U.S. Open Preview

The second best week of the golf calendar is upon us: it is U.S. Open week. This week, the world’s best will tee it up at arguably the toughest test in golf: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York. Before I get into what is at stake for the best players in the world, it is important to note some of the amazing opportunities this event offers.

Being a national championship, the U.S. Open is open to anyone with a 0.4 handicap or better. Those near the scratch mark have the opportunity to qualify for America’s national championship. First, it is local qualifying, and if you survive that, you make it to final qualifying, 36 holes in one day – also known as golf’s longest day – 10 days before the major begins.

Last week, I was lucky enough to play at a club that was hosting final qualifying – in fact, it was the day before – and I got to see players, PGA TOUR professionals, college players, and regular amateurs who made it through the first round of qualifying. As I waited to start my round (on the club’s other course), I got to watch these men tune their game up for a chance to play in golf’s toughest test – it was quite a sight to see.

But now to what’s at stake. Last spring, Rory McIlroy won his first Masters Tournament to complete the career grand slam. This week, he has the opportunity to win his second U.S. Open and the third leg of a second career grand slam. For Jon Rahm, it would be a second U.S. Open, and to possibly become the best of those who left for LIV Golf, as the venture slowly dies. For Cameron Young, it would mean losing the title of ‘Best Player without a Major’ at a course just a few hours from where he grew up in Westchester County.

There are also those without a major looking to break through: Tommy Fleetwood, Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Cantlay, and Sam Burns, among many others. For Justin Rose, it would be a second career U.S. Open title, 13 years after his first, to put a cherry on top of a stellar second half of his career. JJ Spaun has the ability to become the first back-to-back champion since Brooks Koepka did so at Shinnecock in 2018.

And then there is the man to beat. The world-number-one and heavy favorite, Scottie Scheffler. Scottie has been knocking on the doorstep all season, and it feels like the stars are aligning in his favor. This upcoming Sunday is his 30th birthday and his first Father’s Day as a dad of two. A win this week would also complete the career grand slam. 

What a week we have in store for us on the rolling hills of Shinnecock.