American golfer Scottie Scheffler. Photo: Joe Robbins/Icon Sportswire
Scottie Scheffler, who has cemented himself as the pre-eminent force in golf, enters this week's US Open seeking the third leg of a career Grand Slam while Rory McIlroy hopes to reclaim his major magic and Bryson DeChambeau eyes a repeat title.
World number one Scheffler has three wins in his last four starts, including last month's PGA Championship, and is clear favourite at Oakmont Country Club where his driving proficiency, elite short game and patient approach could be the difference.
Oakmont, arguably the toughest course in the United States, is a quintessential US Open venue given its penalising rough, narrow fairways and nerve-testing greens that many expect will ultimately result in a winning score above par.
The physical and mental grind expected this week could open the door for three-times major champion Scheffler, who tends to be in contention wherever he tees it up given his unflappable temperament and exacting style that can wear down a field.
Northern Ireland's McIlroy completed the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors at the Masters in April but at the PGA Championship he finished well out of contention while using a back-up driver after his preferred one failed a conformity test.
Now the world number two, fresh off a missed cut at the Canadian Open, will get another crack at an event where he has endured his fair share of heartbreak in recent years.
At the 2024 US Open, where the Northern Irishman was seeking his first major triumph in a decade, McIlroy bogeyed three of his final four holes and finished runner-up for a second consecutive year.
Bryson DeChambeau of the United States celebrates making a par on the 18th green to win during the final round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort. Photo: AFP
Big-hitting DeChambeau
DeChambeau, looking to become the event's first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018, has become a regular force at golf's biggest events and with five top-six finishes across the last six majors he should be in the mix this week.
The big-hitting DeChambeau, who this year briefly held the final-round lead at the Masters and finished runner-up at the PGA Championship, has become one of the game's biggest draws due partly to his eponymous YouTube channel.
The defending champion also won the US Open in 2020.
Among some of the other notables in the 156-player field at Oakmont are Spaniard Jon Rahm, British Open champion Xander Schauffele and Swede Ludvig Aberg.
New Zealand's Ryan Fox is in good form having won two PGA tournaments in the last month.
Fox has played the US Open six times, missing the cut three times with his best result a tie for 41st in 2018.
A stern test awaits at Oakmont which is hosting a US Open for a record 10th time and first since 2016.
Accuracy off the tee will be paramount given the penal rough lining Oakmont's narrow fairways that lead to greens that could be the fastest players compete on all year.
- Reuters
