Open’s imposing US contender list – your Major Guide

Despite the drama that has plagued the game in recent weeks, men’s golf has never been stronger. And it’ll take one almighty week of play to pinch the US Open from an American, with the host nation boasting a mind-blowing stable of contenders. Here’s your Major Guide for the US Open.

It is time for golf’s warring factions to reunite, as the world’s best lock-horns at the 122nd US Open from Brookline, Massachusetts. The first Major at The Country Club (TCC) in 34 years delivers an opportunity to compete for silverware that matters, against a long list of Americans looking to extend their nation’s recent domination of the men’s game.

With eight golfers currently ranked within the Top 12 in the world, it is unsurprising that 16 of the past 21 Major Championships have been won by those pledging allegiance to the famous stars and stripes. The current crop is arguably the best one generation has ever produced, with a breadth of talent fully equipped with the skills and voracity for success to be the best. 

The Americans primed for Major Glory

Leading the charge is world number one Scottie Scheffler. He might look harmless, but Scheffler is a stone-cold killer on the course with the perfect temperament. An instinctual winner who loves getting into the grind and winning ugly if required. A win this week will have him join Mark O’Meara and Jordan Spieth as the only golfers in the past 65 years to win the first two majors of their careers in one calendar year. 

World number five Justin Thomas patiently waited five years between his first and then second Major titles, the overdue breakthrough win coming at the PGA Championship a month ago. The prolific Tour winner is known for a hot streak and with the monkey finally off his back he could explode with a string of big titles in quick succession. If he does hold the US Open Trophy aloft on Sunday, he will become the first to win consecutive Majors since his great mate Jordan Spieth accomplished the feat in 2015. 

A man who had no issues collecting a brisk brace of Majors is world number seven Collin Morikawa. The 2020 PGA and 2021 Open Champion has encountered a poor run of form in recent months but relishes the big stage and is every chance of turning that around this week. If he reigns victorious in Brookline he will join Tiger Woods, Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka as the only golfers since 1983 to win Major titles in three consecutive years.

For many of their countrymen, the allure of winning their national open to achieve Major Champion status has proven to be a true motivator. In the past six years, Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland, Brooks Koepka and Dustin Johnson all won the US Open to claim their first Major title. Three standouts to potentially join them are Patrick Cantlay, Xander Schauffele and Sam Burns who have the game and credentials to make this progression following extended periods of PGA Tour success. Whether they are mentally ready to capitalise remains to be seen. 

History at The Country Club, or TCC, is also on their side, having hosted many famous American victories. The most notable were ‘The Battle of Brookline’ at the 1999 Ryder Cup and a trifecta of 18-hole playoffs in the three US Opens played to date in 1988, 1963 and 1913 – the latter one of the more celebrated in the history of golf, when 20-year old amatuer Francis Ouimet outgunned his more fancied opponents Harry Vardon and Ted Ray (who had seven Major Championships between them at this point) by five and six shots respectively. Ouimet’s victory is held in high esteem over a century later due to his poor upbringing in a house across the road from TCC’s 17th hole. He fell in love with the game whilst working there as a caddy from the age of 11 before choosing ’honest work’ over a career in golf as it was a rich man’s endeavour at the time. Ouimet eventually entered the tournament with his employer’s blessing and the insistence of USGA President Robert Watson… the rest is history. 

The Best International Hopes

The International contingent will be hoping to harness the underdog spirit of Ouimet in a bid to upset the Americans on their home soil. One man already accustomed to such an achievement is Matt Fitzpatrick, who became the only international winner of any USGA event held at TCC with his US Amateur victory in 2013. The unassuming Englishman has not yet won as a professional on US soil, but is seemingly poised to take this next step following his maiden Top-5 finish in a Major last month and six Top-10’s on the PGA Tour this year. 

Another with the proven ability to overpower the Americans is world number two and defending champion Jon Rahm. The imposing Spaniard is the only International to win the US Open since 2014 and will be looking to recapture top form and personal pride after disappointing Major showings at the Masters and PGA. With a win and two top 10 finishes in his past five starts, he will be determined to capitalise on this upswing by becoming the first International to defend since Scotland’s Willie Anderson in 1905.

But the International who will attract the most support from the gallery this week is Northern Irishman and 2011 US Open Champion, Rory McIlroy. McIlroy’s staunch support of the PGA Tour has him riding an unprecedented wave of goodwill and adoration. He took full advantage of fanfare when defending his Canadian Open crown before throngs of passionate fans last week. It has been eight long years since McIlroy last won a Major title but his recent run of form that includes top 10 finishes at both Majors this year, coupled with his recaptured intensity and zest for competition, has many believing the time is upon us for the popular Ulsterman to break his drought.

Any way you look at it, the 122nd playing of the US Open is going to be memorable. The sheer depth of the field and genuine chances of victory is unprecedented, even with the distracting LIV Golf (and its sad existence) threatening to fracture the talent pool.

The length of the contender list in play at Brookline really is astounding.