

Joe Passov, senior editor, Golf Magazine: travel I regret to say, but Rose has won because historically this tournament goes to the player who makes the fewest mistakes-and it was rose Sunday. Damn, though, the trophy was right there on a plate for Phil-but two terrible wedges pushed tee shots and putts (barely) failure makes you wonder, "what if?"

Jeff Ritter, senior producer, Golf.com: Rose has won. He made clutch Birdie on 12 and 13, and his pars on 17 and 18 were even better. This is heartbreaking for Phil-I think he used that word at least five times in his post round press conference-but he didn't cough up this one. Rosa was simply the best player on Sunday.

Ryan Reiterman, senior producer, Golf.com: You shoot even par Sunday of the u.s. Open, you win. Mickelson was never in control of the tournament enough to suggest that he handed over to Rose.

2. looking at the other names list (Mahan, Donald, Stricker, Fisher, Horschel) was rose as deserving to win, most deserving or not, both from a career perspective and from how he played today?

Van Sickle: It's hard to say that Mahan is deserved when he chopped on the last four holes. The other guys all you fumbled away soon. Rose made five Birdies, one heck of a number at Merion today. The next most deserving could you Jason Day. He showed me something on the back nine. He's got a lot of years ahead of him to win some majors and it will.

Passov: In terms of how he played, rosa was worthwhile. He has no "luck" in something, and his game 18 clutch makes it a worthy winner. But it wasn't like we were all sitting around to question, "When Justin Rose finally is going to win a major?" He was a solid, but not great no. 3 in the world after the Bay Hill and no. 5 arrive at U.s. Open-without a lot of WINS. He was soon hunting in many Major, but rarely with three holes to go. Would have rather seen Stricker, Mahan and Donald ahead of Rose and it would have been nice to see Golf House to ask for Horschel trousers he had grabbed the title.

Ritter: Rose was due to get better at some point. He had already won four times on Tour, with more successful internationally and of course he beat Mickelson head-to-head in that epic Ryder Cup singles match last year. That is a pretty solid pedigree. I thought entry in that day if it wasn't Rose or Phil, might be Fisher, who always seem so unperturbed. I was surprised to see him come over Sunday.

Wei: It was rough to see Steve Stricker make a 8 at the beginning of the round. I think they really deserved a career perspective as he has had a wonderful career still hasn't broken a major. This was probably one of his last chances. Fisher has already an important and Donald and Mahan have had comparable records, but Rose was the only one to step up and win it.

Godich: Career accomplishments have nothing to do with this. On a crowded leaderboard, Rose simply played better than anyone else. He is a deserving champion (and humble).

Reiterman: Rose is without a doubt a worthy champion. He had won only four times on the PGA Tour before his victory at Merion, but talk about four beautiful Trophies-Memorial, national AT&T, BMW and Doral.

S-Print: Totally deserving. He had a good career, with some really good WINS, and took the road difficult after being pronounced a phenom at 17. He had to go and learn to be a professional, a very early transition ever do.

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