Oakmont Country Club, site of this week`s 125th U.S. Open, is renowned as one of the toughest tests in men`s professional golf. Could it be even more challenging this year?
Early reports from players scouting the recently renovated course near Pittsburgh describe conditions using terms like `carnage,` `cooked beyond belief,` and even the `hardest course in the world.`
Fans should brace themselves for a demanding setup featuring ankle-deep rough, narrowed fairways, the infamous Church Pews bunker, and lightning-fast, firm greens that could make putting feel like navigating an ice rink.
“I`ve heard from several players, it`s the hardest course they`ve ever played,” noted Xander Schauffele. “That`s kind of what most people have talked about. Not much detail on why. Just it`s long and the rough is impossible, and you can end up hitting 50-yard pitches trying to get up and down for par on every hole, something of that nature.”
This marks the 10th time Oakmont has hosted the U.S. Open, and the United States Golf Association keeps returning for a clear reason: to provide golfers with their most stringent examination of the season.
“I would say all of the rumors and everything are pretty on point,” added Justin Thomas, who recently played a practice round at Oakmont.
Here`s a look at the field, categorized by their potential:
Tier I: The Clear Favorite
Scottie Scheffler is currently dominating men`s professional golf, leaving others to simply watch his incredible form. Following his PGA Championship win last month and two Masters titles, Scheffler could complete three-fourths of the career Grand Slam with a victory this Sunday.
Scottie Scheffler
Any notion of Scheffler having a slow start is long forgotten. The world No. 1 arrives at Oakmont on another exceptional hot streak, having won three of his last four tournaments (with a combined margin of victory of a massive 17 strokes!), including his 16th PGA Tour win at the Memorial Tournament. He`s showing closing power akin to a legendary closer, converting each of his last seven 54-hole leads.
Oakmont holds positive memories for him; in the 2016 U.S. Open, as a 19-year-old University of Texas sophomore, he shot a 1-under 69 in his first major championship round. He narrowly missed the cut by one stroke after an 8-over 78 in the second round. If he can maintain accuracy off the tee, he will be extremely tough to beat.
Tier II: The Guys Who Can Win
These players are legitimate contenders for the U.S. Open title. They possess the necessary game, mental toughness, and composure to handle four pressure-filled rounds on a course traditionally designed to be the most demanding among the majors.
Bryson DeChambeau
DeChambeau secured his second U.S. Open title at Pinehurst despite hitting less than half the fairways (57%) over the four rounds. His victory was powered by superior driving distance (310.9-yard average), solid approach play, and exceptional putting. He`ll need greater accuracy off the tee at Oakmont, and he wasn`t satisfied with his iron performance at the Masters and PGA Championship. Despite this, he has finished tied for sixth or better in five of his last six major starts.
Rory McIlroy
Rory will aim to overcome the disappointments of last year`s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where he lost a 2-stroke lead with five holes remaining and missed crucial short putts on the 16th and 18th, finishing one shot behind DeChambeau. McIlroy missed the cut in his only previous start at Oakmont nine years ago. His confidence off the tee appears shaky; he missed the cut at the recent RBC Canadian Open after hitting only 13 of 28 fairways in two rounds. McIlroy was reportedly testing new drivers to find one he trusts.
Collin Morikawa
The two-time major champion has been a runner-up twice this season, at the Sentry and the Arnold Palmer Invitational. Morikawa hasn`t claimed a victory in over 19 months, with his last tour win being the Zozo Championship in Japan in October 2023. This winning drought is bound to end soon. He is remarkably accurate off the tee (72.9%) and is a world-class ball striker (67.6% greens in regulation).
Jon Rahm
The LIV Golf League star positioned himself to challenge Scheffler on the final day of the PGA Championship but faltered late. Rahm, winner of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, has finished tied for 12th or better in four of his last five appearances in this tournament. However, his wild inaccuracy off the tee at Quail Hollow would be disastrous at Oakmont this week.
Russell Henley
Henley earned his fifth PGA Tour victory at the Arnold Palmer Invitational and followed up with strong finishes: a tie for eighth at the RBC Heritage and a tie for fifth at the Memorial. He finished tied for seventh at 1 under in the 2024 U.S. Open. Henley ranks highly on tour in strokes gained: approach (.538) and around the green (.393). His driving accuracy (67.7%) is also tied for 12th, which will be beneficial at Oakmont.
Sepp Straka
Straka is arguably one of the most underestimated players on tour, with two wins already this season at the American Express and Truist Championship. He also boasts five top-10s and 11 top-25s in 13 starts, practically guaranteeing his spot on the European Ryder Cup team. He`ll aim for a better showing this week after missing the cut at the Masters and PGA Championship. He rarely misses fairways (68.5% fairways hit), leads the tour in greens in regulation (71.4%), and is 17th in strokes gained: putting (.427).
Xander Schauffele
Schauffele`s putting appears to be improving, which was previously one of the few weaknesses since his return from a rib injury. He could secure the third leg of a career Grand Slam, having won the PGA Championship and Open Championship last year. Impressively, he has finished in the top 10 in seven of his eight U.S. Open starts, including a tie for seventh last year.
Ludvig Åberg
Inconsistency is perhaps the only barrier preventing Åberg from joining the top echelon of the sport`s elite. The 25-year-old Swedish talent won the Genesis Invitational and finished solo seventh at the Masters. Surprisingly, he ranks lower in some key stats: 77th in strokes gained: total (.214), 109th in approach (-.025), and 129th in putting (-.144). Nevertheless, his overall game seems ideally suited for winning a U.S. Open.
Hideki Matsuyama
The 2019 Masters champion missed the cut at the PGA Championship, ending his streak of making the weekend in 19 consecutive majors. He has finished in the top 10 in two of his last three U.S. Opens, though his driving accuracy (55.3%) could pose a challenge at Oakmont.
Justin Thomas
JT`s blistering start to the season, which included a playoff victory at the RBC Heritage and three runner-up finishes, has cooled slightly. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship and tied for 31st at the Memorial, largely due to a difficult opening-round 80. He did play significantly better on the weekend.
Shane Lowry
Aside from a missed cut at the PGA Championship, the Irishman has been playing consistently as he prepares for his return to Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland in July, the site of his last individual PGA Tour win (the 2019 Open Championship). Lowry and McIlroy won last year`s Zurich Classic of New Orleans as a team. He finished tied for runner-up at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont, three shots behind Dustin Johnson, after holding a 4-shot lead going into the final round.
Harris English
The 35-year-old claimed his fifth tour victory at the Farmers Insurance Open in late January and then tied for second at the PGA Championship, his best major finish. If he can improve his iron play and touch around the greens, his putting is strong enough to put him in contention again.
Patrick Cantlay
It`s been over two and a half years since Cantlay last won a trophy, but he was in the mix on the back nine during the final round at Pinehurst, where he tied for third at 4 under. He ranks within the top 10 in strokes gained: total (1.124) and approach (.628).
Justin Rose
The 2013 U.S. Open champion was runner-up at the 2024 Open Championship and lost in a playoff to McIlroy at the Masters in April, indicating he still has the game to contend. However, he has missed the cut in four of his last five U.S. Open appearances.
Tommy Fleetwood
Fleetwood has been incredibly consistent this season, securing top-22 finishes in all but two of his 12 tour starts. He tied for fourth at the Charles Schwab Challenge and 16th at the Memorial. He is still seeking his elusive first PGA Tour individual victory.
Viktor Hovland
Hovland`s ongoing struggles with his swing have been a persistent theme, but he seemed to be in a better place recently. He remains an outstanding iron player and hits enough fairways, but his short game and putting will be severely tested on Oakmont`s challenging greens.
Aaron Rai
If keeping the ball in the fairway is crucial for success at Oakmont, no one on tour does it better than Rai, who leads in driving accuracy (73.4%). He will also need to perform better on the greens.
Tyrrell Hatton
USGA course setups don`t typically favor Hatton`s game. He has only one top-10 finish in the U.S. Open, a tie for sixth in 2018 at Shinnecock Hills. Despite this, he has been playing like one of the world`s best golfers for some time now.
Corey Conners
The Canadian golfer consistently finds fairways (68.8%) and greens (70%) and has shown improvement in his putting this season. He tied for ninth at Pinehurst last year.
Ben Griffin
It`s remarkable to think that four years ago, the former North Carolina star was working as a mortgage loan officer and considering leaving the sport. Griffin, alongside Andrew Novak, won the team event in New Orleans, and Griffin then secured his first individual title at the Charles Schwab Challenge. He was a runner-up at the Memorial Tournament last week and shows no signs of slowing down, even in his debut U.S. Open start.
Joaquín Niemann
A four-time winner on the LIV Golf League this year, Niemann finally achieved a top-10 finish in a major with a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship. This might be the breakthrough he needed to make a significant impact in the major championships.
Tier III: If Everything Goes Right
This group includes players who could potentially surprise and lift the U.S. Open trophy. This list features former major winners, emerging talents, and others whose game is still developing this season. Can everything align for them at Oakmont?
Tony Finau
Finau seemed to emerge from a slump with top-20 finishes at the Truist Championship and PGA Championship. He tied for third last year after a strong 3-under 67 on Sunday.
Brian Harman
Harman won the 2023 Open Championship in challenging conditions and has made the cut in each of the last five U.S. Opens, including a tie for 21st at Pinehurst. He won the Valero Texas Open in April and tied for third at the RBC Heritage.
Cameron Smith
Smith`s renowned putting skills appear well-suited for Oakmont. However, he missed the cut in his last three major starts, leading some to question if he`s competing enough on the LIV Golf League to remain at the top level.
Matt Fitzpatrick
Fitzpatrick`s tie for eighth at the PGA Championship suggests his form might be returning. He won the 2022 U.S. Open at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, in difficult conditions.
Jordan Spieth
Since becoming the youngest golfer since Bobby Jones in 1923 to win the U.S. Open (at Chambers Bay in 2015), Spieth has only one top-20 finish in nine subsequent starts, tying for 19th four years ago.
Brooks Koepka
The two-time U.S. Open winner used to approach majors with the conviction he was superior to the rest of the field. He hasn`t achieved a top-10 finish in a major since winning his third PGA Championship title in 2023 and missed the cut in the first two majors this year.
Min Woo Lee
`Dr. Chipinski` has had three strong consecutive finishes in the U.S. Open, including a tie for fifth at Los Angeles Country Club two years ago. His form hasn`t been as sharp since the Masters.
Sam Burns
After a quiet period leading into the Masters, Burns has played better golf in the past couple of months. He seemed to have a breakthrough in majors by tying for ninth at the 2024 U.S. Open, and he leads the PGA Tour in strokes gained: putting, a skill that will be invaluable on Oakmont`s challenging greens.
Ryan Fox
The New Zealander secured his spot in the field by defeating Burns in a playoff at the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday. This was Fox`s second win in his last four starts, having also won the ONEflight Myrtle Beach Classic.
Andrew Novak
Novak has been one of the season`s biggest surprises, winning the Zurich Classic of New Orleans with Griffin and losing in a playoff to Thomas at the RBC Heritage. This is only his second U.S. Open appearance.
Patrick Reed
Reed frequently appears on the leaderboard on Sundays at Augusta National but has not had comparable success in the other three majors. His best U.S. Open finish was solo fourth in 2018.
Robert MacIntyre
The Scottish golfer won two national championships last year: the Canadian Open and Scottish Open. He aims to add a U.S. Open title and described Oakmont on a simulator as “absolute carnage, never mind the actual event.”
Daniel Berger
Berger has a couple of top-10 finishes in the U.S. Open throughout his career and was playing well before missing consecutive cuts at the Charles Schwab Challenge and the Memorial.
Davis Riley
Riley had a breakthrough performance at the PGA Championship, tying for second at 6 under, his best result in a major.
Tom Kim
Kim has achieved three consecutive finishes of 26th or better in the U.S. Open, including a tie for eighth in 2023. However, he has struggled on tour over the past two months.
Maverick McNealy
This is McNealy`s first U.S. Open start since qualifying as an 18-year-old amateur at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014.
Akshay Bhatia
After a dip in form in April and early May, Bhatia has played better in recent weeks. He tied for 16th at the 2024 U.S. Open and possesses the necessary shots, particularly on the greens, to contend.
Thomas Detry
Detry isn`t particularly accurate off the tee (56.6%) and has struggled with his irons, but he is an exceptional putter and tied for 14th at Pinehurst No. 2 last year.
Si Woo Kim
Following his record-setting longest ace in major championship history on the 252-yard, par-3 sixth hole at Quail Hollow Club in the PGA Championship, what other impressive feats does Kim have in store?
Keegan Bradley
The U.S. Ryder Cup team captain has missed the cut in four of his last six U.S. Open starts. He tied for seventh in 2022.
Jason Day
Day tied for eighth at 2 over the last time the U.S. Open was held at Oakmont. He hasn`t played on tour since missing the cut at the PGA Championship after injuring his left wrist while moving a bike.
J.T. Poston
Poston tied for fifth at the PGA Championship, his best major finish, and his form was strong leading up to a missed cut at the Memorial.
Denny McCarthy
McCarthy has had three consecutive solid finishes in the U.S. Open, including a tie for seventh in 2022, and his putting gives him an opportunity to make some noise.
Michael Kim
Kim`s form has cooled off after a strong spring stretch that saw him record five straight top-15 finishes. This is only his third U.S. Open start; he was the low amateur, tying for 17th, in 2013.
Davis Thompson
Thompson tied for ninth at Pinehurst No. 2 last year, his best major finish. The 26-year-old is very talented but still working on consistency.
Dustin Johnson
DJ famously navigated a scoring controversy in the final round to win the last U.S. Open held at Oakmont. However, he has not been a factor in majors over the past two seasons.
Wyndham Clark
Clark`s form has been declining for several weeks, and his inaccuracy off the tee (56.5%) and struggling iron play (63.8%) are likely not a recipe for success at Oakmont.
Sungjae Im
He`s another player who generally keeps his tee shots in play (68.7%), though he has missed the cut in each of his last three appearances in this tournament.
J.J. Spaun
Spaun has been a runner-up twice on tour this season, losing to McIlroy in a playoff at The Players. He missed the cut in his only prior U.S. Open start in 2021.
Jacob Bridgeman
The former Clemson star could be a potential dark horse this week. He is one of the tour`s best putters, has four top-10 finishes, and performed well at Oakmont in the 2021 U.S. Amateur.
Rasmus Højgaard
Højgaard is a five-time winner on the DP World Tour. He missed the cut in his only previous U.S. Open appearance in 2020.
Joe Highsmith
Highsmith has been a breakout performer this season, winning the Cognizant Classic and tying for eighth at the PGA Championship.
Ryan Gerard
Gerard will look to build on his surprising tie for eighth at the PGA Championship.
Lucas Glover
Glover`s putting has again gone cold, which has limited his contention this season. He played in two previous U.S. Opens at Oakmont, in 2007 and 2016, missing the cut both times.
Matthieu Pavon
Pavon made history as the first French golfer to win on the PGA Tour in January 2024 at a U.S. Open venue, the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines. He finished solo fifth at Pinehurst No. 2 last year.
Nick Taylor
The Canadian golfer has won five times on the PGA Tour but is still seeking success in major championships.
Taylor Pendrith
Another Canadian player, Pendrith has finished in the top 20 in two of his last three majors, tying for 16th at the 2024 U.S. Open and fifth at last month`s PGA Championship.
Adam Scott
The 2013 Masters champion`s peak performance years are likely behind him. He has only one top-10 finish in a major since tying for seventh at the 2019 U.S. Open.
Cameron Young
Young, who was once ranked 13th in the world, had to go through final qualifying to make the field. He has shown improved play recently.
Bud Cauley
After missing over three seasons due to injuries from a 2018 car accident, Cauley is back in the U.S. Open for the first time in eight years.
Stephan Jager
Jäger, from Germany, tied for 21st at the 2024 U.S. Open. He started strongly at the PGA Championship before fading over the weekend.
Tier IV: Hey, Miracles Happen
These players are considered long shots. This tier includes a few older former major champions and established PGA Tour players who would need an exceptional week to contend.
Gary Woodland, Brian Campbell, Cam Davis, Laurie Canter, Mackenzie Hughes, Jhonattan Vegas, Nico Echavarria, Max Greyserman, Sam Stevens, Emiliano Grillo, Matt Wallace, Marc Leishman, Chris Kirk, Tom Hoge, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Byeong Hun An, Thriston Lawrence, Mark Hubbard, Lanto Griffin, Justin Lower, Richard Bland, Eric Cole, Doug Ghim, Carlos Ortiz
Did Vegas find temporary magic at the PGA Championship, where he held the 18- and 36-hole leads and tied for fifth? He has never finished better than 40th in a U.S. Open.
Woodland won the 2019 U.S. Open, Kirk is a six-time tour winner, and Leishman has 14 worldwide victories, including one on the LIV Golf League. They are certainly capable of putting together four solid rounds if their current form allows.
Tier V: Happy to Make the Cut
These players are not expected to be among the contenders unless something highly unusual occurs.
Phil Mickelson, Nick Dunlap, Matt McCarty, Erik van Rooyen, Thorbjørn Olesen, Victor Perez, Niklas Nørgaard, Zac Blair, Chris Gotterup, Will Chandler, Trevor Cone, James Hahn, Adam Schenk
Mickelson, a six-time major champion, recently suggested this might be his final opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam. This is the last year of his five-year exemption from winning the 2021 PGA Championship at Kiawah Island, where he became the oldest major winner.
Mickelson, at 54, has finished runner-up six times in the U.S. Open, most recently in 2013. However, he has missed the cut in four of his last five starts in the event and hasn`t finished in the top 40 since tying for 28th in 2014.
Dunlap won twice on tour last season, once as an amateur and then as a rookie after turning professional. However, he has struggled significantly since then, missing the cut in six of his last nine starts. He has not played on the weekend in any of his five major appearances over the past two seasons.
Tier VI: The Qualifiers
This group comprises players from the 65 qualifiers who are not regular PGA Tour members and not included in the tiers above or below. They earned their spots through local and final qualifying events. Lucas Glover in 2009 was the last qualifier to win the U.S. Open.
Yuta Sugiura, James Nicholas, Roberto Díaz, Ben James, Zach Bauchou, Scott Vincent, Jordan Smith, Joakim Lagergren, Jinichiro Kozuma, Guido Migliozzi, Frédéric Lacroix, Sam Bairstow, Edoardo Molinari, Jacques Kruyswijk, Andrea Pavan, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, Alistair Docherty, Johnny Keefer, Alvaro Ortiz, Emilio Gonzalez, Trent Phillips, George Kneiser, Chandler Blanchet, Justin Hicks, Philip Barbaree Jr., Jackson Buchanan, Ryan McCormick, Bryan Lee, Harrison Ott, Grant Haefner, George Duangmanee, Kevin Velo, Brady Calkins, Joey Herrera, Austen Truslow, Chase Johnson, Matthew Jordan, Takumi Kanaya, Riki Kawamoto, Riley Lewis, Maxwell Moldovan
Nicholas, from New York, played football for one season at Yale before playing four years on their golf team. His grandfather, Dr. James A. Nicholas, was an orthopedic surgeon famous for operating on Jets quarterback Joe Namath`s knee multiple times. Nicholas was the Ivy League Player of the Year in 2019.
Hicks, 50, notably held a share of the first-round lead at 3 under at the 2008 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, the event where Tiger Woods defeated Rocco Mediate in a playoff. Hicks, now a golf instructor, finished tied for 74th at 17 over that year.
Haefner, who played at Wayne State University, had one of the most dramatic moments during “golf`s longest day,” sinking a 60-foot putt on the 36th hole to earn medalist honors in final qualifying at Springfield Country Club.
Tier VII: The Amateurs
These amateur players will attempt to achieve what many notable players like Cantlay, Mickelson, Rahm, and Spieth did before turning pro: win the low amateur medal at the U.S. Open.
Jose Luis Ballester, Noah Kent, Evan Beck, Trevor Gutschewski, Michael La Sasso, Justin Hastings, Lance Simpson, Cameron Tankersley, Frankie Harris, Mason Howell, Tyler Weaver, Jackson Koivun, Matt Vogt, Preston Summerhays, Zachery Pollo
This year`s field includes a significant 15 amateurs, nine of whom advanced through final qualifying, and many of them have compelling personal stories.
Vogt, 34, grew up in Pittsburgh and once worked as a caddie at Oakmont. He played at Butler University and now works as a dentist in Indianapolis. He was the medalist at the final qualifying site in Walla Walla, Washington, and wore a ribbon on his hat in remembrance of his recently deceased father, who used to track his scores.
Howell, a 17-year-old rising high school senior from Georgia, finished 18 under without a bogey over two rounds during final qualifying on June 2. He is committed to play college golf at the University of Georgia starting in 2026.
La Sasso, a junior at Ole Miss, qualified by winning last month`s NCAA Division I individual national championship. The All-American set the lowest scoring average in program history (69.48) and won three times this past season. Tankersley, his teammate at Ole Miss, also made the field through open qualifying.
Gutschewski, who just graduated from Westside High School in Nebraska, is heading to the University of Florida. His father, Scott, is a three-time Korn Ferry Tour winner, and his older brother, Luke, played college golf at Iowa State. Gutschewski earned his U.S. Open spot by winning the 2024 U.S. Junior Amateur.
Benedict Kingsley