The Top 50 U.S. Open Competitors at Oakmont, Ranked

It’s the most wonderful time of the year: U.S. Open week.

So much of what makes this tournament great is in its very name. It’s Open, and a full 73 of the 156 players in the field earned their way through qualifying. There are so many rich stories in that group but it’s unlikely that one of them will win the tournament. A U.S. Open at Oakmont might be golf’s ultimate test, and it’ll almost certainly be won by a player whose name you already know. This, then, is one man’s ranking of the top 50 teeing it up outside Pittsburgh this week.

Use this to help you place a wager, fill out your office pool or simply be a more informed viewer. Happy reading, and happy U.S. Open week.

50. DUSTIN JOHNSON

Age: 40 Data Golf Ranking: 188 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2016

He earns a spot on this list out of respect more than anything, because there’s been little evidence recently to suggest he can even semi-contend. Missed the cut in six of his last eight major starts and shot +12 over two rounds at Quail Hollow in the PGA Championship. All that said, he is a Hall of Fame player and won the U.S. Open the last time it was played at Oakmont. That alone is top-50 worthy.

49. JACKSON KOIVUN

Age: 20 Data Golf Ranking: N/A Best U.S. Open finish: Rookie

The world’s top-ranked amateur locked up a PGA TOUR card at the end of his sophomore year at Auburn a few weeks ago but will return to campus for his junior season. Became the first player in nearly 50 years to win back-to-back SEC individual titles and did it in his first two tries. Shot -11 to get through the Atlanta qualifying site. It’s been a really busy stretch—he went from NCAAs, where Auburn lost in the quarterfinals of match play, to Golf’s Longest Day, to the Palmer Cup, to Oakmont. Good thing he’s 20.

48. PATRICK REED

Age: 34 Data Golf Ranking: 35 Best U.S. Open finish: 4, 2018

A solo third at the Masters was a reminder of what he’s still capable of. He’s far from the best driver of the ball but has made up for it in his career with iron play, short game and putting—a great formula for Augusta National but less so for a U.S. Open at Oakmont, where long and straight will be a must. Another top 5 in a major this week would force Keegan Bradley to consider some things.

47. MIN WOO LEE

Age: 26 Data Golf Ranking: 61 Best U.S. Open finish: T21, 2024

Turns 27 next month and, as of right now, it’s fair to say his public persona dwarfs his on-course accomplishments. That’s not a knock—he’s a cult-like figure and has a terrific brand, he just hasn’t quite blossomed into a world-class player yet. Won his first PGA TOUR event earlier this year at the Texas Children’s hospital but hasn’t managed to finish better than 49th in five starts since. Still prone to the wild miss off the tee and that simply won’t cut it in a U.S. Open at Oakmont. One top-10 finish in 15 major starts thus far.

46. JASON DAY

Age: 37 Data Golf Ranking: 40 Best U.S. Open finish: 2nd, 2011

Dealing with a nagging neck injury that forced him to withdraw from the Truist. Missed the cut at Quail Hollow, where he is a past champion, in the PGA Championship and has not teed it up since. It’s poor timing as he was having a pretty solid season with three top-10 finishes, including a T8 at the Masters. Injuries have been part of the story of his career, unfortunately. Finished T8 at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont in the height of his career—he had six top-10 finishes in eight major starts across 2015 and 2016.

45. JOHNNY KEEFER

Age: 24 Data Golf Ranking: 74 Best U.S. Open finish: Rookie

Baylor grad has been the best player on the Korn Ferry Tour this year after beating the best player on the Canadian Tour last year. Strong play has him inside the top 100 of the world rankings and that got him into Quail Hollow where he missed the cut in his first-ever major championship start. Bounced back the following week with a solo second on the KFT and now gets a crack at his first U.S. Open at the most U.S. Open venue possible.

44. MAX GREYSERMAN

Age: 30 Data Golf Ranking: 42 Best U.S. Open finish: T21, 2024

Late-ish bloomer who got his PGA Tour card for the first time at 29. Had a great rookie campaign to finish inside the top 50 and get into all the signature events.Five top-25s on the year but no top 10s since the American Express in January. Played just four majors in his career but off to a good start in them with three finishes of T33 or better, including a T21 at last year’s

U.S. Open at Pinehurst. Excellent putter.

43. WYNDHAM CLARK

Age: 31 Data Golf Ranking: 84 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2023

Netflix’s Full Swing showed him harnessing his emotions to change the trajectory of his career. It’s been a struggle since and he’s had some proper outbursts, including flinging an iron into an advertisement for one of his biggest sponsors. Iron play has been really poor recently and he’s in serious danger of missing a Ryder Cup you don’t want to miss.

42. JUSTIN ROSE

Age: 44 Data Golf Ranking: 118 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2013

It all depends on your perspective. If you focus on his recent results, no bueno. WD from Truist, missed cut at the PGA, T44 out of 71 at the Memorial, missed cut in Canada. If you focus on the last year of major championships, he’s got two runner-up finishes. Nearly 100 spots between his official world golf ranking (19) and his Data Golf ranking (118)—clearly still has an ability to contend on his weeks. His weeks just don’t come as often as they once did. That’s life.

41. MATT FITZPATRICK

Age: 30 Data Golf Ranking: 51 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2022

The best day of his golfing life came at this tournament at the Country Club three years ago. A lot has changed since: he’s gotten married, changed agents, caddies and now swing coaches—his longtime instructor Mike Walker has been dealing with a personal matter so he’s turned to Mark Blackburn for guidance, who works with his younger brother Alex. There have been some positive-ish signs recently: a top 10 at the PGA Championship and two solid showings at the Memorial and Truist. Encouragingly the iron play has been much better, and that’s what’s held him back over the last 18 months.

40. AARON RAI

Age: 30 Data Golf Ranking: 39 Best U.S. Open finish: T19, 2024

In Ryder Cup contention for Europe but you’d like to see a bit more—his only top 10 this year came at the Mexico Open against a less-than-elite field. He hung around the first page of the leaderboard at the PGA Championship before semi-fading to a T19 finish. Missed the cut in each of his last two starts with a cold putter.

39. BRIAN HARMAN

Age: 38 Data Golf Ranking: 64 Best U.S. Open finish: T2, 2017

A big delta here between his world ranking (27), his FedEx Cup position (22) and his Data Golf ranking (64). Won his third PGA Tour event earlier this year in a battle of attrition at the Valero Texas Open but doesn’t have a top 20 finish in a major since he won his at the 2023 Open in a battle of attrition. He’s a grinder, a mudder, whatever you want to call it, and this week should be another battle of attrition. Often bailed out by his short game, which is one of the best on the planet.

38. RYAN GERARD

Age: 25 Data Golf Ranking: 48 Best U.S. Open finish: T56, 2023

Promising young player who screams North Carolina. He’s from Raleigh, went to UNC and picked up his first major top 10 at Quail Hollow last month. Caught some early success through the Monday qualifying route but had to drop down to the Korn Ferry Tour last year, where he finished 12th in the points to get his card back. Made 15 of 17 cuts so far this year and already more than $2.7 million.

37. JJ SPAUN

Age: 34 Data Golf Ranking: 26 Best U.S. Open finish: CUT in only appearance

Having the best season of his career and ranks a highly impressive fifth in strokes gained approach and 15th in tee-to-green. That’s a good player profile for major championships but he’s struggled a bit in them with a best finish of T23 in eight tries. But this has been a season of breakthroughs…why not now?

36. DANIEL BERGER

Age: 32 Data Golf Ranking: 27 Best U.S. Open finish: T6, 2018

Began the year in excellent form highlighted by a T2 at the WM Phoenix Open. A bunch of high finishes like that one pushed him way up the world rankings and ensured a return to the Masters, where he finished a respectable T21 and followed it up with a T3 at the signature event RBC Heritage. Putter has gone ice cold over his last two tournaments, however, resulting in missed cuts at the Memorial and the Charles Schwab Challenge at Colonial. He’s gritty and that pays off in U.S. Opens—he played in the final pairing on Sunday of the 2018 edition at Shinnecock and took T7 in 2021 at Torrey Pines.

35. JORDAN SPIETH

Age: 31 Data Golf Ranking: 22 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2015

Up to No. 22 in Data Golf’s rankings and there have been some very solid finishes this year: T4 at the WM Phoenix Open, T14 at the Masters, fourth at the Byron Nelson and T7 at the Memorial. Driving the ball as well as he has and still has very hot putting weeks but the irons aren’t where they were at his peak and he’s still prone to the blowup hole. Tied for 37th at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont.

34. NICK TAYLOR

Age: 37 Data Golf Ranking: 49 Best U.S. Open finish: T36, 2009

On a bit of a heater—was solo fourth at the Memorial and squarely in contention through 36 holes at the Canadian Open where he is literally the Logo. Sneaky has six PGA Tour wins with the last three coming in dramatic playoffs. Wins when he gets a sniff but hasn’t gotten a sniff in majors having missed the cut in…gulp…10 of his last 11 major starts.

33. SI WOO KIM

Age: 29 Data Golf Ranking: 20 Best U.S. Open finish: T13, 2017

The legend of Si Woo blossomed at Quail Hollow where he worked his way into semi-contention and picked up the first major top 10 finish of his career. He’s full of personality and shotmaking and one of the more entertaining players to watch, whether he’s four under or four over. Was caught sneaking a few drags out of a cigarette and, when I asked him what that’s about (I’ve never seen him do it), he kept it simple: “getting old and stressed.” Few have played more this year; he missed the Masters for the first time since 2017 and has vowed not to miss it again.

32. TONY FINAU

Age: 35 Data Golf Ranking: 34 Best U.S. Open finish: T3, 2024

It hasn’t been awful by any stretch, but he’s 47th in the Fedex Cup halfway through the season and hasn’t really contended at all. From the 2018 Masters through the 2021 PGA Championship he picked up nine top-10 finishes in 14 tries in the majors and has just one in the 14 since. The issue continues to be the putter—despite switching swing coaches from Boyd Summerhays to Chris Como the ball striking hasn’t really dropped off. He has a big-boy golf game, and this course is as big-boy as it gets.

31. SUNGJAE IM

Age: 27 Data Golf Ranking: 29 Best U.S. Open finish: 22, 2020

Just posted his 100th top-25 finish in 197 career PGA TOUR starts. Flies a bit under the radar due to his lack of media presence (his English remains very much a work-in-progress) and not contending for titles all that often, but he racks up solid finishes and U.S. dollars. His ball striking can get a bit squirrelly and spinny at times and he’s been exposed quite often in U.S. Opens—in six career appearances he has zero top 20s and four missed cuts. He’ll want it as firm as possible.

30. AKSHAY BHATIA

Age: 23 Data Golf Ranking: 32 Best U.S. Open finish:T16, 2024

Still just 23 and already a two-time winner on the PGA TOUR. Went a bit cold after his T3 at the Players Championship but fared nicely at Colonial (T22) and the Memorial (T16). Posted his best-ever finish in a major at last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst. I do, however, worry about his driving at Oakmont, where the rough will be absolutely brutal. He’s 105th in strokes gained off the tee and 157th in driving distance—if he doesn’t find a ton of fairways he’s going to be way back in the rough because he doesn’t carry it all that far with his stock fade.

29. RYAN FOX

Age: 38 Data Golf Ranking: 71 Best U.S. Open finish: T41, 2018

He outlasted Sam Burns to win the RBC Canadian Open on the fourth playoff hole and win his second PGA TOUR event in the span of a month. A late bloomer on the world stage, he’s only been on the TOUR a few years but has found his footing stateside this year. He's in the positive in all key strokes gained statistics this year, but ranks 131st in driving accuracy at just 55.5% of fairways hit; that could prove costly on a week where fairways will be of such importance. But few will be entering feeling better about their games or the current state of their careers.

28. ADAM SCOTT

Age: 44 Data Golf Ranking: 45 Best U.S. Open finish: T4, 2015

The smashing success of Severance has pushed him down the SEO hierarchy. Seems to be adding distance with each passing year but the putter has been very hit or miss since last summer. It was right around now, however, that he caught fire in 2024 and I can’t shake the feeling that there’s a career-capping major in his future.

27. PATRICK CANTLAY

Age: 33 Data Golf Ranking: 12 Best U.S. Open finish: T3, 2024

Another year where he’s racked up boatloads of top 10s, FedEx Cup points, world ranking points, dollars, etc., without really ever contending for a trophy. His play in the non-majors is as consistent as they come but he has put up two duds so far this year in the biggest tournaments, a T36 at Augusta and a putrid missed cut at Quail Hollow. His game would seem to be perfect for U.S. Opens—he drives it long and straight, which is an absolute pre requisite to playing well on the toughest tests in our sport. I just can’t say I’m sure he has the inner fortitude to contend at Oakmont.

26. ROBERT MACINTYRE

Age: 28 Data Golf Ranking: 24 Best U.S. Open finish: T35, 2021

There’s a level of consistency and self-assuredness that he didn’t have earlier in his career. A sure bet to make his second straight Ryder Cup and it feels he’s ready to shoulder more of a burden than only playing twice or three times at Bethpage. Strong finishes this year at the WM Phoenix Open, Bay Hill, the Players and Colonial but disappointing showings in both majors so far with a missed cut at the Masters and a T47 at the PGA Championship. Not much success in U.S. Opens to speak of yet.

25. SAM BURNS

Age: 28 Data Golf Ranking: 19 Best U.S. Open finish: T9, 2024

For as good as he’s been on the PGA TOUR, having one major championship top-10 finish in 20 tries is simply not good enough. He has played on three straight Team USAs (two Presidents Cups, one Ryder Cup) but had fallen out of consideration before a strong last few months—he’s got five top-20 finishes in his last six starts, including a runner-up at last week’s Canadian Open (he had a six-footer to win but missed after a final-round 62) and a T19 at the PGA Championship. Putting has been absolutely lights out this year—he leads the tour in strokes gained on the greens, picking up over a full shot on average this season—and that’s one of the reasons he keeps making these national teams, but you can’t rely on the putter to bail you out at a U.S. Open. I’m more concerned by the 140th in strokes gained tee-to-green.

24. ANDREW NOVAK

Age: 30 Data Golf Ranking: 44 Best U.S. Open finish: CUT in only appearance

He's having a breakout year but needs to step on the gas a bit to get into serious Ryder Cup contention. Got his first PGA TOUR win alongside Ben Griffin and has three top-10 finishes and four other top-20s this season. Missed the cut in both majors he’s played in. Might sound dramatic, but something of a make-or-break week for his chances to get onto Keegan Bradley’s team.

23. DENNY MCCARTHY

Age: 32 Data Golf Ranking: 30 Best U.S. Open finish: T7, 2022

He’s holding tough in the Ryder Cup derby—a second career major top 10 at Quail Hollow helped the cause and he remains the best putter on Earth. That’s never a bad guy to have on your team. Oakmont is a big test and he must have a good driving week to compete as he’s up against it a bit with his lack of distance. T32 or better in the last three U.S. Opens.

22. HARRIS ENGLISH

Age: 35 Data Golf Ranking: 25 Best U.S. Open finish: 3, 2021

A really strong start to 2025 has him back in the Ryder Cup picture. He won for the first time in three-plus years at the Farmers Insurance Invitational at Torrey Pines, a U.S. Open venue itself, and took T12 at the Masters and a very backdoor T2 at the PGA Championship, but they all count the same. Historically the U.S. Open has been his best major—he’s got three top-eight finishes in his last five U.S. Open starts. Just a really solid player, not the flashiest, but that’s the type of no-nonsense style that plays well on these difficult layouts. I like him this week.

21. VIKTOR HOVLAND

Age: 27 Data Golf Ranking: 23 Best U.S. Open finish: T12, 2019

The rollercoaster rolls on. He’s a unique character in the game, constantly tinkering with his swing and who gives him instruction with that swing. His victory at the Valspar came after three consecutive missed cuts—which is to say, out of nowhere—and he has been solid if unspectacular since with five finishes between T13 and T54. Had a stretch of six major top 10 finishes in seven starts from the 2022 Open through the 2024 PGA Championship but no top 20s in his four major starts since. You truly never know what you’re going to get.

20. RUSSELL HENLEY

Age: 36 Data Golf Ranking: 14 Best U.S. Open finish: T7, 2024

Didn’t have a single major top 10 in his first 32 tries but has three in his last 10. That mirrors his progression as a player—he’s hit his stride in his mid 30s, a bit of a throwback timeline in this age of youth on tour. Made his first national team at last year’s Presidents Cup and seemed a shoe-in for Bethpage when he won the biggest tournament of his career earlier this year at Bay Hill, but he missed the cut in the year’s first two majors. As a result, he parted ways with instructor Mark Blackburn, who he began working with just before Bay Hill. The thought process there: I want to go back to what I was doing before, because I really want to make the Ryder Cup team.

19. HIDEKI MATSUYAMA

Age: 33 Data Golf Ranking: 18 Best U.S. Open finish: T2, 2017

Hard to believe he’s only 33, but I digress. Began the year with a record-setting 35-under triumph in Hawaii and has been solid if unspectacular since with seven top-25 finishes in 23 starts but no top 10s in that stretch. In the last four years he’s won the Masters, Genesis, FedEx St. Jude and Sentry. There’s a proven track record of beating world-class fields. I’ve got a hunch this week despite his missed cut at Oakmont in 2016, when he was playing maybe the best golf of his life.

18. TYRRELL HATTON

Age: 33 Data Golf Ranking: 17 Best U.S. Open finish: T6, 2018

His standing in the game hasn’t taken much of a hit since his move to LIV Golf, thanks in large part to a wonderful fall/winter season that brought two DP World Tour trophies at the Dunhill LInks Championship and the Hero Dubai Desert Classic. As such, he’s still a lock to make the Ryder Cup team. Did not tee it up at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont but has played in every major championship since. One top-20 finish in eight U.S. Open appearances. This golf course tests your sanity and his can, at times, teeter on the edge.

17. COREY CONNERS

Age: 33 Data Golf Ranking: 11 Best U.S. Open finish: T9, 2024

Hardly ever has a bad week—that includes the majors, where he’s been inside the top 25 in four straight—which is why the advanced metrics are so high on him. Super steady off the tee (he’s ninth in strokes gained) and is in the positive for putting stats this year, which is impressive for him. Hasn’t yet proven that he has the dog in him required to win a major but he’s always a solid proposition for a top 10 or top 20 bet. Tied ninth at last year’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

16. BROOKS KOEPKA

Age: 35 Data Golf Ranking: 60 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2017, 2018

On one hand, he’s 35 years old with five major championships and two U.S. Opens. On the other, he’s missed the cut in the first two majors of the year and doesn’t have a major top 10 since winning the 2023 PGA Championship. He’s no longer the mainstay on major leaderboards that he was for the better part of a decade, but anyone who lived through the 2015-2021 stretch knows never to doubt this man’s ability in the majors. It’s hard to believe he won’t at least contend for a sixth, and surely Rory McIlroy drawing even with him (and surpassing him in the all-time conversation given his career Grand Slam) lit a fire.

15. MAVERICK MCNEALY

Age: 29 Data Golf Ranking: 28 Best U.S. Open finish: CUT in both appearances

Another Ryder Cup bubbler. He’s climbed up the world rankings rapidly and this is new territory for him—he played his first Masters in April (T32) and makes his first U.S. Open start in eight years this week. A bunch of impressive finishes already in 2025 with a runner up at at the Genesis, a T3 at the signature event RBC Heritage and a T5 on a U.S. Open-like test at Memorial. He’s in his prime, he’s established himself as a pro and there’s tons of motivation to keep pushing.

14. SEPP STRAKA

Age: 32 Data Golf Ranking: 10 Best U.S. Open finish: T28, 2019

Began the season with a win at The American Express, had three top 15 finishes in Florida, won his first signature event at the Truist and took solo third at Muirfield Village. Interspersed between all that good are missed cuts at the Masters and the PGA Championship. Still time to salvage major season and he’s been so consistent in PGA TOUR events that it feels only a matter of time. A top-10 player in the world by ranking and the eye test isn’t far off that.

13. LUDVIG ABERG

Age: 25 Data Golf Ranking: 21 Best U.S. Open finish: T12, 2024

Been a bit of a strange year, hasn’t it? It began with a sickness that saw him lose eight pounds, only to bounce back with the biggest win of his career at the Genesis at Torrey Pines, only to miss two cuts in a row for the first time in his career before the Masters, only to piece his way into contention at the Masters, only to throw up three duds in a row before saving face at the Memorial with a final-round 66. He’s still been one of the best drivers of the ball on tour this year but the approach play has been poor and so has the putting. Golf careers last a long time and this game is hardly linear. We’re not concerned about his long-term future. But it hasn’t been the year we envisioned after his performance at Torrey Pines. Three top-12 finishes and three missed cuts in his first six major championship appearances

12. KEEGAN BRADLEY

Age: 38 Data Golf Ranking: 16 Best U.S. Open finish: T4, 2014

Could be a situation on his hands. He’s playing so well this year that he might play his way onto the Ryder Cup team, and he’s already said he won’t be a playing captain. Told me at Quail Hollow that he’d do whatever he felt would help the team most. What, then, is the threshold for his golf to be so good that it supersedes what he’d add to the team as captain? We might find out. Picked up just the fifth major top 10 of his career at last months’ PGA Championship and followed it up with another top 10 finish at the Memorial. At present, he’s the ninth highest-ranked American in the Data Golf rankings but down in 16th in the Ryder Cup points. Perhaps he draws the line at not picking himself; if he qualifies on points, he’ll play. He’d need a couple huge weeks to get all the way up inside the top 6. Missed the cut at Oakmont in 2016.

11. JOAQUIN NIEMANN

Age: 26 Data Golf Ranking: 8 Best U.S. Open finish: T23, 2020

Make no mistake, that first-ever major top 10 he earned at Quail Hollow (T8) was a breakthrough. Golf’s a mental game—you might’ve heard?—and he’d repeatedly acknowledged that the lack of major success was A Thing. He’s been the best player on LIV Golf this year (he's coming fresh off a win at LIV Virginia) and while you might not be watching, the advanced metrics are and they like what they see. Data Golf pegs him as the world’s No. 8 player, ahead of guys like Xander Schauffele and Ludvig Aberg and Sepp Straka. All that said, he’s yet to even semi-contend in a U.S. Open. Something’s gotta give.

10. BEN GRIFFIN

Age: 29 Data Golf Ranking: 15 Best U.S. Open finish: Rookie

He’d be the Breakout Player of the Year so far if such an award existed. He’s elbowed his way squarely into Ryder Cup contention (he’d be on the team if play started tomorrow) with two victories this year, one on his own ball and one with Andrew Novak, a runner-up to Scottie Scheffler at the Memorial and four other top-10 finishes. He’s transformed his body through daily workouts, creatine and cutting out alcohol and he’s added tremendous speed to his driver. Said after the Memorial that while he’d have been ecstatic with a runner-up finish just a year ago, he felt disappointed not to get it across the line. That’s symbolic of his career transformation and it’s been fun watching him develop before our eyes. First U.S. Open appearance.

9. JUSTIN THOMAS

Age: 32 Data Golf Ranking: 5 Best U.S. Open finish: T8, 2020

JT's been really good in the non-majors and poor in the majors over the last year. That might sound harsh, but he’d say the same, and he has just one top 10 in his 12 major starts (and six missed cuts) since his 2022 PGA Championship victory. Has putted much better this season but enters off two poor approach weeks, an area he’s normally rock-solid in. This doesn’t feel like the best spot for him.

8. SHANE LOWRY

Age: 38 Data Golf Ranking: 13 Best U.S. Open finish: T2, 2016

Told a funny story of playing Oakmont for the first time and walking off mid-round flustered, wondering how the hell he could play on a course so difficult. That was during a practice round for the 2016 U.S. Open—which, naturally, he led by 4 after 54 holes. He was a bystander that Sunday at Dustin Johnson leapfrogged him for the title and that loss still stings. He’s an emotional guy and an emotional player, and he’s given himself so many chances in recent years it’s hard to believe he still hasn’t won a tournament in the United States since the 2016 WGC-Bridgestone. Free-fell down the Masters leaderboard with a Sunday 81 and missed the cut at the PGA Championship, so he’ll be rearing to go for the last two majors of the year.

7. TOMMY FLEETWOOD

Age: 34 Data Golf Ranking: 6 Best U.S. Open finish: 2, 2018

Another great, consistent year with no victories on this side of the pond. Dating back to the Olympic Games last August (where he took home silver) he has been inside the top 25 in 20 of 22 starts. That’s Scottie-like. The play in majors, however, has been a little less elite: he’s gone five without a top 10 after posting three in a row at the 2023 U.S. Open, the 2023 Open Championship and the 2024 Masters. A shoe-in to make the Ryder Cup team and there wouldn’t be many more popular champions than he’d be. Statistically, he checks all the boxes.

6. RORY MCILROY

Age: 36 Data Golf Ranking: 2 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2011

I’m concerned by last week in Canada. I think it’s fair to be. He is, too, saying in no uncertain terms that he will not be using the new TaylorMade Qi35 after a second failed experiment. He shot 78 on Friday at TPC Toronto and spoke freely earlier in the week about a post-Masters euphoria comedown. ““You have this event in your life that you've worked towards and it happens,” Mcilroy said, “and sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again…"Grinding on the range for 3 or 4 hours everyday is maybe a little tougher than it used to be." He then played his worst tournament in years, blowing up on Friday to finish near dead last among PGA TOUR card-holders. To play devils’ advocate…he also said he wants to have a great second half of 2025 after the dreamy first half, and if there’s a player who could flip the switch after a bad week when there’s history at stake, you would think it’d be someone of Rory McIlroy’s gifts.

5. XANDER SCHAUFFELE

Age: 31 Data Golf Ranking: 9 Best U.S. Open finish: T3, 2019

It's fair to say that so far, 2025 has been a disappointment after his two-major 2024. He still never misses a cut but did break his streak of 12 straight major finishes of T18 at the PGA Championship, where he tied for 28th. He hit it longer off the tee than ever but it’s been a bit more crooked, too. A win this week would bring him ¾ to the career Grand Slam and completely shift the narrative. Such is the nature of our sport and the importance of these four golf tournaments.

4. COLLIN MORIKAWA

Age: 28 Data Golf Ranking: 7 Best U.S. Open finish: T4, 2021

Few have played more consistently well in majors since he turned professional—he has 14 finishes of T18 or better in 22 career starts including those two wins in his first eight tries. Not the best run-up of form, however, with a T50 at the PGA Championship and a T20 in the limited-field Memorial in his last two pre-Oakmont starts. Those are fine results for most professional golfers. He’s not most professional golfers.

3. JON RAHM

Age: 30 Data Golf Ranking: 4 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2021

Finally looked like Jon Rahm again in a major at Quail Hollow—at least for 65ish holes. His T8 finish in the PGA doesn’t accurately reflect his role on Sunday, and he continues to be literally an auto-top 10 in LIV events. Having one of the best driving seasons of his career, he’s been in the positive in strokes gained off the tee in 20 straight tournaments. Tied for 23rd as an amateur in the 20216 U.S. Open so there are positive memories to draw back on here.

2. BRYSON DECHAMBEAU

Age: 31 Data Golf Ranking: 3 Best U.S. Open finish: WIN, 2020, 2024

Defending champion, two-time U.S. Open champion and has contended in each of the past five major championships played on U.S. soil. He’s absolutely one of the favorites and will want the rough to be as penal as possible—the more similar a course plays to Winged Foot, the better. Despite slimming down he has not lost any of his distance and, statistically, has been the best driver of the ball on the planet this year. That’s how you get to be so consistent; in addition to contending in five straight U.S. majors he’s had a chance to win each of his last five starts. Tied for 15th at the 2016 U.S. Open at Oakmont in his first major start as a professional. He’s the No. 1 player the PGA TOUR would want back competing in their tournaments. He is a unique figure in the sport: one of the biggest content creators and one of the best players in the world, and he seems to take those two roles equally seriously.

1. SCOTTIE SCHEFFLER

Age: 28 Data Golf Ranking: 1 Best U.S. Open finish: T2, 2022

We’re in running-out-of-superlatives territory. Ben Griffin said we’re living in a Tiger-like period. With each additional dominant win, it’s hard to argue with him. He’s won three of his last four starts, including his third career major and an elite PGA TOUR event, by a combined 17 shots. He has 12 worldwide wins since March of last year and exactly one finish outside the top 25 since last year’s U.S. Open. That week at Pinehurst was the worst of his season, and he admitted he was gassed after winning the Memorial the week prior. Good news is, the schedule changed and the Memorial wasn’t last week, so he enters off a week of practice at home. Oh, and he’s converted nine straight 54-hole leads. He puts himself in position more than anyone, and he’s got the best recent conversion rate. Pretty simple formula, really.

Would you really dare to pick anyone else?