Tee times and pairings for the first two rounds of the Travelers Championship are here.

Travelers Championship week got off to a hot start with the PGA TOUR unveiling their future plans for 2028 and beyond, including an appearance from Tiger Woods prior to CEO Brian Rolapp’s press conference.

But now, it’s time to focus on the golf set to be played at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut.

The field is composed of the TOUR’s best, minus Rory McIlroy, as they fight for the last Signature Event title of the season.

Here are the tee times and pairings for the Travelers Championship.

RELATED:How to Watch the Travelers Championship

Tee Times for the Travelers Championship

Thursday (Round One)

8:15 a.m.: Ryan Fox, Matt McCarty

8:25 a.m.: Tom Hoge, Jackson Suber

8:35 a.m.: Min Woo Lee, Nicolai Højgaard

8:45 a.m.: Lucas Glover, Eric Cole

8:55 a.m.: Ryan Gerard, Jake Knapp

9:05 a.m.: Tony Finau, Ben James

9:15 a.m.: Gary Woodland, Shane Lowry

9:25 a.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Cantlay

9:40 a.m.: Brandt Snedeker, Harry Hall

9:50 a.m.: Nico Echavarria, Hideki Matsuyama

10:00 a.m.: Ben Griffin, Ludvig Åberg

10:10 a.m.: Alex Fitzpatrick, Nick Taylor

10:20 a.m.: Aaron Rai, Maverick McNealy

10:30 a.m.: Russell Henley, Cameron Young

10:40 a.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas

10:55 a.m.: Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele

11:05 a.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Brian Harman

11:15 a.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Mark Hubbard

11:25 a.m.: Alex Noren, Alex Smalley

11:35 a.m.: Rickie Fowler, Jason Day

11:45 a.m.: Michael Kim, Sam Stevens

11:55 a.m.: Kurt Kitayama, Daniel Berger

12:10 p.m.: Brian Campbell, Taylor Pendrith

12:20 p.m.: Keith Mitchell, Ryo Hisatsune

12:30 p.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Adam Scott

12:40 p.m.: J.J. Spaun, Chris Gotterup

12:50 p.m.: Jacob Bridgeman, Sungjae Im

1:00 p.m.: J.T. Poston, Andrew Novak

1:10 p.m.: Sepp Straka, Harris English

1:25 p.m.: Bud Cauley, Viktor Hovland

1:35 p.m.: Justin Rose, Corey Conners

1:45 p.m.: Keegan Bradley, Jordan Spieth

1:55 p.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns

2:05 p.m.: Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood

2:15 p.m.: Sahith Theegala, Mac Meissner

2:25 p.m.: Si Woo Kim, Denny McCarthy

Friday (Round Two)

8:15 a.m.: Alex Noren, Alex Smalley

8:25 a.m.: Rickie Fowler, Jason Day

8:35 a.m.: Michael Kim, Sam Stevens

8:45 a.m.: Kurt Kitayama, Daniel Berger

8:55 a.m.: Brian Campbell, Taylor Pendrith

9:05 a.m.: Keith Mitchell, Ryo Hisatsune

9:15 a.m.: Akshay Bhatia, Adam Scott

9:25 a.m.: J.J. Spaun, Chris Gotterup

9:40 a.m.: Jacob Bridgeman, Sungjae Im

9:50 a.m.: J.T. Poston, Andrew Novak

10:00 a.m.: Sepp Straka, Harris English

10:10 a.m.: Bud Cauley, Viktor Hovland

10:20 a.m.: Justin Rose, Corey Conners

10:30 a.m.: Keegan Bradley, Jordan Spieth

10:40 a.m.: Scottie Scheffler, Sam Burns

10:55 a.m.: Wyndham Clark, Tommy Fleetwood

11:05 a.m.: Sahith Theegala, Mac Meissner

11:15 a.m.: Si Woo Kim, Denny McCarthy

11:25 a.m.: Ryan Fox, Matt McCarty

11:35 a.m.: Tom Hoge, Jackson Suber

11:45 a.m.: Min Woo Lee, Nicolai Højgaard

11:55 a.m.: Lucas Glover, Eric Cole

12:10 p.m.: Ryan Gerard, Jake Knapp

12:20 p.m.: Tony Finau, Ben James

12:30 p.m.: Gary Woodland, Shane Lowry

12:40 p.m.: Robert MacIntyre, Patrick Cantlay

12:50 p.m.: Brandt Snedeker, Harry Hall

1:00 p.m.: Nico Echavarria, Hideki Matsuyama

1:10 p.m.: Ben Griffin, Ludvig Åberg

1:25 p.m.: Alex Fitzpatrick, Nick Taylor

1:35 p.m.: Aaron Rai, Maverick McNealy

1:45 p.m.: Russell Henley, Cameron Young

1:55 p.m.: Matt Fitzpatrick, Justin Thomas

2:05 p.m.: Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele

2:15 p.m.: Kristoffer Reitan, Brian Harman

2:25 p.m.: Jhonattan Vegas, Mark Hubbard

Tiger Woods made a surprise appearance at the PGA TOUR's press conference on Tuesday.

On Tuesday, Tiger Woods made his first public appearance since his car accident in March. He was part of the pre-tournament press conference at this week’s Travelers Championship in Cromwell, Connecticut, where the PGA TOUR unveiled wide-spread changes coming in 2028.

After his arrest, Woods took a step away from golf to seek help and treatment, and that process included a lengthy stay at a rehabilitation facility in Switzerland. While he didn’t take any questions, he did introduce TOUR CEO Brian Rolapp.

Woods played an active role in establishing the TOUR’s new look for 2028 as chairman of the Future Competitions Committee, so it makes sense to see him involved with the unveiling. Still, it’s nice to see him back around the game, and more importantly, looking a lot healthier.

A new schedule, a traveling TOUR Championship and plenty of unanswered questions. Here are the courses that could define the PGA TOUR's next era.

CEO Brian Rolapp’s press conference on Tuesday ahead of the Travelers Championship revealed numerous changes to PGA TOUR’s anticipated 2028 structure and schedule.

RELATED:An Overhaul to the PGA TOUR is Coming in 2028

The “Championship Series” is set to include 15 regular season events outside of the PLAYERS, major championships, international team events and the Olympics. 10 of those events, Rolapp announced, have already been set.

It was also made clear that the TOUR Championship, played at East Lake in Atlanta since 2004, will be overhauled. Now a match-play event, the postseason tournament is set to be hosted across several prestigious venues, some of which have never before hosted a PGA TOUR event per Rolapp.

“I think the goal,” Rolapp said, “is to go to prestigious courses that we’re not there a lot that fans will recognize as prestigious. We’re also not above building things on our own.”

RELATED:Tiger Woods Makes His First Public Appearance Since the Car Accident

The Stadium Course at TPC Sawgrass, Rolapp went on to mention, was constructed in 1980 specifically for the PLAYERS Championship, which has developed into one of the most successful tournaments on the PGA TOUR.

So where will the TOUR actually play in 2028? Though locations and sponsors have yet to be confirmed, let's go through some likely venues for the 2028 season along with some potentially interesting new sites that could fit a match-play tournament.

Potential 2028 Regular Season Sites

With the PGA TOUR slowly revealing pieces of its 2027 schedule, a few things are starting to come into focus. Several of the TOUR's biggest venues seem likely to retain their place in the Championship Series when the new format arrives in 2028.

Venues like Pebble Beach, Riviera, Harbour Town, Quail Hollow and Torrey Pines (recently getting Sentry as title sponsor) will surely find their place on the reconstructed schedule. New, lauded locations like the Blue Monster at Trump National Doral will likely find a spot as well.

RELATED:Love Letter to Pebble Beach Golf Links

TPC courses owned or licensed by the TOUR like River Highlands, Scottsdale, Craig Ranch, San Antonio, and Toronto at Osprey Valley should also find clear landing spots in 2028, though some may end up on the Challenger Series schedule.

Rolapp also specified that courses like TPC River Highlands, located south of Hartford, CT, is a market that doesn’t see many professional sports locally, which is a great opportunity for the PGA TOUR.

The TOUR also appears eager to plant flags in bigger markets it has largely ignored over the years, with Boston and Chicago frequently mentioned as targets. If new venues are coming in 2028, don't be surprised if several are attached to major cities.

Potential TOUR Championship Sites

The PGA TOUR made one thing clear this week: the revamped TOUR Championship is headed for prestigious venues, including some that have never hosted a TOUR event.

Before we start throwing course names around, a couple ground rules.

First, it actually needs to be possible. As much as I would love to see Scottie Scheffler square off with Rory McIlroy on Fishers Island, it would be entirely impractical. There needs to be room for infrastructure and fans, along with feasible methods of getting fans, media and players on-site.

Second, it needs to be a great match-play course. Perhaps the loudest call for a change on the PGA TOUR was the one for a match-play TOUR Championship. Courses best suited for that have high risk and high reward and, as an added bonus, have a particularly exciting (and volatile) closing stretch.

Let’s start with a couple venues that have hosted significant events in the past. For the purposes of simplicity I’m going to avoid regular stops on the current PGA TOUR like Quail Hollow, Pebble Beach and others that occasionally host a major. I’m also going to limit myself to five courses here so I don’t get too carried away.

Medinah Country Club (Course No. 3)

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This one feels like a layup. There’s a reason that Medinah is host of the 2026 President’s Cup and has previously hosted U.S. Opens, PGA Championships, a Ryder Cup and more.

The course also sits outside Chicago, a city full of golf history and one seldom visited by the PGA TOUR. While other local sites like Chicago Golf Club could certainly be more unique, it just doesn’t quite feel realistic, at least in the early stages of the new schedule and Championship.

Los Angeles Country Club

I know this may elicit a groan from some as the stop here in 2023 wasn’t the most glamorous of U.S. Opens, but as a match-play venue I think there is a ton of potential.

Like Medinah (and as the name implies), its proximity to a major city like Los Angeles would play a significant role in this decision. Outside of that, though, LACC does provide the risk vs. reward that you look for in a good match-play course (the driveable par-4 6th comes to mind). Match play tends to bring out the personality of a golf course, and LACC has plenty of it.

Merion Golf Club (East Course)

This pick is driven by the course’s closing stretch. The final six holes are called “The Tragedy”, need I go on?

Beyond that, Merion is another past (and future) U.S. Open course and has been one of the more consistent sites for team and match-play events, particularly for juniors. It is set to host the 2026 U.S. Amateur (alongside stroke-play co-host Philadelphia Country Club) and has held both the Curtis Cup and the Walker Cup within the last two decades.

The Olympic Club

Image: A view of San Francisco as amateur Jackson Herrington plays a shot during the 2025 U.S. Amateur at The Olympic Club. (Photo by Thien-An Truong/Getty Images)

The Olympic Club checks many of the same boxes as Merion. It’s hosted U.S. Opens, U.S. Amateurs and more in its history. It also features a treacherous and strategic closing stretch, and the San Francisco backdrop doesn’t hurt either.

Philadelphia Cricket Club

Maybe I'm wearing rose-colored glasses here, but I loved what we saw from Philadelphia Cricket Club during the 2025 Truist Championship.

It doesn't carry the same championship resume as some of the names above, but it proved it can handle a big event and deliver compelling golf. It boasts a tough finish and could absolutely be the site of some dramatic matches.

RELATED:Love Letter To: The Philadelphia Cricket Club

If the TOUR Wants to Dream Bigger

Other sites like Erin Hills, Bethpage Black, Congressional, Oakmont and countless more deserve a shoutout as possibilities.

That's the realistic list. The fun list starts here.

After all, Rolapp made it clear that the PGA TOUR hopes to visit venues that they have never been to before.

Potential locations include some of the most storied and exclusive clubs in the United States, including Seminole, Pine Valley and Cypress Point, as reported by ESPN.

Bandon Dunes also stands out as a potential host. They’re scheduled to host the U.S. Amateur in 2032 and 2041, and though details on the bracket or format of the match-play are yet to be revealed, having multiple courses available for play could certainly be an advantage.

The same logic could be applied to resorts like Sand Valley, developed by the same family behind Bandon Dunes, or Streamsong—though the Florida heat might deter an August visit.

Chicago Golf Club and Shoreacres, both elite courses surrounding Chicago, shouldn’t be ignored either. Both are historically significant sites that could bear the infrastructural load of a PGA TOUR event and provide incredible backdrops to a post-season match-play event.

While speculation is sure to continue to flow in the coming months and beyond, the full picture will not be revealed for some time. Just 10 of the 15 regular season events for 2028 are filled currently, and information regarding potential host sites for the new TOUR Championship is minimal.

“We look forward to announcing these events soon,” Rolapp said, “and plan to unveil the full PGA TOUR Championship Series schedule in the first quarter of next year.”

A potential historic run from Nelly Korda, a sentimental return for Hannah Green, and Hazeltine reminding everyone why it’s one of golf’s purest tests—three forces shaping the 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship.

CHASKA, Minn. — The LPGA's June gauntlet is almost complete. Over the last four weeks, the Tour's biggest stars have pushed through a four-event sprint that included a U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera, a two-week stop in Michigan, and now the 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National. And for a month that has already asked a lot, finishing here feels especially cruel. It's a proper championship golf course—one that demands thoughtful strategy, full commitment, and near-perfect execution on almost every shot.

That challenge starts with sheer scale. When Hazeltine hosted this championship in 2019, it played at more than 6,800 yards with howling winds and a setup that pushed players well outside their comfort zones. The size of the property is felt almost instantly, which is what makes it such a fun throwback major venue. It's big and beautiful in the way so many classic championship courses are, but it's also exacting. Fairways are framed by thick corridors of trees, water lurks on several key holes, and the greens demand the kind of precision that can make a round unravel quickly if you’re even slightly out of position.

Seven years ago, Hannah Green handled it better than anyone, leading wire-to-wire for her first LPGA win and first major title while this beast of a course steadily chipped away at almost everyone around her. Now she returns to the site of that breakthrough with a very different resume (with a few more wins under her belt), while Nelly Korda arrives chasing history and the rest of the field gets another crack at one of the best major tests in women’s golf.

Hannah Green of Australia blasts from a bunker for her third shot on the 18th hole during the final round on her way toward winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine National Golf Course on June 23, 2019 in Chaska, Minnesota. (Photo by Jamie Squire/Getty Images)

RELATED: What’s Fueling Hannah Green’s Red-Hot Start on the LPGA Tour?

And because apparently this week needed even more weight, the championship will also be played for a record-breaking $13 million purse—the largest in women’s golf history. As if the golf itself wasn’t going to be enough, it’s another signal of where the women’s majors are headed: bigger stages, bigger expectations, and now, bigger checks than ever before.

RELATED:For the First Time in Its History, All LPGA Major Purses Reach $9 Million or More

Let's dive into the story threads that have the potential to make the biggest impact on the third women's major of the year.

Nelly's Hat Trick?

The World No. 1 is chasing history this week after collecting the first two majors of the season—and the question that everyone seems to be asking is: can she go for a third? And dare I say...it seems highly plausible.

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If Korda were to capture the title come Sunday, she'd join a very short and elite list as just the third player to win the first three majors of the year, alongside Inbee Park who did it in 2013 and the legendary Babe Zaharias in 1950. Pat Bradley won three majors in a single season in 1986, but not the first three majors of that year.

And the thing is...Korda's been here before—winning the KPMG Women’s PGA in 2021—but this time the stakes feel a lot bigger with the Hall of Fame very much in sight and her form appears to be sharper. This could very well be one of the most historical weeks in modern women's golf history.

RELATED: Nelly Korda's March Toward Golf Immortality

Hannah Green's Saturn Return

Usually, I'm not one to dabble into astrology, but for the sake of being dramatic, here's my attempt. A Saturn return is a phrase that describes the phenomenon of the planet Saturn orbiting back to the exact place as when you were born, usually occurring between the ages of 27-30. It takes about 29 years for Saturn to make one full revolution around the sun, and it signifies this next phase or chapter of someone's life. A transitional period, where who you are becomes more revealed to you, and the foundation of your legacy is being cemented.

That all seems rather fitting for the 29-year-old Aussie (see what I mean?), who broke through with her win here in 2019. And who are we to go against the cosmos?

She had a red hot start to her 2026 season collecting 4 wins in just as many starts early this year, but has since stalled a bit—her last top-10 came at the Chevron Championship in April.

I wouldn't be so quick to write her off, though. Muscle memory (and the universe) are quite powerful and being back in the place where it all began for her is the right kind of confidence boost to kick things into high gear.

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Hazeltine...Then and Now

At its core, Hazeltine National has long been a place that showcases the best women's golf has to offer. The club's first major championship was the 1966 U.S. Women’s Open, won by Sandra Spuzich, and since then, has emerged as one of golf's best big-stage venues, hosting two PGA Championships, the 2016 Ryder Cup, and a handful of other USGA championships.

That history is part of what made the 2019 KPMG Women’s PGA Championship feel so significant. It wasn’t just another stop on the LPGA calendar; it was one of the clearest examples of the women's game being put on a course with real championship gravitas, the kind of venue golf fans already associate with pressure, prestige, and major moments. And Hazeltine still feels like a fitting home for this championship seven years later, even if the test will look a little different than what players saw a year ago at Fields Ranch East in Frisco.

Last year’s major was shaped by Texas heat and an admittedly bad setup that asked players to survive the elements as much as the golf course itself. Hazeltine possesses a different kind of stress—it's longer, more enclosed, and more traditional in the way it applies pressure. In 2019, that challenge showed up immediately as the course stretched beyond 6,800 yards and forced players into a week of uncomfortable decisions and long-iron execution. This time around, the bones of the test are familiar, but the context is bigger: a deeper field, a richer purse, and a championship returning to a venue that already proved it can bring out both the beauty and brutality of major golf...and I can't wait.

The can't-miss, blockbuster groups to watch at Hazeltine this week.

CHASKA, Minn. — The third women's major of the 2026 season has arrived and it's seemingly flying under everyone's radar. Between the U.S. Open hangover and the recent changes going down on the PGA TOUR, there's been little to spotlight on this major, but there should be. The 2026 KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Hazeltine is packing a ton of punch that deserves your attention.

The week kicked off with the announcement of the largest purse in women's golf history, but will make it truly memorable is the odds of who will hoist the trophy on Sunday.

Nelly Korda is in prime position to capture her fifth win of the season and third consecutive major. But then there's Hannah Green, who won here seven years ago, and she's hoping to re-ignite that same magic. Defending champion Minjee Lee is hoping to capitalize on her success at big events as a three-time major winner, but feels this week will be drastically different compared to the Texas heat of last year. "When we played it last time I remember it was a little cooler and it was playing quite long," Lee said in her pre-tournament press conference. "I think the course itself is totally different to Frisco...just like the layouts and the bunkering, just the look of it is very different."

Minjee Lee poses with the KPMG Women's PGA Championship trophy by the 18th leaderboard after winning the KPMG Women's PGA Championship at Fields Ranch East at PGA Frisco on Sunday, June 22, 2025 in Frisco, Texas. (Photo by Darren Carroll/PGA of America)

RELATED: Three Storylines That Could Define the 2026 KPMG Women’s PGA

How to Watch

All times are eastern.

Thursday, June 25 (First Round)

Early Featured Group

8:00am – 1:00pm Live – Peacock

TV Window

11:00am – 3:00pm Live – Golf Channel

6:00pm – 8:00pm Live – Golf Channel

Late Featured Group

2:00pm – 7:00pm Live – Peacock

Friday, June 26 (Second Round)

Early Featured Group

8:00am – 1:00pm Live – Peacock

TV Window

11:00am – 3:00pm Live – Golf Channel

6:00pm – 8:00pm Live – Golf Channel

Late Featured Group

2:00pm – 7:00pm Live – Peacock

Saturday, June 27 (Third Round)

10:00am – 3:00pm Live – Peacock

10:00am – 12:00pm Live – NBC Sports Network

12:00am – 3:00pm Live – NBC / Peacock

3:00pm – 5:00 pm Live – Golf Channel

Sunday, June 27 (Final Round)

10:00am – 3:00pm Live – Peacock

9:00am – 1:00pm Live – NBC Sports Network

1:00pm – 4:00pm Live – NBC / Peacock

Groups to Follow

Tee times and groups for the first two rounds are now live, view them here.

Here are the featured groups that we have our eye on.

The SSC x PAYNTR collaboration finally lands alongside a lineup of apparel made for long summer days.

For a brand built on nostalgia, storytelling, and not taking itself too seriously, Sugarloaf Social Club's new Americana Dream collection feels right on the money.

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RELATED: Sugarloaf Social Club Just Landed in Golf Galaxy—That's a Big Deal

Headlining the release is the much-anticipated SSC x PAYNTR Summer P.O.P. Eighty Seven, a special edition of one of the most talked-about golf shoes in the game right now. The collaboration carries Sugarloaf's signature personality throughout, from the playful color palette to the subtle details that longtime fans of the brand will immediately appreciate. Alongside it comes the SSC x PAYNTR Summer Slide, giving golfers something comfortable to slip into once the round is over.

But the footwear isn't the only thing worth paying attention to.

Selfishly, the real stars of the collection might be the apparel. The Tech Hoody and Windshirt continue to be two of my favorite tops Sugarloaf has ever produced. They're lightweight, functional, easy to style, and somehow manage to work just as well away from the golf course as they do during a morning tee time.

The collection as a whole captures what Sugarloaf does best: creating products that feel rooted in golf without feeling restricted by it. It's equal parts golf trip, backyard barbecue, and summer weekend escape. If you've been waiting for the PAYNTR collaboration to finally land, now's your chance. Just don't expect everything to stick around for long.

RELATED: Golf Gifts for Golfers Who Don’t Wan’t To Dress Like Golfers

BIG changes are coming to the PGA TOUR in 2028. Here's a breakdown of everything that was unveiled on Tuesday.

Ahead of CEO Brian Rolapp's press conference at the Travelers Championship on Tuesday, the PGA TOUR unveiled widespread changes coming to the league in 2028.

As Rolapp announced at THE PLAYERS back in March, there will be two levels of competition: one for the best players in the world, and one of players hoping to earn their way to the top, as well as young and rising talent.

RELATED: Tiger Woods Makes His First Public Appearance Since the Car Accident

There's a lot of information to go through, so I wanted to break it down into digestible segments. Let's dive in.

PGA TOUR Championship Series

- The season will run February through August.

- There will be 23-24 events, including THE PLAYERS, the four major championships, playoff events, and that year’s team event (Presidents Cup or Ryder Cup).

- 120-player fields, 36-holes cuts (top 65 and ties), and purses of at least $20 million.

- As for membership, a minimum of 90 players will be retained from the prior season’s point list, and 20 spots will be used for promotions from the Challenger Series. Full eligibility will be decided later this year. One note: there will be no alternate list.

- Outside of THE PLAYERS, the major championships, the playoff events, and the Presidents Cup, 10 of the expected 15 events have already been lined up. The remaining events will be filled by existing events or new markets. Those new markets under consideration include Boston, Denver, New York, Philadelphia, San Francisco, Seattle, and Washington, D.C.

-The full playoff format has yet to be decided, but match play will be involved in the postseason. Plus, the TOUR Championship will be held across a rotation of courses, many of which the TOUR has never been to before. Full details on format and locations will come at a later date.

- There is no requirement for members to play in every event.

PGA TOUR Challenger Series

- Events will be 72 holes with a 36-hole cut (top 65 and ties), including amateurs, and a purse of at least $4 million.

- Fields will fill up to 144, but those can be shrunk depending on a number of factors, including available daylight.

- Minimum of 20 events, with a schedule running concurrently with the Championship Series.

- A membership comprised of emerging talent and players looking to earn their way onto the Championship Series

- Challenger events will be held at venues that have traditionally hosted the PGA TOUR.

- Approximately seven events will be held during Championship Series off weeks, and those will have increased consequence, benefits and exposure.

- Membership eligibility and exemption criteria will be finalized later this year

PGA TOUR Championship Series and PGA TOUR Challenger Series members will be eligible to compete only within their respective series.

Promotion and Relegation

- Players who fail to keep their Championship Series status can regain eligibility via a “last chance series.” The “last chance” series will consist of 4-6 events in the fall. Players who are relegated from the Championship Series and fail to make it through the “last chance” series will be eligible for the Challenger Series the following season. More information on the “last chance” series to come later this year.

Fall Schedule

- The new fall schedule will include a limited series of elevated international events with top players from the PGA TOUR Championship Series. These events will be delivered with the DP World Tour as part of the Strategic Alliance.

Other Information

- Q-School will continue, and it will provide access to the PGA TOUR ecosystem (PGA TOUR Challenger Series, “last chance” series, and developmental pathways). More information coming at a later date.

- The PGA TOUR’s developmental pathways—Korn Ferry Tour, PGA TOUR Americas, PGA TOUR University—aren’t going anywhere. Their future will be decided on at a later date.

From local qualifying to golf's toughest setups, no major feels more connected to the game the rest of us actually play.

Every ‌year, ‌right ‌on schedule, we end up circling the same question: “What’s the best major?” The answer I give depends on when you catch me. In April, I'll say The Masters without blinking. By the time Sunday at the U.S. Open rolls around, I'm usually reconsidering everything.

As we recover from another final round at our national championship, I am once again reminded why.

RELATED: 18 Parting Thoughts from the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills

The Masters is playing with a built-in edge. For those of us who live where winter is a real thing, it arrives at exactly the right moment. The range mats are finally being replaced by divots. Golf courses are reopening. The season is officially here.

And then, of course, there’s Augusta National itself. A place most of us won’t ever set foot on, much less play. It’s soaked in history to the point that people tear up walking through the gates. The 12th, the 13th, the green jacket, the pimento cheese sandwich. You don’t even have to explain any of it to someone who follows the sport.

That mythology is earned, and it’s why The Masters sits comfortably in the S-tier of sporting events. In a weird way, the sum of the tournament is greater than its parts. At Augusta, the grass is greener than grass has any right to be—both literally and metaphorically. Even the trash cans are green, meant to disappear into the scenery. Nothing reads as random, it all lives inside a world that feels built.

We return to that same stage every year with decades of shared memory attached to it. That’s the comfort of the Masters. We know the place before the tournament begins.

The U.S. Open, though, is a different animal.

Year after year, we are dropped somewhere new and told to learn how to fly as we fall. Sure, there is always history. This isn’t the first time we’ve watched a Shinnecock U.S. Open, but the questions on the test have changed.

Wyndham Clark didn't win because he knew every contour of the golf course. He won because he adapted faster than everyone else. That's the thing the U.S. Open asks for year after year. The venue changes but the assignment stays the same.

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With the challenges at Augusta are so similar year after year, it lends itself for repeat visitors to have an advantage. Much was made of Rory’s win this year and the amount of reps he put in there.

Of course, the more U.S. Opens you have under your belt, the more you understand the importance of patience in an event like this. But unlike Augusta, you don’t need countless reps on the greens to know that the putt to the Sunday pin on 18 breaks more than you think it does.

Everyone technically starts off at even par every week, but the U.S. Open is one of the few tournaments where it genuinely feels that way. The defending champion doesn't get to lean on years of institutional knowledge. The rookie isn't automatically behind. Everyone gets the same exam.

Oakmont’s church pew bunkers are unique to the pine straw and wire grass at Pinehurst. Pinehurst’s turtle back greens present a different challenge than the dinner plates Pebble Beach has to putt on. Still, when you watch it, they all register as unmistakably U.S. Open, even when the look and feel change completely.

RELATED: Future Sites for the U.S. Open

Each year it packs up and moves on to another course that can hold the weight. Sometimes it’s public, sometimes it’s private. The design changes, the weather shifts, the winning number swings all over the place, but the assignment never changes. Find the best golfer in the toughest conditions.

The Masters is the most exclusive major, and that’s not an insult. It’s supposed to feel hard to get close to. Magic is worthless without the unknown. The gates are well kept.

The U.S. Open is Ying to the Masters Yang. Every spring, thousands go through local qualifying. The lone gatekeeper being a handicap of 0.4 or better. As long as you meet that, the dream is still alive. Even if it's only for 18 holes.

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RELATED: The Qualifier and The Gap

Most fail, almost all fail.

Still, that isn’t really the point. I love that the same championship that ends up at Shinnecock begins with a sign-up sheet.

I love that the national championship still feels like it belongs to the game itself. Maybe that’s also why the rotating sites matter so much. The U.S. Open doesn’t belong to its host course. The championship belongs to golf. You don’t have to enter a lottery to maybe (read:never) get tickets to watch the action. You don’t have to win a TOUR event or the US Amateur to gain a spot. You just need a little bit of cash and the drive to accomplish a dream.

Being able to put things into context always takes the viewing experience from good to unforgettable. The Masters gives me context because I’ve watched it every year of my life.

The U.S. Open gives me context because it doesn’t feel far away from the game all of us play every Sunday. We are watching golfers put squares on scorecards more often than circles. We’re watching Dustin Johnson play ping pong around the 15th green on his way to a snowman. It’s relatable.

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A lot of golfers have also played a public U.S. Open venue, or know someone who has. Even when we haven’t, even when it’s somewhere like Shinnecock, the place feels reachable in a way Augusta never really can. That might be why I keep drifting back to the U.S. Open.

With The Masters, I’m in love with Augusta National and the near-religious experience it puts on.

With the U.S. Open, I’m in love with golf.

On Tuesday, Brian Rolapp is expected to announce sweeping changes to the PGA TOUR's schedule. Before that happens, let's get you caught up on everything we know so far.

The PGA TOUR, CEO Brian Rolapp, and the Future Competitions Committee have teased future schedule changes for the majority of 2026. On Tuesday, we should hear exactly what those will look.

The TOUR's Policy Board will vote on the changes on Monday, and on Tuesday, Brian Rolapp will hold a press conference at the Travelers Championship to disclose everything they've been working on.

If you have no clue what I'm talking about, or just want a quick reminder of everything that's gone down before tomorrow's presser, here's the timeline of everything that's unfolded so far on the schedule-front.

Brian Rolapp at THE PLAYERS in March

Back in March, Rolapp held a wide-ranging press conference during PLAYERS week and outlined what the future of the TOUR schedule could look like. In all, he highlighted six key concepts he, the Future Competitions Committee, and other parties were focusing on.

Number of Events

The TOUR’s goal is to create a schedule that includes 21-26 events, including the four major championships and both the Ryder Cup and Presidents Cup. The slate will run from late January to September. As for Signature events, Rolapp mentioned there are currently eight of them and the goal is to double that number.

Size of Fields

Small fields and no-cut events will be a thing of the past. Field sizes will settle in around 120 players and cuts will be an every-week occurrence. This move would help with consistency and allow fans to understand which players will be teeing it up at each tournament.

Multiple Tours

The TOUR is built on meritocracy. You play well, you earn a spot in the biggest events and the opportunity to play for more money. Rolapp said the plan is to have a TOUR A and TOUR B, of sorts. If players perform well on TOUR B, they’ll earn spots on TOUR A. He used the example of European soccer—the Premier League and Champions League.

Enhancing the Postseason

The TOUR wants to create more drama during the postseason. For years, the idea of moving the TOUR Championship to match play has floated around. Rolapp said not only that is being considered, but also moving the entire postseason to match play. Win or go home.

Open the Season in a Big Way

The TOUR wants to start its seasons with a bang. The idea is to hold a big event at an iconic West Coast golf course. This will lead to primetime golf on the East Coast.

Expanding into Bigger Markets

Rolapp mentioned bigger markets such as Boston, New York, and Washington D.C. being part of the future schedule. This doesn’t mean that small markets will get left behind, but larger cities will be added.

Sports Business Journal Reports New Schedule

At the end of May, the SBJ released the 2027 TOUR schedule through the PGA Championship, and it included a remixed Florida Swing and a season-opener in the California desert.

Rolapp Speaks With Reporters at the Memorial

During a meeting with a small group of media members at Muirfield Village, Rolapp said "significant progress" had been made with the new schedule.

He reiterated the two-track system, with Track 1 being comprised of the best players in the world, while Track 2 held opportunities for players to move up to the main track.

“I think we have lost a lot of that with the smaller fields, no-cut events. The competitive meritocracy that makes this sport great and unique – we’ve gotten away from, and we’re getting back to (it),” Rolapp said.

McIlroy at the U.S. Open

During a pre-tournament press conference at Shinnecock last week, McIlroy shed some more light on the potential two-track system.

"Track 2 is a glorified Korn Ferry event," he said. That's what track 2 is going to be...I just think there's going to be certain events that might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn't pony up $30 million. So that's the tough thing.

"But, look, I'm not in those rooms. I don't know. I play my schedule, and I'll continue to play my schedule...it's funny. Like I think, as they've done all this work, you start to realize that the way the TOUR was before LIV came along was actually pretty good.

"LIV created this false economy where we had to up prize funds and had to cut fields and try to support the top players and all that stuff, which I think needed to happen because that was the only way to retain talent at the time, but now that LIV looks like it's less of a threat, I think, as I said, the old ways of the PGA TOUR weren't actually that bad."

Rolapp at the Travelers Championship

On Monday, the TOUR's Policy Board will vote on it schedule changes, and Tiger Woods is expected to be present for the vote. Rolapp is schedule to hold a press conference at 10 a.m. Tuesday, and it's expected he'll announce what the TOUR's future will look like.

How did Wyndham Clark win the U.S. Open? Two words: short game. So for amateurs who love to dash drivers at the range, here are some tools that will actually help you to lower you scores.

It’s called the driving range for a reason, right? Stretch the back a few times, grab the big-stick, and smash away on driver until the sun goes down. I have nothing against, if that’s what makes you a happier golfer, by all means. But if you want to get better, if you want to break 100, 90, or 80 for the first time, your time can be used more efficiently.

Don’t believe me? Just look at Wyndham Clark’s win at Shinnecock Hills over the weekend.

Scoring better, avoiding blow-ups, and staying in the game resides in one key area many amateur golfers neglect time and time again—everything inside 100 yards.

RELATED:Wyndham Clark Had No Idea His Dad Was Waiting on 18

Clark put on a stripe-show over the first two days. An opening-round 64—admittedly aided by a late-afternoon break from the wind—and a solid 69 (nice) in breezy conditions on Friday. But when the weekend came and it was time to put the tournament away, his short game kept him separated from the field on Saturday and helped seal the deal a day later.

He hit just nine greens during round three, but made par putts from seven-, five-, seven-, five-, six-, and 14-feet to get it in the house with an even-par 70. On Sunday, he hit 11 greens, but made par putts of 15 and 10 feet, among others, to never give away his lead. And mixed in with all those rolls were clutch chips to give him a shot at saving strokes.

RELATED:18 Parting Thoughts from the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills

Did he get some great breaks along the way, too? Of course. To win a major championship, hell, any golf tournament for that matter, luck has to be on your side. But as Gary Player once said, “The harder you work, the luckier you get.”

So, if Clark’s win has finally inspired you to work on your short game, I found a few great training aids that will help you do just that.

It's the morning after Wyndham Clark battled his own golf swing and a crowd rooting for anyone else to join the two-major club. Let's talk about it.

A six-shot lead slowly shrunk but never quite disappeared. That’s the thing with six-shot leads; they afford the opportunity for a wobble or four so long as you can hold your nerve in a few crucial moments.

Wyndham Clark did exactly that at Shinnecock, battling his own golf swing and a crowd rooting for anyone else to join contemporaries Bryson DeChambeau, Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele in the two-major club. There is so, so much to discuss. Without further ado, here are my 18 Parting Thoughts from the 2026 United States Open.

The Level of Vitriol Toward Wyndham Clark Was Actually Surprising

Wyndham Clark might not be your cup of tea. Judging by fan behavior on site and online, odds are he’s not. But surely at some point we can let byegones be byegones? He acted like an idiot at Oakmont. He has admitted as much. But there are figures in our sport who have done a lot worse, and fans still give them a pass.

I don’t mind fans rooting against a player so long as it stays within reason. The villain dynamic pops off the screen. But life is not black and white; there’s a line. Jeering when a ball rolls into a bunker, that’s fine. The oooohhhs when a putt misses: all good. Yelling GET IN THE BUNKER a split second after a guy makes impact? That’s for the birds.

I guess I’m more taken back by the vitriol toward Wyndham than the manifestation of that vitriol. It’s sort of spiraled into something way bigger than it should be. I also don’t think it bothers him all that much. When I had him on the show a few weeks ago I asked him what it’s been like being a target recently and he quipped back, “at least you’re a target.” When asked in his post-round presser about the fan reaction this week he went to a similar place.

“I figured in my mind that this would maybe be the last time (we talked about Oakmont) just because it’s one year removed. I’ll probably always get them, but I hope I don’t become the heel of the PGA. I guess if I am, any press is good press, right?”

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The USGA Got It Right After All

After the last two U.S. Opens at Shinnecock were plagued by course controversies, the USGA got this one exactly right. They walked a tightrope made extra precarious by inconsistent winds, and they walked it perfectly. Three players finishing the week under par, with a -4 winner—that’s right in the sweet spot for modern U.S. Opens. But it’s not just about the numbers or the statistics. We watch this game with our eyes, and this was a comprehensively better watch than the PGA Championship at Aronimink.

Part of that is due to the setup but a huge part is due to the course you’re working with. A makeup artist will always prefer to work on a supermodel. It’s only been a month and I can’t remember a single high-leverage shot from Aronimink, or a single hole that sticks with you. Shinnecock had a half-dozen. The par-3 7th. The par-4 9th, with one of the scarier approach shots on the planet. The devilish 11th, the wind-dependent par-5 16th, the iconic 18th.

But the star of the show for me was the par-4 10th. Options off the tee. Sam Burns laid back on Sunday and had near 200 yards in. Wyndham Clark blasted driver over the hill and had 66 yards in. That green was receptive enough to hold if you could nip a high spinner that landed in the perfect spot, which Clark did en route to a birdie. But if you got your number wrong it careened off the green entirely. There were so many high-octane shots, dicey pins, razor-edge moments.

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Sam Burns' Time Is Coming

Sam Burns at the U.S. Open’s becoming a bit of a thing, isn’t it? Last year he had to hit out of a puddle down the stretch at Oakmont. There were thankfully no puddles at Shinnecock this week, and Burns played some inspired golf on Sunday before his greatest weapon went cold on the final two holes.

He made the type of mid-range putt that had evaded him for most of the day at 16. Then, his veins coursing with adrenaline or dopamine or cortisol or whatever the lifemaxxers talk about, he hit an inch-perfect approach into 17 and had just under 10 feet for birdie. The effort brought Watson at Turnberry to mind, and you never want to go full Watson at Turnberry.

His tee shot on 18 trickled into the right rough and he muscled a 9-iron from 195 to 18 feet just below the hole. Incredibly, Keith Mitchell’s approach finished about a foot short of his, and his birdie effort finishing six inches short gave Burns the perfect teach. It wasn’t to be, and you could immediately tell it’s a putt that he’ll think about his entire career. Winning the Masters is life changing on a different level, but for an American, winning the U.S. Open on Father’s Day is a close second. Which is why Burns was so emotional after his round.

“Yeah, he just said he was really proud. Sorry (tearing up). Just said he was proud, and I think -- I think we both knew how special it could have been for Father's Day, but I know he's proud.”

After starting his major career with 16 finishes of T20 or worse he now has four top 10s in his last nine, including each of the past three U.S. Opens.

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Mr. 70-70-70-70

Another zany scoring fact from this week—Keith Mitchell shot four straight 70s. Per stats oracle Justin Ray, he’s the first person to shoot four straight even par rounds in a U.S. Open. That’s very cool in and of itself, but the even number-ness of the 70s gives it an extra bump.

Pour One Out for the Over-Par Winner at a Major.

With the USGA delaying the golf ball rollback a further two years and potentially not at all, and how the standard of play continues to improve, I’m not sure we’ll ever get one again. From 2006 through 2018 there were six over-par winners—4 in U.S. Opens, Zach Johnson at the 2007 Masters and Padraig Harrington at the 2008 Open Championship. We haven’t had one since and with Oakmont and Shinnecock in the rearview mirror, I don’t see one happening for a good while.

Here Comes Miles Russell

The majority of top American players in recent history made their first major starts at the U.S. Opens. Jordan Spieth in 2012. Brooks Koepka that same year. Justin Thomas in 2014. Scottie Scheffler in 2016. Xander Schauffele in 2017. Collin Morikawa in 2019.

I’m not going to put that pressure on Miles Russell. I’m actively not going to say what you think I’m going to say. But I might just be thinking it.

Not to toot my own horn here—I would never!—but I did think Russell would make the cut this week and I said as much on the show. My reasoning: hitting it straight is paramount in a U.S. Open at Shinnecock, and while many juniors seem to hit it nine miles then figure the rest out from there, Russell approaches the game differently. He was straight before he was long, and he’s still not that long. He has plenty of growing up to do and plenty of growing to do—he still looks very much a teenager—but he cruised to the weekend in a highly impressive major championship debut.

“It was a pretty special week,” Russell said after a tidy 70 on Sunday. “Just to be here was really special, and to make the cut was kind of bonus points. I didn't quite have my best stuff the last two days, but still really cool. Just a great experience.”

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Because Russell’s been the top junior in the country for so long—he was the first player since Tiger Woods to repeat as the AJGA Player of the Year, and he still has another year of junior golf left—it’s hard to believe he’s still just 17. And with the immediate success we’ve seen from Blades Brown, who will almost certainly be playing full-time on the PGA Tour before his 20th birthday, it’s hard to imagine he’s not at least considering going that route. Florida State most definitely has a healthy NIL package waiting for him.

Happy Father's Day, Indeed

Miles Russell tapping in his dad to carry the bag for him walking up 18, on Father’s Day, was an objectively lovely gesture. It was also one of those moves that makes everyone else look like kind of a dick. Like, damn, none of you other players thought to give your dad a lifelong memory when all you have to do is read your own putt on a hole you’re playing for the fourth time? Sort of like when your buddy FaceTimes his wife while on the boys’ golf trip, or when someone gives the newlyweds a super thoughtful, personalized gift when you bought them a toaster off of the registry.

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Some Of Us Should Probably Get Out More

I’m probably the issue here—it’s me, hi, I’m the problem it’s me. I’m absolutely growing a bit cranky in my 30s. But the constant fawning over a press conference when a player says something even a little insightful is nauseating, or a professional golfer practices golf—it’s driving me up a wall.

Last major it was Rory hitting balls after Thursday at Aronimink. Yep, that’s his job. This week it was Harry Higgs talking about confidence after two good rounds to start the tournament. The amount of tweets I saw that were, in essence, this is the best press conference I’ve seen in years.

“Make the choice to be simply just, like, confident and believe in yourself no matter what happens,” Higgs said. “I need to do that in every aspect, every golf tournament. I don't know why it came. Maybe this is just so hard that I could shrug off all the bad things that happened to me a little easier, but man, for the first time in a while I truly thought that, like, yeah, I can do this.

This is Friday. Who knows? I'm sure it's going to be harder tomorrow, and I'm sure it's going to be even harder Sunday.

I haven't had that feeling in a while. I would love to recreate it over the next two days, and if I don't, I'm just going to try my damnedest and see what happens…but I'm coming to the realization that all these guys that do this consistently and win all these deals, I think they just make the choice to do that all the time. I think the results make it maybe a little easier, but only just a little. Those guys wake up and do the work and choose to act and believe that they are the best.

“I don't really see why I can't do that. Yeah, looking forward to trying to do that again.”

Like, really? We’re freaking out about that as like an Oscar-winning speech? On a Friday?

This is obviously nothing against Harry Higgs. He’s a funny, insightful dude. He’s a very good quote. But the scribes’ repeated glorification of mundane happenings at a golf tournament have gone too far.

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Our DOGS of the Week...

Are the five amateurs who made the cut. Five, out of 20! Highly impressive. Let’s give each one some love.

Ryder Cowan, who just finished his junior year at Oklahoma, qualified his way into the field. He’s a top 15 amateur in the world and was up by the lead early in the tournament after an opening 68. He hung around with rounds of 72-72-73 and finished birdie-par to share the low amateur honors with Jackson Koivun.

Koviun, who was playing his last event as an amateur, got into the field by winning the McCormack Medal as the world’s top amateur at the end of last year. One of the best college players in recent memory, he won 11 times at Auburn including three SEC Individual titles and helped the Tigers to win two NCAA team championships. He closed with 68 after playing both weekend rounds with…

World No. 1 junior Miles Russell, who’s already a known commodity in world golf. He closed with 70 to finish a highly respectable T39.

Marek Fleming, a 20-year-old rising junior at South Carolina, finished T56 at +10 alongside a guy called Jordan Spieth.

A bit further down the board was Eric Lee, who has already won a team national championship at Oklahoma State and qualified his way in through the California site.

The amateur (really, junior and college) games haven’t been stronger since the era when the best players in the world stayed amateur their entire careers.

#PlaqueGate Continues.

We at Dan on Golf have become the Plaque Guys. It’s a mantle we shoulder with pride. We weren’t huge fans of the plaque recently installed at TPC Toronto for Ryan Fox’s shot on the fourth playoff hole that led to his victory. Very good golf shot, for sure. But it was the fifth time he’d played that hole that day—they kept playing 18 until he beat Sam Burns—and he didn’t make eagle. Plaque-worthy moments must, absolutely must, be reserved for truly iconic moments.

Before that we pointed out the ridiculousness of the Bryson DeChambeau plaque at Chapultepec for a solid shot on the drivable par-4 1st hole, which he did not eagle, in a golf tournament he did not win. A listener reached out with just an incredible update on that plaque.

“I was listening to your US Open Preview Show. Found it super funny as I was having a discussion with my golf pals on the plaque epidemic we are now living in.

As a member of the Club de Golf Chapultepec in Mexico City, where they played LIV these past two years and they presented a plaque to Bryson D. for a shot that was in all honesty not plaque material. It was a shot on the first day of competition and I've seen at least two members do the same shot. Anyways - after some internal claims, I can confirm that Bryson's plaque was removed. (Sort of mirrors what's happening to LIV anyways.)”

Another listener reached out to point out another plaque, this one commemorating Tom Watson’s chip in on 17 at Pebble Beach en route to winning the U.S. Open. You might think, here we go, Dan’s gonna hate this one. Wrong! We’re balls and strikes guys. That’s absolutely plaque-worthy. Chipping in from a dicey spot on an iconic hole to win the U.S. Open? Absolutely plaque-worthy! So was Bryson’s bunker shot on 18 at Pinehurst. I encourage you all to keep reaching out about plaques.

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I Forgot Xander Schauffele. Twice.

When I released my top 25 players list for the U.S. Open plenty of you rightfully pointed out that I didn’t include Xander Schauffele. Weird, because I’ve made a huge deal of him finishing in the top 18 in 16 of the last 17 major championships. Doubly weird because I made you all a promise that I’d place my largest trade ever on Polymarket for him to finish in the top 20 at the U.S. Open no matter how low the relative payout was. It would’ve cashed. He finished T11.

I’m putting my hand up—I simply forgot to include Xander in the top 25, and I simply forgot to place that trade. The good news is we still have a major championship left this year. I doubly promise to make that trade. And to include him in my top 25.

More Furyk in the Booth Is a Good Thing

I watch the Sunday broadcast mostly on mute as we’re streaming, but I can say I very-much enjoyed Jim Furyk in the booth. It’s not going to blossom into a full-time gig as he’s the Ryder Cup captain for 2027, but when that’s done, I would not be opposed to it. It’s hard to put in words why an announcer is good or not so good. They all have their own styles, their own cadences, their own voices. You sorta have to listen to know. I’ve listened to Furyk enough to know he’s a good one.

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Thoughts on Rory Skipping Travelers

Rory McIlroy, who finished T32, will skip his third Signature Event of the year. That, coupled with the dagger he threw at the PGA Tour ahead of its schedule announcement on Tuesday highlighted just how far he’s deviated from his Face of The PGA Tour phase.

Which is understandable, of course. McIlroy put his reputation on the line and spoke time and time again in support of the PGA Tour in the face of an existential threat. Then the Tour made a deal with that existential threat and he wasn’t even in the room. That was equal parts humiliating and illuminating. He learned the hard way that he is a golfer, a damn good one, and that’s where he should pour his energy.

It’s not going to terribly. He’s added two majors in the past two years and he’s adjusting his schedule to fit what he wants to do at this stage of his career, not what Ponte Vedra wants. That’s why he’s playing more in in the fall and more around the world and less in the heat of the PGA Tour schedule. And why he’s willing to say things like this about the tour’s new two-tier structure.

“An event like last week, the Canadian Open, is potentially going to one of these track 2s. Track 2 is a glorified Korn Ferry event. That's what track 2 is going to be. So I don't think the Canadian Open should be one of those.

Yeah, I just think there's going to be certain events that might lose their stature if a sponsor doesn't pony up $30 million. So that's the tough thing.

But, look, I'm not in those rooms. I don't know. I play my schedule, and I'll continue to play my schedule, which is getting less and less as the years go on. Yeah, it's funny. Like I think, as they've done all this work, you start to realize that the way the TOUR was before LIV came along was actually pretty good. It was a pretty good structure, and everything sort of worked pretty well.”

Structurally, sure. But Rory and the rest are making way, way more money. Like, not even close. And it’s bled into the majors—the purse of the U.S. Open was $12 million when Brooks at Shinnecock in 2018. Eight years later it nearly doubled to $22.5 million, and that’s a direct result of the majors needing to outpace the $20 million tour events.

Watching Guys Tinker With Putter Remains Undefeated

Every once in a while a player will adopt a strange putting style, and look so fucking automatic doing it, that I’ll think: Have they hacked this inscrutable art? Have they figured out putting?

I remember feeling that way when I saw Bryson and his robot/pendulum stance hooping everything at Winged Foot. I had the same feeling watching Wyndham Clark hoop eight-footer after eight-footer on Saturday at Winged Foot with that counterbalance putter, left-hand low grip and stroke where he seems to just drag the top of his left hand toward the hole. I sure as hell might give that approach a try. In related news, I’m struggling with my putting.

An Unpopular Opinion Re: Joaquin Neimann's Club-Throw Penalty

Might be unpopular, but I sort of agree with Pete Cowen’s take on the Joaquin Niemann penalty situation.

Surely you know the tale by now. Niemann was having a no good, very bad time on the 6th hole of his first round in the early hours of Friday morning. He hit two balls out of bounds. That much we know as fact. The rest of the tale comes via Gabby Herzig of the Athletic, who spoke to a volunteer who witnessed the tale. Had this happened at the Masters there would be no mystery as there are cameras on every hole, but c’est la vie.

Per Herzig, Niemann unsuccessfully asked for relief from a fire ants situation. He then proceeded to kick the little flags volunteers use to mark where a ball finished, chucked an iron 50 yards and didn’t bother retrieving it until a police officer fetched it for him. He was handed a two-shot penalty for misconduct.

“I hit it two times out of bounds on the right, two bad swings,” Niemann said. “Then, yeah, got pretty frustrated. I'm not someone that like to be in that behavior. I'm the first one to judge myself when I don't behave on the golf course.

Yeah, that was a misbehave from my part. I felt like a little bit extra penalized with two-shot penalty, but I think it is what it is. I think I'm going to learn from it. It definitely kind of helped me a little bit to have a better round today.”

Cowen—who, granted, coaches Niemann and thus isn’t entirely impartial—said the following of the ordeal.

“It’s arbitrary because they picked him out of a load of people who threw clubs yesterday and give him a two-shot penalty…it depends on whether you like him or you don’t like him; it’s two shots if you don’t like him, or it’s not two shots because he’s a decent guy or he hasn’t thrown it as far or whatever. So, you can’t do that. It’s got to be two shots for throwing a club for everybody or not.”

I couldn’t agree more. A video surfaced showing Jon Rahm kicking his club down the fairway multiple times and he did not receive a penalty. Rules have to be black or white or they’re not really rules. If a player throws a club, or kicks a club, or does anything other than play golf with it or drop it on the through swing (you know what I’m talking about), that should be a two-shot penalty. Holding your feelings in is part of the magic of being a golfer. Cursing is one thing. It’s not great, for sure, but throwing a club is a whole different level of petulance. I love that golf differentiates itself from other sports. We expect players to police themselves. That’s part of the ethos. The game would be a better place if throwing a club meant a two-shot penalty. Guys simply wouldn’t throw clubs.

An All-Time Line (and Round) From Jaco

Niemann proceeded to play his other 71 holes in six under par for a T7 finish, his second career top-10 in a major. This is why we keep talking about him; he’s clearly a world-class talent. You don’t win 8 LIV events in four years without being a serious, serious player. And he’s shown in majors that his good is absolutely good enough; he’s the only player in the field with multiple rounds of 67 or lower and his came via a Friday 65 and a Sunday 66. He’s going to avoid shooting himself in the foot one of these years and make a serious challenge at one of these things.

When he was asked, however, if he thought about the fact that if he’d made a par (or a bogey) he’d have won the tournament outright, he gave an all-time one-liner:

“If my grandma had tires she’d be a car.”

Where Art Thou, Jon Rahm? Bryson?

More from the LIV department…a shocking MC Hammer from Jon Rahm after an opening 68 and another dud in the majors from Bryson DeChambeau, who’s now missed the cut in the first three majors of the year and four of the last five. It’s a curious development—before this barren streak he was a constant presence on major Sundays. He’d finished T6 or better in five of six majors before the missed cuts started at Oakmont, including a win and two seconds.

He’s certainly got a lot on his mind. He doesn’t know where he’s going to be playing golf in a few months, let alone a few years. And he’s on the 2022 Rory McIlroy diet where he’s serving as the spokesman of his league through a turbulent time. Whatever the cause of this stretch, it’s an unmitigated disaster. Any time a player of that caliber has a stretch like that the alarm bels have to be ringing, no matter the tour they play on or how many YouTube subscribers they have. He’s the only top 25 player in Data Golf rankings with four missed cuts out of the last 5, and the only others with three of the last five missed are J.J. Spaun, Adam Scott and Si Woo Kim.

One last* thought on The Ams*

Five days after the USGA cowered when confronted on the reinstated pro epidemic, a reinstated professional won The Amateur Championship. When I saw the headline “Mid-Am Stuart Grehan wins the Amateur Championship” I was thrilled—a 33-year-old who took it to the college kids, won the game’s oldest amateur title and earned invites into a bunch of majors.

Nope. He was a professional golfer for seven full years before deciding to become amateur again in 2024 with the goal of playing on the 2026 Walker Cup team. With this win, he’s going to do that. He’s obviously an exceptional player. He’s also a former touring professional masquerading as a mid-amateur. I don’t blame the guy. He’s taking advantage of the rules and now gets to play in the Masters and U.S. Open and Open Championship when he almost assuredly wasn’t going to qualify as a professional. But how can you tell me it’s not a backdoor? That this is in the spirit of the amateur game. YOu get a free run at pro golf, then you just say I’m not a pro anymore, and less than 2 years later you qualify for the Masters as an amateur? Please.

Nothing’s going to change, by the way. The USGA have gone totally spineless on this issue. Credit to Luke Kerr-Dineen for asking the question about this epidemic. Remember: six of the eight quarterfinalists at the U.S. Mid-Am, including the champion, were reinstated amateurs—also known as failed tour pros. With a straight face, Kevin Hammer went with the “I have many friends who are ____” approach.

“I have many friends that are reinstated amateurs that have come through the mid-amateur game,” he said. “I think at the end of the day, do we want to welcome them back into the game? Every single individual's case is so different, so we've got a whole team of people that look at that.

“As you know, some of the qualification criteria that is changed over time, and it will probably continue to be tweaked over time as well. At the end of the day, is the game better with those reinstated professionals back in the amateur game, in a reinstated way? I think the answer is, yes.”

I just couldn’t disagree more.

With crowds topping 60,000 and a community-first approach, the Meijer LPGA Classic has become a blueprint for how mid-market cities can create some of the best atmospheres in golf.

For years, the LPGA has faced criticism for not being "marketable" enough. Week end and week out, even during some majors, attracting crowds and locals fans has proven to be challenging—which has led many to go down the rabbit hole of trying to solve a problem that I believe to be far more nuanced than we give it credit for. But what if I told you that there was already a blueprint set in place?

If you had to build the ideal host city/venues for a women’s golf tournament, I'm willing to bet you that Grand Rapids, Michigan probably wouldn’t be the first, or even the second place you’d circle—and for obvious reasons. It doesn’t have the prestige of a major-market stop, or the legendary reputation of places like Pinehurst or Shinnecock Hills, or the aura that usually surrounds the sport’s marquee weeks. And yet, every June, the Meijer LPGA Classic keeps doing something a lot of tournaments—women’s or men’s—would kill for: getting people to show up.

And like...not in a "good crowd for women's golf" kind of way. The people of Grand Rapids legitimately show up in droves, growing Meijer into one of the Tour’s strongest attendance stories, regularly pulling crowds that make it feel less like a sleepy midsummer stop and more like a full-on sports event. Which is what makes it such an interesting counterpoint to a week like the men’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, where some of golf's richest championship history lies, in New York City's backyard no less, and yet the crowd, or rather the surprising lack thereof especially during Saturday's third round, became a major talking point.

Since its inception, Meijier has acted opposite of the men's U.S. Open, and at this points it's almost become a bit—I was told that in fact, the local community treats it like a competition. Showing up means just as much to them as it does the players, and that's rare.

Meijer works because it’s not trying to be a big city spectacle—it’s been built as a community event in a market that genuinely wants it, and that might be the most important lesson women’s golf can take from it. The LPGA’s best-attended tournaments is thriving in Grand Rapids, and it might be time to re-think what actually makes a great golf host city in the first place.

Jing Yan plays her tee shot during the third round of the 2026 Meijer LPGA Classic Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, MI. (Photo by Jorge Lemus/NurPhoto via Getty Images)

Established in 2014 by local grocery and retailer company Meijer, the tournament wasn’t built just to slap a title sponsor on an LPGA event and call it a day. From the jump, it was tied to the company’s "Simply Give" hunger relief program that supports food pantries across the Midwest. The charitable component is a big part of why this thing feels different. Similar to ShopRite, which has built the largest pro-am in golf in efforts to raise money for the local south New Jersey community, the Meijer isn’t asking it's consumers to embrace a random tournament that rolls into town for one week and disappears. It’s giving people a reason to feel like the event actually belongs to them.

RELATED: How The ShopRite LPGA Built The Biggest Pro-Am in Golf

It's become a way to support something local, tangible and bigger than the leaderboard. That kind of buy-in is hard to fake, and it’s a huge reason the Meijer has turned into one of the LPGA’s most reliable crowd draws. The golf gets people in the door, sure, but the tournament’s roots in Grand Rapids are what keep the place packed.

In just it's third iteration, the tournament had surpassed 50,000 fans to walk through the gates, and that number has only grown over the last decade. "We are dedicated to making the Meijer LPGA Classic an event the community and the LPGA can stand behind," Meijer Co-Chairman Doug Meijer said regarding the record numbers from 2016. "This event is making a difference in the communities we serve, and we sincerely thank everyone who attended for their continued support."

And while the tournament’s charitable mission gives Grand Rapids a reason to care, Meijer has helped itself with getting folks in the door with it's reasonable pricing. General admission tickets have been priced as low as $10, and kids 17 and under get in free with a ticketed adult—an intentional move that makes the event feel accessible, family-friendly and worth turning into a full day out. For a tournament trying to build a real local crowd, that matters.

Once fans step foot on the grounds and crowd outside of the ropes, that level of accessibility translates into something that the players can actually feel on the golf course. Meijer suddenly turns into a major—creating an environment that players notice right away—where the fairways feel a little tighter, birdies are met with thunderous applause, and weekend leaderboards come with real energy behind them. It's the kind of atmosphere that stands out and resonates even for the Tour's biggest stars.

Brooke Henderson, the 2017 and 2019 champion, has long pointed to that feeling as what keeps her coming back. "I love this event. It's so fun to come back here every single year," she said ahead of this year's competition. "I think the energy and atmosphere is what's so special. It's so kid and family friendly, and, you know, especially on the weekend when everyone is out and watching, it's just really fun to be playing and having them cheer us on and support us."

It’s the kind of feedback that gets at the core of why attendance matters in the first place—not just for optics or tournament rankings, but for the actual product on the course. In Grand Rapids, the crowd isn’t background noise.

Which is what I find to be the part of Meijer to be the most endearing: the crowd doesn’t just show up because a specific superstar is guaranteed to win. In fact, most years, the winner isn’t the most recognizable name in the field, and that’s kind of the point. The tournament still pulls in massive weekend crowds, still fills the grounds, still creates noise on leaderboards even when the biggest global stars aren’t the ones lifting the trophy on Sunday. This time around, it was 2025 AIG winner Miyu Yamashita who broke through and won it, another reminder that the energy here isn’t dependent on star power at the top—it’s sustained by something deeper on the ground.

And maybe that’s the real takeaway from Grand Rapids. The Meijer LPGA Classic works because the city doesn’t just consume women’s golf for a week—it actually shows up for it. The charitable mission, the pricing, the family atmosphere, and the community buy-in all stack into something that feels bigger than any single winner. Which is why this event ends up being more than a tournament case study. It becomes a larger answer to the question the sport keeps asking itself: what happens when a city actually shows up for women’s golf?

A new coach, a few key swing changes and plenty of reps. Here's what Wyndham Clark was working on before winning his second U.S. Open.

Wyndham Clark has entered rare company. With a second U.S. Open title, he joins a short list of players who have won America's national championship multiple times, including modern stars Brooks Koepka and Bryson DeChambeau.

RELATED:What Amateur Golfers Can Learn From Wyndham Clark’s U.S. Open Win

What happened at Shinnecock wasn't a one-week heater. Clark arrived on Long Island playing some of the best golf of his career. Over his last four starts, Clark's worst finish was a tie for 11th last week at RBC. During that stretch, he collected two victories (U.S. Open & THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson) and a solo third-place finish at the Memorial Tournament.

His ball striking had struggled up until then. However, after partnering with new swing coach Patrick Coyner, the two got to work addressing several issues that had crept into his swing. Coyner noted that Clark's backswing had become too long, with the club moving well past parallel at the top. At the same time, his lead wrist was becoming excessively extended, or "cupped," leaving the clubface open. Together, those positions created a steep angle of attack in the downswing.

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Clark began backing out of the shot in an effort to shallow the club. The result was a two-way miss—the kiss of death for any elite ball-striker.

To counteract this, Wyndham has been working on getting wider in his backswing with a better wrist structure. Like any meaningful swing change, it doesn't happen overnight. It takes countless reps on the range with exaggerated feels, usually with the help of some sort of training aid or tool. This was especially evident in Wyndham’s warm-ups throughout the week.

And the results showed up exactly where they needed to. At Shinnecock, Clark looked far more in control of his golf swing than he had earlier in the season. The two-way miss that had crept into his game was largely absent, and under the pressure of a U.S. Open setup, he repeatedly trusted the same controlled fade that carried him to victory.

Let's take a look at some of the training aids and drills he used on the range that helped carry him to his second U.S. Open title in three years.

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RELATED:18 Parting Thoughts from the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills

ProSendr Widener

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The newest creation from Sean Foley and David Woods, who are responsible for the widely popular ProSendr (more on this in a bit). The Widener does exactly what the name suggests: it helps promote width in the swing.

For Wyndham, that’s exactly what the doctor ordered.

Maintaining width in the backswing helps prevent the club from getting trapped behind him and promotes a shallower, more efficient transition. It also does wonders for low-point control, or controlling where the club bottoms out.

When players get steep in transition, fat and thin shots become much more likely. Maintaining width creates a more predictable swing arc, which ultimately leads to more consistent contact.

ProSendr

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Along with the Widener, Clark still relies heavily on the OG training aid from Foley and Woods. When it launched, the ProSendr quickly became one of the best selling training aids on the market, and for good reason. Like Clark, I struggle with poor wrist structure during my backswing. The ProSENDR provides immediate feedback when your hands and wrists aren't moving efficiently. One of the key benefits listed on the company's website is that it "prevents wrist run-off by regulating radial deviation at the top of the swing." That's almost a word-for-word description of the issue Coyner identified in Clark's swing.

Alignment Stick Through the Belt Loops

When using the ProSendr, Wyndham also incorporates one of my favorite homemade training aids. He simply threads an alignment stick through his front belt loops.

As simple as it looks, this drill accomplishes many of the same goals as the Widener. It encourages a wider, more on-plane hand path during the backswing. If your hands get pulled too far inside, you'll receive immediate feedback..

On top of this, it also helps with proper sequencing in the downswing. Having this physical barrier forces you to keep the club in front of you in the downswing. If not, you will again be met with immediate feedback.

This is just me speculating, but I believe he does this to make sure he doesn't overcorrect and become “too” shallow in the downswing. While his recent work has focused heavily on reducing steepness, there’s always a danger of going too far the other direction and getting stuck.

Main takeaways

One of my favorite things to do when I am on the grounds at a tournament is to watch a golfer run through their warmups. This is truly where the best separate themselves from the rest.

Wyndham's victory wasn't built on magic, it was built on identifying what had gone wrong, creating a plan to fix it and committing to that plan every single day.That's what stood out most watching his warm-ups at Shinnecock. Every movement had a purpose, nothing was random. By Sunday evening, those reps had paid off. The same player who had been searching for answers with his ball-striking earlier this season was once again holding the U.S. Open trophy.

RELATED: What We Learned From a Golf Ball Fitting Before Shinnecock

Here’s how to watch the Travelers Championship, plus everything you need to know about the new 15 ½ Challenge.

*In Partnership with Travelers*

The U.S. Open hangover doesn’t last long on the PGA TOUR. This week, many of the biggest names in golf head to TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, for the Travelers Championship, the final Signature Event of the season before the FedExCup Playoffs begin to take shape.

RELATED: There Was Noise, Now There's Just Wyndham

The Travelers Championship has quietly become one of the TOUR’s strongest non-major events. It’s one of the most fan-friendly atmospheres on the schedule with a dramatic finish almost guaranteed each year. It's even won awards for how much fans love attending.

But before tournament play gets underway, there will be a little extra entertainment. On Tuesday, the Travelers Championship is introducing the 15 ½ Challenge, a clocked closest-to-the-pin competition between the pro and celebrities.

Top PGA TOUR pros will pair up with some of our favorite golf content creators to compete for $10,000 toward the charity of their choice.

Here's the lineup:

Scottie Scheffler and Roger Steele

Tommy Fleetwood and Tisha Alyn

Justin Thomas and Josh Kelley

Keegan Bradley and Julian Edelman

Format is simple: Earn one point for balls that land on the floating umbrella (and stay on) and 10 points for a hole-in-one. The team that finishes with the most points at the end of 15 ½ minutes wins. In the event of a tie, teams will move to a sudden death format.

Hosted by Carson Daly, the event is designed to bring together professional golf, creators, and celebrity personalities at one of golf’s favorite tour stops with a fun and modern format all while raising money for charity.

The challenge will be streamed live Tuesday June 23 at 2:00 PM ET on PGA TOUR’s YouTube, X, and FAST channels.

Thursday & Friday

7:45 a.m.-6 p.m. ET (PGA TOUR LIVE on ESPN+)

3-6 p.m. ET (Golf Channel)

Saturday 7:45 a.m.-6 p.m. (ESPN+)

1-3 p.m. (Golf Channel)

3-6 p.m. (NBC)

Sunday

8:45 a.m.-7 p.m. (ESPN+)

2-4 p.m. (Golf Channel)

4-7 p.m. (NBC)

RELATED:Do You Enjoy Great Beer and Good Vibes? Boy, Do We Have a Spot for You at the Travelers

This week at the Travelers, Srixon has 3 new driver models ready for action. Here's what we know.

With product cycles seemingly in flux across the board for many of the biggest equipment manufacturers, it's become less surprising to see new products make mid-season debuts on the PGA Tour.

This week at the Travelers, Srixon is the newest company to launch a new product with the tour debut of their ZXi-RKT (going to make an educated guess it's pronounced rocket) driver line, featuring three distinct models to choose from.

RELATED:How to Watch the Travelers Championship (and the Wild 15 ½ Challenge)

What is Zxi-RKT?

Beyond offering up pictures, Srixon has been very quiet on the tech details of their latest drivers, but that just means I get the opportunity to make some very good guesses and find out how right I am later.

Not to toot my own horn, but I was basically bang-on last week during the U.S. Open in relation to Bryson's prototype TaylorMade driver including the reason for the 200+ name. Ok sorry, enough of the self gloating.

Anyways, what we can glean from supplied pictures is that the new line comes in 3 models (with the potential for a forth).

- A core model with dual weights

- A max with one back weight (presumably for added MOI and forgiveness)

- An LS model (for low spin) that has front and back weights

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Of the supplied pictures, one of the LS models is an LS+ (above) and maybe that it just a tour part, which is something they have made in the past, or just a different sample, but either way, 3 might actually be 4.

As for technology, the pictures are pretty shy on showing any specific technology callouts, but if I was to make one educated guess, the textured areas around the sole could be an indication that Srixon is using carbon in their drivers for the first time to free up more mass, and make them even more adjustable for fittings and tuning players.

They even put together a hype video for the release today at The Travelers.

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RELATED:Comparing Wyndham Clark's Two U.S. Open Winning Bags

We're not crying, you are. What a special Father's Day moment for the Russell family.

On Father’s Day, Joe Russell, Miles Russell’s dad, made a memory he’s going to have for the rest of his life.

Miles, who was even par through 17 holes on Sunday, had his dad slip on a caddie bib to pull looper duties for the final hole of the 17-year-old’s U.S. Open debut. That, folks, is the good stuff.

Miles, the seventh ranked amateur in the world, finished the week 7 over at Shinnecock Hills. He got into the year’s third major championship via final qualifying, and had Charlie Woods on the bag for Golf’s Longest Day.

A special moment and a special week for the entire Russell family.

RELATED: Wyndham Clark Is Thriving in the 'Come and Get Me' Role

Municipal saw a gritty competitor with big aspirations in 2021. A few major victories later, that belief looks better than ever.

Sometimes the best endorsements aren't built around star power. They're built around belief.

When Municipal signed Wyndham Clark in late 2021, they weren't attaching themselves to an established major champion. They saw a player who perfectly embodied the brand's ethos: gritty, determined, fundamentally sound, and willing to chase something bigger.

RELATED: Randall Clark Surprises His Son Wyndham After U.S. Open Win

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At the time, Clark was still searching for the breakthrough many believed was possible. Municipal saw the same thing. A competitor with plenty of talent, a relentless work ethic, and the type of underdog mentality that resonated with the brand's approach to sport and life.

Fast forward a few years and that belief has been rewarded in a big way.

A U.S. Open victory at Los Angeles Country Club announced Clark as one of the game's elite players. Now, another major championship at Shinnecock Hills only strengthens the story. What once looked like a bold bet has evolved into one of the more authentic athlete-brand partnerships in golf.

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Clark's rise has never felt manufactured. That's what makes it work. The same grit and determination that earned Municipal's attention in 2021 continue to define his career today.

Another major victory for Wyndham Clark. Another reminder that sometimes belief arrives before the results.

RELATED: The Golf Gift Guide for People Who Don't Know What to Buy

RELATED: Keith Mitchell and the Case for Natural Fibers at Shinnecock

The partnership between Keith Mitchell and Sid Mashburn offers a glimpse at what the future of golf apparel could look like.

As Keith Mitchell heads into the final round at Shinnecock Hills sitting T6, there's another leaderboard he's occupied for years.

Best dressed.

The photos from this week tell the story. A navy cardigan layered over a white collar. Crisp cream trousers. A light blue knit popover paired with tailored navy pants. A white polo tucked into linen-blend trousers.

That's been the defining characteristic of Mitchell's partnership with Sid Mashburn since the relationship began nearly six years ago.

Back in 2022, Mitchell explained his approach in a way that felt refreshingly different from much of professional golf.

"I was the first person in a while who started by identifying what I wanted to wear, and making sponsorships work around that."

That quote has aged remarkably well.

At a time when much of golf apparel was moving deeper into synthetic fabrics, athletic cuts, and increasingly technical performance stories, Mitchell and Sid Mashburn explored another lane. One built around natural fibers, thoughtful tailoring, and garments that looked just as comfortable walking into a clubhouse dinner as they did navigating a major championship setup.

The assumption has always been that performance requires sacrificing some level of style. Mitchell's wardrobe has spent years challenging that idea.

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Whether it's wool hopsack trousers handling changing temperatures, cotton piqué knit polos offering breathability, or soft layering pieces that move naturally throughout a round, the partnership has become one of golf's most compelling examples that performance doesn't have to come exclusively from polyester.

And perhaps that's why it feels especially relevant today.

As more brands begin revisiting texture, tailoring, natural materials, and a broader definition of what golf apparel can be, Mitchell looks less like an outlier and more like an early adopter.

The game may still be figuring out exactly where style is headed next, but standing on the fairways of Shinnecock this week, one thing feels increasingly clear:

Keith Mitchell and Sid Mashburn saw this conversation coming years ago.

Before taking on Shinnecock Hills, a Skratch editor got a golf ball fitting. Wyndham Clark's U.S. Open win showed why finding the right ball matters.

*In Partnership with Titleist*

This week at the U.S. Open, Shinnecock Hills showed exactly why precision matters. With firm fairways, demanding green complexes, and gusting winds pushing shots offline, controlling trajectory and spin became one of the biggest keys to success. Just ask Wyndham Clark, who relied on a carefully dialed-in setup—including a Titleist Pro V1x golf ball—on his way to claiming his second U.S. Open title.

RELATED:Comparing Wyndham Clark's Two U.S. Open Winning Bags

That's why having the right equipment is so critical. As wind speeds increase, controlling ball flight becomes even more difficult, putting an even greater premium on finding the right combination of clubs and golf ball for your game.

Our Skratch editor, Riley Hamel, got to experience this firsthand during the U.S. Open media day, where he went head-to-head with Shinnecock and put his game to the test on one of the top courses in America before the best players in the world did.

But, before taking on Shinnecock, we took the time to talk through his game to make sure that, of all his gear, his golf ball was the right fit for his game.

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Shinnecock Hills demanded complete control this week. Between the firm fairways, elevated greens, and ever-changing winds, players needed to manage trajectory and spin on virtually every shot.

For Wyndham Clark, that meant relying on a Titleist Pro V1x. The Pro V1x is designed to offer high flight, consistent spin with irons, and greenside control—all traits that become even more important when conditions are firm and windy. When players are trying to hold approach shots on firm greens or flight wedges through a crosswind, having predictable performance from the golf ball is critical.

While Clark's victory was about much more than equipment, his win served as another reminder that the golf ball is the only piece of equipment used on every shot. When the wind is blowing and the greens are firm, that's a pretty important detail.

You can watch his full Shinnecock Hills experience below, and head to Titleist.com to find a fitter near you, or use their online golf ball fitting tool: Titleist Golf Ball Selector

Two U.S. Open wins, two very different bags. Here's what changed between LACC and Shinnecock.

After a tough Sunday at Shinnecock, it was the 18-, 36- and 54-hole leader, Wyndham Clark, who ended up victorious at the 126th U.S. Open, after firing a final round 73. This was his second U.S. Open in 4-years and his second major championship. Since his first win at LACC, a lot has changed in Wyndham's world, including his approach to gear by becoming an equipment free-agent in 2026.

Here is how his equipment has evolved since 2023.

RELATED: Wyndham Clark's New Ping Putter Deal is Paying Off

Driver

In 2023, Wyndham won using a Titleist TSi3, which at the time was a previous generation model. In 2026 he has moved into a TaylorMade Qi4D with a True Temper/Project X Titan shaft.

For a strong player who has built his game around playing a power fade, the combination of a handle stiff shaft and an extremely adjustable driver has played a key role in his success off the tee.

Fairway Woods

In 2023, Wyndham played with a single TaylorMade Stealth 2 3-wood, but in 2026, he has moved onto a more versatile long game setup that features a TaylorMade Qi4D Tour 3-wood, plus a Ping G440 Max 5-wood, a club that can really help bridge the gap into irons and increase stopping power from long range.

The 3-wood has a Project X HZRDUS Smoke Black RDX 80, while the 5-wood has a shaft that matches his driver with a Project X Titan Black 80.

Goes to show that even at the highest level, there is nothing wrong with having extra stopping power in your longer clubs.

Irons

(Photo: GolfWRX)

Much like with his 5-wood, Wyndham has gone from a set of Titleist 620 CB irons, which are a fully forged cavity back, to a mixed set of Titleist's T200 & T100 irons. He has also gone from using a 3-iron (T200) to having his longest iron being a 4-iron as part of his mixed set.

Thanks to their internal tungsten weighting and higher MOI, the T100s offer an advantage by providng much more stable spin windows on shoes hit around the face - which is even more helpful in windy conditions.

Wedges

When so many things change, many others stay the same. For Wyndham, that is his trust in Titleist Vokey Wedges, utilizing a 4-wedge SM11s over the pervious generation SM9 with a pitching wedge through lob wedge.

Clark's highest lofted wedge of choice is a Vokey SM11 60° L-Grind, which is a low bounce option that worked extremely well around the greens at Shinecock.

Putter

(Photo: GolfWRX)

In 2023, Wyndham, along with his final round playing partner Rickie Fowler set off a chain of events that single-handedly brought the Odyssey Jailbird back into the mainstream.

Since than, and especially over the last 12-months, Wyndham has gone through several putters, but ended up in a PING Ally Blue Onset which has sent him on a tear that has included a number of high finishes including a win at the CJ Cup Byron Nelson.

What also makes Wyndham's putter swap unique is that it made him Ping's very first modern putter only contract player.

RELATED: Wyndham Clark's New Ping Putter Deal is Paying Off

Ball

One more constant in Wyndham's bag is his choice of golf ball. At Shinnecock, just like at LACC, he trusted a Titleist ProV1X golf ball on his way to victory.

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It wasn’t easy for Wyndham Clark on Sunday, and the New York crowd didn’t help. His playing partner, Scottie Scheffler, praised Clark for how he handled the rowdy fans.

I think I’m all set with New York golf fans for awhile. They crossed a line at September’s Ryder Cup, belittling and berating Team Europe, and on Sunday at Shinnecock Hills, they heckled Wyndham Clark, an American winning the United States Open, all day long.

Calls of “get in the bunker” after tee shots and jeers of “don’t choke, Wyndham” were thrown his way for the majority of the afternoon. Of course, this treatment is self-inflicted after he beat up Oakmont’s locker room last year, and Clark would be the first person to tell you that.

“Man, they definitely didn't want me to win,” he said, with the trophy by his side. “It's pretty rare in an Open Championship or a major to have fans kind of boo against your shots or cheer for bad shots…Anytime someone said something negative to me, I replaced it with something positive. You know, some of it's self-deserved. I kind of brought it on myself…but I'm proud of myself that I battled through.”

RELATED:Miles Russell Tagged in Dad for the Final Hole of His U.S. Open Debut

Clark played with World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler in the final pairing, which no doubt contributed to his fan treatment. The Career Grand Slam was on the line for one of golf’s most popular players, and the crowds wanted to see it.

After signing his card, Scheffler gave Clark his flowers for how he handled the tough environment.

“Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today as well and is a well-deserving champion,” he said.

As for his plans to celebrate, Clark said they’ll be opening plenty of grape tonight.

The best part? He gets to enjoy it with his dad, who took a red-eye flight to surprise his son on Father’s Day.

After taking a red-eye into town, Randall Clark surprised his son on the 18th green following Wyndham's second U.S. Open victory, creating a Father's Day memory neither will forget.

Miles Russell wasn’t the only one at Shinnecock Hills to pull off a Father’s Day surprise on Sunday. Randall Clark made his son’s second U.S. Open title something he’ll never forget.

Wyndham finished the third round at 7 under, six shots ahead of a group tied for second at 1 under. Most thought it was curtains, but it was still the final round of the U.S. Open, at one of the toughest courses in the world. Anything could’ve happened—and it almost did.

RELATED:Wyndham Clark Is Thriving in the 'Come and Get Me' Role

The sloppy play we saw from Wyndham on Saturday carried over to Sunday afternoon, but this time, he didn’t pull off all the Houdini saves like the day before. He bogeyed Nos. 2, 5 and 7 before making the turn with a 3-over 38. After his lead shrunk to one shot, Wyndham made a scrappy, U.S.-Open-style birdie at the par-5 16th to get back out in front by two.

He gave the shot right back with a three-putt bogey at the par-3 17th, but was still just a closing par away from a second major championship. After a drive in the rough, an approach to just outside 50 feet, and a stellar lag putt, the U.S. Open Trophy and Jack Nicklaus Medal were his once again.

But what Wyndham didn’t know was that his dad, Randall, took a red-eye flight last night to watch his son vie for his second major, this time at Shinnecock Hills. A Father’s Day memory that the entire Clark family will remember forever.

It wasn’t as easy as he had hoped it would be, and the New York crowd was definitely not on his side, but being able to share that moment with his dad no doubt made all the struggles of the day worth it.

The good stuff.

For all of the chatter around Clark, there is now a very simple way to describe him: two-time U.S. Open champion. That’s more U.S. Open wins than Scheffler, McIlroy, Snead, Mickelson, Faldo, Ballesteros, Norman, Singh, Schauffele, Collin and Justin Thomas…combined.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y.—It can be exhausting trying to keep up with all the narratives around Wyndham Clark. He was a can’t-miss-kid who became a bust. Then, over the last three years, his shape-shifting has accelerated: surprise U.S. Open winner, TV star, boorish chud, contrite everyman seeking a redemptive arc and then, during a tense final round of the 126th U.S. Open, the most hated man in New York (non-Wemby division). The fans at Shinnecock Hills, if you can call them that, cheered his missed putts and shouted for every drive and approach shot to find a bunker, or the fescue, or Hades. It was the most outrageous gallery behavior since…last September, when the Ryder Cup was not-so-coincidentally played on the same island. The hostility toward Clark was stunning for an American playing in his national championship. Given Clark’s 6-stroke lead at the start of the final round, some sodden yahoos could probably justify their behavior as just wanting a dramatic finish. Others wanted to witness history, with his playing partner Scottie Scheffler going for the career Grand Slam. But much of the animus is undeniably of Clark’s own making: the smashed locker at least year’s U.S. Open, a hurled club that could have wiped out a volunteer, etc. The snark slingers on Golf Twitter certainly haven’t helped his public perception. Yet all of those rowdy Noo Yawkers did the seemingly impossible: they made Clark a sympathetic figure.

“It was him against the world,” Clark’s delirious father Randall said walking off the final green after his son squeaked out a one-shot victory over Sam Burns. “Without question, that was the single most challenging round he’s ever played. So much pressure, so much stress, but he was a warrior. He took so many bullets out there but he never gave in. I am so incredibly proud of him, I think my heart might burst.”

For all of the noise around Clark, 32, there is now a very simple way to describe him after his gritty performance at Shinnecock: two-time U.S. Open champion. That’s more U.S. Open wins than Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Sam Snead, Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo, Seve Ballesteros, Greg Norman, Vijay Singh, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas…combined. Clark has now conquered one of the citadels of the sport, what McIlroy this week called “ the best championship test in the country.” And Clark did it on Sunday by going eyeball-to-eyeball with Scheffler, the game’s best player. Love him or hate him—and there are plenty of folks on both sides of the aisle—Clark’s skillset is undeniable, and now so too is his resume. In his finest hour, he offered up yet another persona: humbled champion. Accepting the trophy on the final green, Clark said, “New York didn’t really like me but I love you guys. You know, I get it.” And here the crowd—gasp—cheered for Clark. He continued, “Some of it was self-deserved. Some unfortunate things [happened] last year that I really regret. I’ve been sorry multiple times and I’m still sorry so hopefully I can win you guys over eventually.”

We shall see if this latest reinvention sticks. To quote a cynical old Nike ad starring Tiger Woods: Winning takes care of everything. Clark already knows that life is more complex than that.

The person they think they’re rooting against is not the person he really is.

He is the son of a former Miss New Mexico who herself was one of nine kids of an Army colonel. Lisa was a go-getter who rose to national sales director for Mary Kay Cosmetics and she was the one who first took young Wyndham to the driving range when he was a 3…and she was pregnant with her third child. Randall played out of Cherry Hills Country Club in Denver, famously the site of Arnold Palmer’s only U.S. Open victory (and a William Flynn design like Shinnecock). Randall didn’t want his son wasting too much time on video games so he told him he couldn’t have a PlayStation until he made an eagle. Wyndham promptly made a hole-in-one with a driver on a 125-yard par-3. He was six years old. Wyndham grew into an all-around jock who played two years of high school basketball, and a flashy character who picked up his prom date in his Mom’s pink Cadillac. But Lise was diagnosed with breast cancer during her son’s freshman year playing golf for Oklahoma State. She died that summer. “She told me before she passed that she just wanted me to play big, to play for a bigger purpose and something greater than myself,” Clark told GolfWeek’s Beth Ann Nichols twelve years ago. “I’ve kind of just taken that into this season and hopefully into the rest of my life.”

Clark in high school, circa 2011

Needing a fresh start, he transferred to Oregon and by 2017 was the Pac-12 player of the year. He turned pro that summer, successfully apprenticed for a year on the Korn Ferry Tour and then reached the big leagues. A bomber with an exceedingly delicate touch, Clark had all the tools, but he turned into his own worst enemy. He was often consumed with rage on the golf course. Sports psychologist Julie Elion connected that to Clark’s unresolved anger at having his mother taken from him at such a young age. Clark’s journey to make peace with his past was a central plot in the second season of Netflix’s Full Swing, and Clark outdueling McIlroy to win the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club gave the show a perfect Hollywood ending.

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But stardom had its own challenges. The ‘23 U.S. Open was only Clark’s second career win. Straining to quiet the naysayers, he let a handful of tournaments get away. By this spring he had won only once since LACC, and even that had had an asterisk because the final round at Pebble Beach had been washed-out in 2024. But Clark hard-launched a new girlfriend at this year’s Masters, Emily Tanner, a model and owner of Over Social Agency, an influencer and content marketing firm. Not surprisingly, she has brought out a softer side of Clark on Instagram; he garnishes her every post with more than enough heart-eyes emojis. “He is honestly one of the most calm people I know,” says Tanner. “He doesn’t have a temper at all. So, yeah, it’s upsetting because the person they think they’re rooting against is not the person he really is.”

Clark’s new reservoir of patience showed on the golf course. Playing late in the day on Thursday, he was idling at two-under on a day of low scoring when the wind died. Clark took full advantage, going birdie-birdie-eagle to key a 64 that was a testament to his all-around excellence: 1.54 strokes gained off the tee, 2.71 with approach play and a whopping 3.97 with the putter. Clark scuffled a bit on Friday but held his ground with a 69 and then he grabbed the tournament by the throat on Saturday, shooting a 70 despite hitting only nine of Shinnecock’s devilish greens. Clark pulled off a series up-and-downs that Harry Higgs called “absolutely insane.”

The lead was six—a freighted number ever since Greg Norman’s implosion at the ‘96 Masters—but Clark seemed unbothered. “He was so calm and happy all week,” says Tanner. “Even this morning [on Sunday] we were just laughing from the second we woke up.”

And then Clark entered the crucible. “We were playing 9, which is parallel to 1, and when he hit his drive on the first tee we could hear fans yelling for it to go in the fescue,” says J.T. Poston, who finished tied for fourth. “That was different.”

I like Wyndham, I think almost everyone out here does. Yeah, he’s been vilified, but he's a good dude, he's a good person. You can see he’s trying hard to overcome whatever mistakes he’s made.

Clark looked a little shellshocked, bogeying three of the first seven holes while Burns birdied four of the first eight. Just like, the lead was sliced to one, and the barbs reigned down on Clark. (My personal favorite: “It’s a bad day to be a locker!”) But Clark dug deep, flighting a gorgeous wedge that danced around the hole at 10 for his first birdie of the day. “I mean, his ability to curve it and put an insane amount of spin on it, he’s up there with Scottie and Rory,” says Higgs. “So when the greens get super crusty, he can find ways to fit it into flags. Whereas maybe myself and others have to land it short and get it to chase back there and it’s much tougher to hit it close than if you just come in through the air.”

While everyone else stopped making birdies Clark got another crucial one at the par-5 16th, giving him a two-shot cushion. He closed out the tournament with his best lag putt of the day on 18, from 52 feet. Happiness is a tap-in to win the United States Open. In the swollen grandstand there might have been a few people who actually clapped. “I mean, the crowd was tough today,” Scheffler said. “I mean, New Yorkers, they are tough people. Being in the arena is not for everybody, and I think it shows a lot about Wyndham, how he handled not only this golf course but I think the crowd today as well. He is a well-deserving champion.”

Clark called the victory “redemption,” which might be a little rich. But his colleagues have already forgiven him for any trespasses. “I actually laugh at him at times,” says Bob MacIntyre. “I say he's the most European of the Americans. He just likes to have a laugh. He's very approachable.”

Says Higgs, “We're not robots, we're definitely not perfect, that's for sure. Sometimes frustration just boils over and I'm no saint either, certainly. I like Wyndham, I think almost everyone out here does. Yeah, he’s been vilified, but he's a good dude, he's a good person. You can see he’s trying hard to overcome whatever mistakes he’s made. The bottom line is we're all psychos for doing this for a living and you can’t judge someone on their worst moment or two. You have to give people a little grace and see how they respond to adversity.”

In the long history of the U.S. Open, rarely has a player faced as much adversity as Clark did on Sunday. Like it or not, he met the moment.

This thing might be over. But it’s still Shinnecock, it’s still the U.S. Open, and anything can happen. Here are the tee times and pairings for the final round in the Hamptons.

All you can do is tip your cap. Wyndham Clark has taken away all the drama with 18 holes to go at the U.S. Open, and unless he forgets how to hold a club overnight, it looks like he’s going to win his second major championship.

Sitting at 7 under, Clarks leads a four-man group at 1 under, a pack that includes World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who posted one of two Saturday under-par rounds. Those two will play together in the final group.

Here are the tee times for Sunday at Shinnecock.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Wyndham Clark Is Thriving in the 'Come and Get Me' Role

Final-Round Tee Times for the U.S. Open

7:45 AM – Dylan Wu, James Nicholas

7:56 AM – Peter Uihlein, Russell Henley

8:07 AM – Patrick Rodgers, Eric Lee (a)

8:18 AM – Neal Shipley, Hideki Matsuyama

8:29 AM – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Nico Echavarria

8:40 AM – Caleb Surratt, Ben James

8:51 AM – Jackson Van Paris, Spencer Tibbits

9:02 AM – Kurt Kitayama, Max Greyserman

9:18 AM – Marek Fleming (a), Jacob Bridgeman

9:29 AM – Johnny Keefer, Ludvig Åberg

9:40 AM – Ryan Fox, Angel Hidalgo

9:51 AM – Miles Russell (a), Jackson Koivun (a)

10:02 AM – Robert MacIntyre, Chris Gotterup

10:13 AM – Harry Higgs, Andrew Putnam

10:24 AM – Michael Brennan, Jordan Spieth

10:35 AM – Bud Cauley, Ben Kohles

10:51 AM – Cameron Young, Joaquin Niemann

11:02 AM – Laurie Canter, Justin Thomas

11:13 AM – William Mouw, Niklas Nørgaard

11:24 AM – Max McGreevy, Justin Rose

11:35 AM – Ben Griffin, Tyrrell Hatton

11:46 AM – Pierceson Coody, Dustin Johnson

11:57 AM – Ryo Hisatsune, Gary Woodland

12:13 PM – Akshay Bhatia, Rory McIlroy

12:24 PM – Maverick McNealy, Brian Harman

12:35 PM – Zac Blair, Aaron Rai

12:46 PM – John Parry, J.T. Poston

12:57 PM – Sungjae Im, Michael Kim

1:08 PM – Ryder Cowan (a), Alex Fitzpatrick

1:19 PM – Corey Conners, Keegan Bradley

1:35 PM – Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa

1:46 PM – Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele

1:57 PM – Sam Burns, Keith Mitchell

2:08 PM – Emiliano Grillo, Sam Stevens

2:19 PM – Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala

2:30 PM – Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark

All you can do is tip your cap. Wyndham Clark has taken away all the drama with 18 holes to go at the U.S. Open, and unless he forgets how to hold a club overnight, it looks like he’s going to win his second major championship.

Sitting at 7 under, Clarks leads a four-man group at 1 under, a pack that includes World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who posted one of two Saturday under-par rounds. Those two will play together in the final group.

Here are the tee times for Sunday at Shinnecock.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Wyndham Clark Is Thriving in the 'Come and Get Me' Role

Final-Round Tee Times for the U.S. Open

7:45 AM – Dylan Wu, James Nicholas

7:56 AM – Peter Uihlein, Russell Henley

8:07 AM – Patrick Rodgers, Eric Lee (a)

8:18 AM – Neal Shipley, Hideki Matsuyama

8:29 AM – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Nico Echavarria

8:40 AM – Caleb Surratt, Ben James

8:51 AM – Jackson Van Paris, Spencer Tibbits

9:02 AM – Kurt Kitayama, Max Greyserman

9:18 AM – Marek Fleming (a), Jacob Bridgeman

9:29 AM – Johnny Keefer, Ludvig Åberg

9:40 AM – Ryan Fox, Angel Hidalgo

9:51 AM – Miles Russell (a), Jackson Koivun (a)

10:02 AM – Robert MacIntyre, Chris Gotterup

10:13 AM – Harry Higgs, Andrew Putnam

10:24 AM – Michael Brennan, Jordan Spieth

10:35 AM – Bud Cauley, Ben Kohles

10:51 AM – Cameron Young, Joaquin Niemann

11:02 AM – Laurie Canter, Justin Thomas

11:13 AM – William Mouw, Niklas Nørgaard

11:24 AM – Max McGreevy, Justin Rose

11:35 AM – Ben Griffin, Tyrrell Hatton

11:46 AM – Pierceson Coody, Dustin Johnson

11:57 AM – Ryo Hisatsune, Gary Woodland

12:13 PM – Akshay Bhatia, Rory McIlroy

12:24 PM – Maverick McNealy, Brian Harman

12:35 PM – Zac Blair, Aaron Rai

12:46 PM – John Parry, J.T. Poston

12:57 PM – Sungjae Im, Michael Kim

1:08 PM – Ryder Cowan (a), Alex Fitzpatrick

1:19 PM – Corey Conners, Keegan Bradley

1:35 PM – Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa

1:46 PM – Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele

1:57 PM – Sam Burns, Keith Mitchell

2:08 PM – Emiliano Grillo, Sam Stevens

2:19 PM – Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala

2:30 PM – Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark

Say what you want about L.A.C.C. or how much he's grown—tomorrow, Wyndham Clark can validate much more.

Last Sunday, surrounded by hockey-obsessed Canadians, Wyndham Clark donned a Team USA sweater while pouring in a birdie putt at The Rink. Do me a favor, watch this video and tell me this man doesn’t enjoy stirring the pot?

Less than a week later, he’s once again relishing the role of a man with his hand behind his ear.

Shinnecock Hills, with an assist from Mother Nature, has managed to tame all but one of the best players in the world. Four players are even par through 54 holes. Four are 1 under. Then there’s Clark, sitting pretty at 7 under after a hard-fought 70 on Saturday.

He got up and down from everywhere, made every putt he needed to, and took advantage of a few great breaks that otherwise would have led to disaster. Take the par-3 17th, for example. He pulled his tee shot miles left of the putting surface, and ended up in thick fescue. But a TV tower came to his rescue. He was able to drop in a worry-free area, pitch it close, and make a sweat-free par.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch the Final Round

But despite his Herculean—borderline Houdini—effort that kept his separation intact, some fans didn’t seem to care. When he stripped a fairway-wood to four feet on the par-5 16th, all reports from inside the ropes indicated the reaction was akin to a Thursday tap-in par. Perhaps last year's incident at Oakmont lingers more than he'd like. But no matter how you feel about L.A.C.C. as a U.S. Open test, a win tomorrow at Shinny would validate more than his emotional growth.

Since LIV Golf’s poaching, the PGA TOUR has lacked heels. It’s lacked a bad guy. I hope Clark continues to embrace the indifference and disapproval. To be honest, he may earn more fans that way compared to being just another hero.

He’ll hit the pillow tonight with a six-shot lead. A boring final walk around Shinnecock would all but guarantee a second U.S. Open trophy in four years. You might not like Clark’s dominating performance in the Hamptons, but I'm pretty sure he doesn’t care.

This thing might be over. But it’s still Shinnecock, it’s still the U.S. Open, and anything can happen. Here are the tee times and pairings for the final round in the Hamptons.

All you can do is tip your cap. Wyndham Clark has taken away all the drama with 18 holes to go at the U.S. Open, and unless he forgets how to hold a club overnight, it looks like he’s going to win his second major championship.

Sitting at 7 under, Clarks leads a four-man group at 1 under, a pack that includes World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who posted one of two Saturday under-par rounds. Those two will play together in the final group.

Here are the tee times for Sunday at Shinnecock.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Wyndham Clark Is Thriving in the 'Come and Get Me' Role

Final-Round Tee Times for the U.S. Open

7:45 AM – Dylan Wu, James Nicholas

7:56 AM – Peter Uihlein, Russell Henley

8:07 AM – Patrick Rodgers, Eric Lee (a)

8:18 AM – Neal Shipley, Hideki Matsuyama

8:29 AM – Adrien Dumont de Chassart, Nico Echavarria

8:40 AM – Caleb Surratt, Ben James

8:51 AM – Jackson Van Paris, Spencer Tibbits

9:02 AM – Kurt Kitayama, Max Greyserman

9:18 AM – Marek Fleming (a), Jacob Bridgeman

9:29 AM – Johnny Keefer, Ludvig Åberg

9:40 AM – Ryan Fox, Angel Hidalgo

9:51 AM – Miles Russell (a), Jackson Koivun (a)

10:02 AM – Robert MacIntyre, Chris Gotterup

10:13 AM – Harry Higgs, Andrew Putnam

10:24 AM – Michael Brennan, Jordan Spieth

10:35 AM – Bud Cauley, Ben Kohles

10:51 AM – Cameron Young, Joaquin Niemann

11:02 AM – Laurie Canter, Justin Thomas

11:13 AM – William Mouw, Niklas Nørgaard

11:24 AM – Max McGreevy, Justin Rose

11:35 AM – Ben Griffin, Tyrrell Hatton

11:46 AM – Pierceson Coody, Dustin Johnson

11:57 AM – Ryo Hisatsune, Gary Woodland

12:13 PM – Akshay Bhatia, Rory McIlroy

12:24 PM – Maverick McNealy, Brian Harman

12:35 PM – Zac Blair, Aaron Rai

12:46 PM – John Parry, J.T. Poston

12:57 PM – Sungjae Im, Michael Kim

1:08 PM – Ryder Cowan (a), Alex Fitzpatrick

1:19 PM – Corey Conners, Keegan Bradley

1:35 PM – Matt Fitzpatrick, Collin Morikawa

1:46 PM – Tommy Fleetwood, Xander Schauffele

1:57 PM – Sam Burns, Keith Mitchell

2:08 PM – Emiliano Grillo, Sam Stevens

2:19 PM – Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala

2:30 PM – Scottie Scheffler, Wyndham Clark

The breeze is supposed to be benign on Sunday. Who wins and loses will rightfully be the story. But before all of that plays out, let’s pause to appreciate how much fun it was when we finally got a little peek at how diabolical Shinnecock Hills can be.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y.—Shinnecock finally Shinnecock’d. For most of the third round of the 126th U.S. Open, the wind blew, golf balls bounced and trickled and players’ nerves frayed. It was an almighty test and glorious theater. Alas, the wind slackened in the early evening, with the leaders just reaching the back nine thanks to tee times that went as late as 3:35 p.m. The breeze is supposed to be benign on Sunday. Who wins and loses will rightfully be the story. But before all of that plays out, let’s pause to appreciate how much fun it was when we finally got a little peek at how diabolical Shinnecock Hills can be.

The first players teed off on Saturday at 9 a.m. Winds we blowing a steady 30 miles per hour and gusts touched 40. “I’m staying with some some people on the water in Quogue and when we woke up this morning there were whitecaps on the little bay out back,” says Michael Brennan. “They said it blows like this maybe a couple of times a year.” It wasn’t until 10:47 a.m., when there were 10 groups on the golf course, that the first birdie was recorded. On the first hole, dead into the fan, Dustin Johnson hit a 9-iron from 108 yards. His 9 usually goes 165. On the parallel 9th hole, with that same wind at his back, he chose a sand wedge from 175 yards, to a steeply uphill green, and left his ball pin high. Pierceson Coody is not a big hitter like DJ but on the 10th hole he “smoothed” a gap wedge from 165 yards out. “If you have the right attitude, it’s kind of fun to play different shots in conditions like these,” says Johnson, who shot a one-over par 71.

Knowing the winds were coming, the USGA put a lot of water on the golf course between the second and third rounds. “It’s still fairly soft but they had to do it,” Johnson says. Balls were oscillating on the greens and on a couple of occasions Jordan Spieth turned into Carl Lewis in his haste to mark a ball on the precipice of being blown down a slope. To compensate for the more benign greens, the USGA used back flags on many of the holes that played into the wind, stretching Shinnecock to its maximum. Tyrrell Hatton described some of the pin placements as “smelly.”

He was particularly exasperated about the back flag on number two. If he played enough borrow on his birdie putt it would have raced down a slope off the back of the green. Instead he played what he called a “layup putt” that expired 20 feet short. “You look like an idiot,” he says, but a three-putt bogey is better than a double after putting off the green. It took Brennan five tries to get the ball in the hole from 45 yards out on the 9th hole but he says, “I think the setup is awesome. You have to hit really good shots—if you do, you are rewarded. If you don’t, you are punished pretty severely. That’s what you want at a U.S. Open.”

The leaders caught a break with less wind but had to tangle with course that had been baking in the sun; the brown patches that began to appear on the greens late in the day were red meat for the sickos who want the players to suffer. “I know everyone wants to see our balls roll off the greens and for crazy stuff to happen, but luckily the USGA didn’t push it that far,” says Coody. “The course is still fair.”

Still, the putting got more challenging as the day wore on, as the poa annua grass on the greens began to wilt in the heat. “They haven’t been rolling them or cutting them tight because of the wind,” says Coody. “These are the bumpiest greens we’ve played on all year. Your ball takes a little hop and the wind will blow it just enough to knock it out of the hole. That’s tough.”

The purpose of the U.S. Open is to push players to the breaking point—physically, mentally, spiritually. We finally got a glimpse of that on Saturday. It turned many players into philosophers. “Par is really relative,” mused Coody. “Every shot is so demanding, every hole. You have to fall back on the whole cliche of, I’m just going to do my best on every shot and see where that leaves me and then try again. Par is kind of out the window.”

We shall see what the USGA cooks up for the final round. Doubtful it can match Saturday’s zany fun.

In a unique move for the equipment company, Wyndham Clark's putter deal with Ping seems to come at the perfect time.

On the PGA TOUR, where endorsement contracts can be lucrative, the trend for most equipment companies is to sign players to exclusive deals that include top-to-bottom sets with some built-in wiggle room for a few spots, like putters, fairway woods, or wedges.

For example, if you want to be a Ping player under contract, you (allegedly) have to use a Ping putter and the driver. The lone exception to this was when Tony Finau came to Ping and was given time to transition into a Ping putter from his previous Piretti.

This is why the recent announcement of Ping signing Wyndham Clark to an exclusive putter deal for his use of a Scottsdale TEC putter is so unique for the company, which tends to be conservative in its player acquisitions.

RELATED: Three Of The Biggest Drives So Far At The U.S. Open

"Wyndham comes into the U.S. Open this week as one of the hottest players in the world. He’s been using the Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset model since the Houston Open and has steadily climbed in the world rankings since then on the strength of a win and third-place finish in his last three tournaments," PING CEO & President John K. Solheim said. "We’re excited he’s having such tremendous success with the new model and benefiting from the Eye Q alignment technology and the onset design."

(Title Image From GolfWRX.com)

Scottsdale TEC - Technology

Eye Q Alignment Technology

To better help golfers get their eyes in the right position before the stroke, Ping engineers used Tobii eyetracking glasses to better understand how they could create alignment cues on the putters.

The end result are high-contrasting alignment lines and dots that are inline with the Quite Eye visual performance philosophy, they elongate the final gaze on the ball before striking the putt.

By placing a dot at the end of the long line it helps to focus the eyes on a singular spot.

“Our researchers and scientists look for inspiration outside of golf," Solheim said. "Quiet Eye has been used extensively in other sports requiring precise movements to help athletes improve focus just before action. Whether it’s shooting a free throw in basketball or serving a tennis ball, many top athletes train using this technique. With the Scottsdale TEC line and Eye Q Technology, we’re providing golfers with an immediate solution to improve their putting.”

RELATED: PING Gets Your Aim Right With Scottsdale TEC Putters

Distinctly NOT Zero Torque

Although at first glance you might assume the the Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue and Ketsch models are low / zero-torque, they're not. But they do offer an onset look.

With onset putters gaining in popularity, this type of design helps appeal to golfers looking for an additional alignment aid, while also utilizing Ping's multi-material engineering to provide added forgiveness and feel.

Why No Zero-Torque?

Ping's design philosophy believes that the player should "pull" the center of gravity towards the target to maximize stability and forgiveness. This theory was something PING founder Karsten Solheim believed in very strongly.

The analogy Karsten would often use is that of a wheelbarrow and demonstrate that it's easiler to pull a wheelbarrow over a curb (because you are pulling the mass), rather than try and push the mass over.

From Wyndham

"Since switching to the PING Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue Onset putter in April, I’ve seen significant improvement in my putting," Clark said. "The white finish first got my attention and when I started rolling putts with it, it set up easily, and gave me immediate confidence. I’d never used a putter with onset before, so it was a new look for me that really matches my eye. The onset combined with the top-rail dot simplifies alignment."

The Specs

Clark’s custom Scottsdale TEC Ally Blue putter is 38 inches and gripped with a Superstroke Zenergy 3.0 grip. It has a head weight of approximately 400 grams with a 20 degree lie angle and 3 degrees of loft.

The switch has been paying off and Wyndham (as of publication) holds a 4-shot lead near the halfway point of the U.S. Open.

RELATED:This PING Putter's Hot Streak Continues At U.S. Women's Open

Consider this your 2026 U.S. Open merch tent shopping guide going into the weekend at Shinnecock.

Merchandise tents at majors can get dangerous. You walk in thinking you’re going to buy a hat and leave with a quarter-zip, two T-shirts, a Tervis that sits on the cupboard next to a cast of mismatched cups and a credit card notification asking if everything is okay.

So before you start grabbing anything with a Shinnecock logo on it, let’s make a gameplan. And for those texting friends at the tournament this weekend, help them out instead of the “just grab whatever looks cool” asks. With over 500,000 items from 45 brands, you'll want to be prepared.

RELATED:Why Pink Has Taken Over Both the World Cup and the U.S. Open

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Before any big decision or shopping venture, my best advice to you is to take a lap. Don’t grab the first thing you see upon entering the 34,000-square-foot merchandise tent. Take a beat, take in the scenery, take your time.

Image Credit: USGA

These temporary shopping structures are often crowded and chaotic so don’t make the mistake of panic buying something you’ll leave the tags and shove in the bottom drawer. Buy the thing you’ll regret not buying, not the souvenir you think you’re supposed to buy. If you’re holding something and immediately thinking, “I guess I could wear this,” put it back.

Everyone leaves with a hat, most people leave with a polo and those kickballs that resemble a golf ball are in every parent's cart. But if there’s a unique graphic tee, a quality piece of outerwear or a logo treatment you’ve never seen before, that’s usually the item you’ll wish you grabbed six months from now.

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And speaking of regret, don’t wait to stop at merch. Yes, it is annoying to lug around a bag walking the course but the good stuff goes fast and rarely makes it to Sunday. Take advantage of bag checks when you can. I’ve purchased a drawstring or tote bag or two in my day for this exact reason and they make great gifts for friends that don’t mind if they come with a few hours of wear.

Generally, the best merch tent purchases are the ones you know you’ll wear before you even look at the price tag. That said, prices range drastically across the shopping floor so be sure to set a rough budget per piece or per haul to help from a jaw-drop at the register.

After years of browsing merch tents, most of my purchases are for people back home. So in addition to setting a gift versus personal budget, I make sure to prep my people to know when I’ll be shopping and to be ready for a few photos and “this or that” options.

For hats I ask everyone on my list to find a hat from home and send the brand and shape to me so I can easily wade through the massive (and crowded) hat wall to grab my brother a low profile performance tech Imperial cap with the course logo, my dad a cotton Ahead rope hat with vintage styling and my toddler nephews the floppiest bucket hats I can find.

Image Credit: Brittany Romano

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As the league continues to take shape, here's a look at the four markets that have already staked their claim in women's golf's newest venture.

The announcement of WTGL kicked started the 2026 LPGA season with a bang, but it the newest avenue for women's golf also left many people asking questions.

Which players would sign on? How would the franchises be structured? Would teams be connected to existing TGL markets or chart their own path?

Over the last six months, the picture is beginning to come into focus. WTGL has secured 14 player commitments, attracted a star-studded group of investors, and continues to move toward finalizing media rights ahead of its inaugural season later this year. Most importantly, the league is beginning to establish its geographic footprint, with ownership groups and host cities steadily coming off the board as the foundation of the league takes shape.

Earlier this week, Motor City Golf Club officially announced its participation in WTGL. While Detroit had already been linked to TGL expansion beginning in 2027, the franchise will make its debut sooner than expected by joining the women's league for it's debut.

RELATED: Here are the Four Players We'd Pick for the TGL's Motor City Golf Club

"The addition of Motor City Golf Club reflects the strength of WTGL’s ownership model and the growing interest around women’s team golf," said Mike McCarley, founder and CEO of TMRW Sports about the news. "This group brings strong market ties, deep experience investing in and growing professional sports franchises, and a shared belief in the opportunity ahead for women’s golf."

Detroit now joins Atlanta, Los Angeles, and New York as the confirmed host cities.

RELATED: Atlanta Drive TGL Team Owner Adds WTGL to His Iconic Roster

WTGL’s current roster includes a variety of LPGA stars, from major champions to Olympians meet the 14 committed players: Celine Boutier, Brooke Henderson, Charley Hull, Danielle Kang, Megan Khang, Lydia Ko, Andrea Lee, Minjee Lee, Jeeno Thitikul, Lexi Thompson, Albane Valenzuela, Michelle Wie West, Lottie Woad and Rose Zhang.

Teams and pairings of players has yet to be announced as details are still being finalized.

More About WTGL on Skratch

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Rose Zhang, Lottie Woad Join in on the WTGL Party—Meanwhile Nelly Korda Says She Has "Mixed Feelings"

She's So Back! Michelle Wie West Comes Out of Retirement to Join WTGL

Every Jeeno Thitikul Press Conference is Proof of Her Mic'd Up Abilities

Soccer Super Star Alex Morgan Backs WTGL

These Are The Front-Runners in WTGL Media Rights Negotiations

The USGA determined Niemann's actions on the 6th hole constituted "serious misconduct," resulting in a two-stroke penalty during Round 1 at Shinnecock.

Joaquin Niemann's opening round at the U.S. Open took an unexpected turn Thursday when he was assessed a two-stroke penalty for throwing a club on the 6th hole.

The USGA announced that Niemann was assessed a two-stroke penalty after throwing a club on the 6th hole, an act that officials determined was "serious misconduct" under Rule 1.2b.

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RELATED: What Really Happens During USGA Driver Testing

“Joaquin Neimann was assessed two penalty strokes for throwing a club on the 6th hole during Round 1,” the statement from the USGA early Friday said. “This act was determined to be serious misconduct under Rule 1.2b.”

According to reporting from The Athletic's Gabby Herzig, Niemann's frustration boiled over after hitting two balls out of bounds on the hole. A volunteer who witnessed the incident said Niemann kicked a flag used to mark his ball, kicked sand in the area and then launched an iron roughly 50 yards toward the edge of the course.

The penalty adds another wrinkle to what has become one of golf's more persistent questions. Niemann stacked wins at LIV, but major championships remain the one line missing from an otherwise impressive résumé.

At a U.S. Open where every shot matters, losing two of them before signing the card is about as costly as it gets.

RELATED:Jason Day Withdraws from the U.S. Open After Playing 10 Holes

Weeks of Tour sightings suggest a spiked version of the Presidio may be on the way.

If you've been paying close attention to Tommy Fleetwood's footwear over the last few weeks, you may have noticed something a little different.

Fleetwood has been wearing what appears to be an unreleased spiked version of the Sun Day Red Presidio, one of the more unique golf shoe stories currently on the market. The original Presidio quickly found an audience thanks to its ability to blend modern sneaker aesthetics with a silhouette that still feels appropriate on a golf course. That's why seeing a spiked version show up on Fleetwood's feet feels significant.

RELATED: Why Pink Has Taken Over Both the World Cup and the U.S. Open

While nothing has been officially announced, it's hard not to assume Fleetwood is helping put the shoe through its paces in competition. If Sun Day Red is looking to expand the Presidio franchise, adding a true performance spiked option feels like a logical next step. Plenty of golfers love the look of sneaker-inspired footwear but still prefer the confidence and traction that comes with a traditional spiked outsole.

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The timing is interesting as well. Sun Day Red recently added Auburn standout and SEC All-Freshman Logan Reilly to its roster. Reilly has been wearing the brand's Pioneer Magnolia model and represents the next generation of players coming into the game.

Between established Tour veterans like Fleetwood and emerging amateur talent like Reilly, Sun Day Red appears to be building a diverse testing ground for future footwear development.

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For now, all we can do is speculate. But if Fleetwood's recent footwear choices are any indication, the Presidio story may be far from finished.

RELATED: Yes, Tommy Fleetwood Keeps Wearing These Lululemon Pants

RELATED:Skratch Attests: The Golf Shoe That Has Replaced All My Other Sneakers

Another major championship, another missed cut for Bryson DeChambeau. Here's a full look at the notable names heading home after two days at Shinnecock Hills.

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Wyndham Clark made it look pretty damn easy over the first two days of the U.S. Open, posting rounds of 64-69 to hold the solo-lead at 7 under. But there were plenty of notable names who struggled with Shinnecock Hills and are headed home a few days early.

The group includes Jon Rahm, who missed just his second cut in his last 27 major championship starts.

Here's a look at the long list of big names who missed the cut at the U.S. Open.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch

Notable Names Who Missed the Cut at the U.S. Open

Bryson DeChambeau, 5 Over (70-75)

For the third major in a row, DeChambeau is headed home after two days—but remember, YouTube Golf is great prep for the biggest tournaments in the world!

Viktor Hovland, 5 over (76-69)

Hovland played solid golf on Day 2, but an opening-round 76 was too much to overcome for the Norwegian.

Rickie Fowler, 5 Over (71-74)

Fowler had a 12-foot birdie putt on his 36th hole, but couldn't get it to go. He's now missed three straight cuts this season.

Patrick Reed, 5 Over (72-73)

After two top-15 finishes at the Masters and PGA Championship, Reed is headed home after two rounds at Shinnecock.

Jon Rahm, 6 Over (68-78)

It looked like Rahm was going to be right in the conversation over the weekend after opening with a 68, but the Spaniard played some ugly golf on Friday.

Patrick Cantlay, 6 Over (74-72)

Many liked Cantlay's chances this week, but it'll be another major championship disappointment for arguably the best player without one.

Shane Lowry, 6 Over (73-73)

The Irishman played all four rounds at the Masters and PGA Championship, but he won't do the same in the Hamptons.

Cameron Smith, 6 Over (75-71)

After tying for seventh at Aronimink last month, Smith, as he did at the Masters, missed the cut at the U.S. Open.

Min Woo Lee, 7 Over (74-73)

Lee missed the cut at the Masters back in April, and he had the same fate at Shinnecock.

Adam Scott, 8 Over (73-75)

Scott made his 100th consecutive major championship start this week, but it'll end two days earlier than he had hoped.

Jake Knapp, 8 Over (77-71)

This was Knapp’s first start since the RBC Heritage in April, and the rust was obvious during a Thursday 77.

Brooks Koepka, 10 Over (73-77)

Shinnecock's 2018 champion won't have the opportunity to win on Long Island this time around after a tough Friday.

The same forces driving football's hottest footwear trend are showing up at golf's biggest major.

Throughout round one at Shinnecock, I found myself noticing the same thing while watching U.S. Open coverage.

Pink was everywhere.

From shoes and hats to polos and limited-edition major collections, multiple brands seemed to arrive at the same color at the exact same time. At first, I assumed it was just one of those U.S. Open coincidences. Then I started watching FIFA World Cup matches and noticed the same thing happening on an even larger stage.

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Across Nike, Adidas, Puma, and New Balance, pink boots have become one of the defining footwear stories of the tournament. Different shades, different silhouettes, same general direction.

The interesting part is that neither golf nor football appears to be driving the trend.

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RELATED: Lookback: Payne Stewart, Hazeltine, and the Miami Dolphins Fit

Fashion forecasting groups like WGSN and seasonal color reports from Pantone identified various shades of pink, from soft blush tones to brighter fuchsia hues, as key colors heading into Spring/Summer 2026. Considering most footwear and apparel collections are designed well over a year before they hit shelves, the pink showing up at the U.S. Open and the World Cup is likely the result of brands responding to the same trend signals rather than reacting to one another.

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For golf, that's a reminder of how connected the sport has become to the broader worlds of fashion and sport. Brands like Nike, Adidas, Puma, and New Balance now have meaningful investments across both golf and football. The World Cup provides global visibility. The U.S. Open delivers a premium lifestyle audience. When the same color story appears across both stages, it creates a natural bridge between those worlds.

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Maybe pink isn't really the story.

Maybe the story is that golf is no longer operating in its own bubble. The same trends influencing runways, sneakers, and football boots are increasingly finding their way onto the first tee.

Dustin Johnson looked like he could win the U.S. Open, but things started to move very quickly at Shinnecock.

When Dustin Johnson finished his first round on Friday morning, he was 4 under. Ten holes through his second round, he was still 4 under. But then Shinnecock got some payback.

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Johnson found two bunkers at the tricky par-3 11th and made double. Then he made back-to-back bogeys at 12 and 13. After a par at 14, Johnson made an absolute mess of the 15th, eventually making a quadruple-bogey eight. All of a sudden, just an hour after being tied for second, he was on cut watch.

U.S. Open:How to Watch | Tee Times

While it was a bit of a surprise to see DJ around the lead through 28 holes, he did come into the week of back-to-back top-five finishes on LIV—not like that means much. Data Golf projects the U.S. Open cut will come in at 4 under, and after a birdie at the par-5 16th, Johnson just needs to get it in the house to make it to the weekend. He hasn’t made the cut in this event since Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.

Public shaming is so back.

The quickest way to learn a lesson is by making a mistake. And one fan at Shinnecock Hills quite literally found that out almost instantly.

On the fourth hole during the opening round of the U.S. Open, Rory McIlroy found himself in trouble, attempting to hit a shot out of some lengthy fescue. As soon as it was struck, the World No. 2 indicated that it was a mishit, and his ball sailed hard right. It took one massive leap on the cart path before settling near some fan foot traffic, and an unassuming woman took it upon herself to pick the ball up for what I assume is some sort of souvenir.

RELATED: Rory McIlroy is Right About Shinnecock Hills

The 40-second clip is making its rounds across the Twittersphere because the crowd reaction that was picked up extremely well on the broadcast is hilarious. The chorus of disgusted "no's" is a thing of public shaming beauty, which has truly become a lost art form.

I'm sure the woman just made an honest mistake, and probably was left a little embarrassed, but hey, things happen, and now she knows that a random golf ball that she sees during a major championship isn't actually random at all and it's better left untouched.

RELATED:600-Yard Par 5? Just a Driver—>Pitching Wedge for Rory McIlroy

Dense fog is covering Shinnecock Hills on Thursday morning, and it doesn't seem to be going anywhere.

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Mother Nature threw us a little buzzkill on Thursday morning, with dense fog engulfing Shinnecock Hills on Day 1 of the U.S. Open. Fourteen players started their rounds, but were soon called off the golf course. Play was suspended at 7:05 a.m., and it resumed two hours later at 9:05 a.m.

On my way to the golf course this morning, fog was an issue on the road in and out of the property, but it was severely worse over Shinnecock.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Tee Times

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For Thursday's morning wave, this fog delay is worst-case scenario. With brutal wind in the forecast for later in the day, the morning hours are scheduled to be the only calm stretch of the week. Now, after the delay, it's unlikely the first round will be completed before sunset.

After just 10 holes of his opening round, Jason Day withdrew from the U.S. Open with a back injury.

Jason Day has withdrawn from the U.S. Open after playing 10 holes of his opening round at Shinnecock Hills.

Starting on No. 10, Day made seven bogeys to post a front-nine 7-over 42. He made the turn and made par at the first, but withdrew after that with a back injury.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Tee Times

The Aussie has a long history of back injuries, so this is worth keeping an eye on in the next few weeks and the remainder of the PGA TOUR season. Coming into the week, his last top-30 finish came at the Masters in April.

Big winds and firm conditions led to massive drives around Shinnecock Hills during round 1 of the U.S. Open.

On a day that started off slow, thanks in part to a fog delay that pushed back tee times, firm and fast conditions, along with gusting winds, reigned supreme during round one at the U.S. Open. And, thanks to these conditions, the true stars of the show - the players got to show off their talents to not only navigate Shinnecock Hills' links but also unleash some insanely long drives.

RELATED: 600-Yard Par 5? Just a Driver—>Pitching Wedge for Rory McIlroy

These were some of the longest drives from Thursday's play at the U.S. Open.

Bryson DeChambeau - No. 12, 427 Yards

With the 12th hole playing downwind, it was prime for someone to take advantage, and with the help of his new prototype TaylorMade driver (shafted with a ProjectX Titan), Bryson made literal short work of the 472-yard 12th hole by smashing one 427 yards, then hitting it to 6 feet before draining his bridie putt.

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Dustin Johnson - No. 3, 403 Yards

Even with the winds calming down later in the afternoon, Dustin Johnson took it upon himself to launch an absolute missile down the 497-yard 3rd hole to set up a wedge to a few feet leading for birdie. (With players still left to finish round one), Dustin birdie was one of 36 on the day. DJ hit is drive with a new Titleist GTS2 and Fujikura Ventus Black.

Rory McIlroy - No. 5, 396 Yards

During the first wave of round 1, Rory went from 1-shot back to the lead after setting up an eagle on the 5th hole. From close to 200 yards away, he hit a pitching wedge - yes, a pitching wedge (downhill, but still nuts) to around 15 feet, after hitting his drive just under 400 yards. It was one of just 3 eagles on the 5th hole during play today. He hit the drive with his TaylorMade Qi4D and Fujikura Ventus Black.

With winds expected to continue, this could just be the start of whats to come for the rest of the event.

RELATED: Every Winning Driver From The 2026 PGA TOUR Season (So Far)

The fescue at Shinnecock Hills is a problem—just ask Patrick Reed.

SOUTHAMPTON, NY — Shinnecock Hills is showing its teeth on Day 1 of the U.S. Open, and it’s not just because of the heavy winds.

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Patrick Reed’s tee shot down the par-4 14th found the fescue right of the fairway, leaving him no option but to hack it back out into play. But things didn’t go exactly as planned. I’m not sure if he hit it off the hosel, or the fescue wrapped around his club and shut down the face, but his second shot went nearly 90 degrees to his left—and his ball almost took out Keegan Bradley in the process.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Tee Times

To his credit, Reed was able to get his third just short of the green, and from there, he got up and down for bogey. Pretty impressive given the circumstances.

Through 16 holes of his opening round, Reed was 2 over and five shots back of Rory McIlroy.

After a landmark U.S. Women's Open at Riviera, the USGA is taking the championship to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in 2036—and USGA leadership believes the best is still ahead.

After 12 years, the USGA and women's golf got it's statement U.S. Women's Open. Michelle Wie West in 2014 at Pinehurst was the last true blockbuster win for an American at their national open, until Nelly Korda at Riviera just two weeks ago.

RELATED: Delayed, Not Denied—Nelly Korda Finally Gets Her Hollywood Ending

It was the perfect stage with the perfect ending—and hopefully what we witnessed will be the blueprint for what a successful championship will look like—something that USGA CEO Mike Whan (who was once the commissioner of the LPGA) alluded to at his pre-championship presser ahead of this week's men's US Open at Shinnecock Hills.

"I'm hoping that two weeks ago answered that question for every fan, more than I'll answer it, if you watched the women play Riviera and what happened there over the weekend and the Sunday finish," said Whan. "Riviera was a huge stage for the women's game, and we were super proud of it. Whether you watched it or didn't watch it, didn't matter. It was an amazing experience. If you believe what you saw at Riv make sense, I can only imagine what the next ten years is going to be."

Well in 10 years time, the women will play at Shinnecock, and one can only hope that we don't have to wait a decade for that same magic to be repeated.

"I think we will not know the impact of Riviera for another decade. I've just got to believe, like I as a little boy watched Jack Nicklaus win at Baltusrol in 1980. Tom Watson winning at Pebble Beach in 1982. We were little boys that wanted to win the U.S. Open," said USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer.

"There were thousands, if not tens of thousands of little girls who watched Nelly Korda lift that trophy, and ten years from now we're going to see them playing and winning, and we're going to see more Nelly Kordas. Isn't that cool? Not just in the United States, but all around the world...The women deserve to win at Riviera, at Shinnecock. They just do. I am proud that the USGA has allowed us to go down that journey, and we're going to make it great."

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Riviera showed us what the U.S. Women's Open can be when the biggest stars in the game are given one of golf's grandest stages and a moment worthy of the spotlight. And to Whan's point, hopefully the next decade won't simply be about taking the championship to iconic courses—it will be about the generation of girls who watched Korda win in L.A. and decided they wanted to be next.

One of pro golf's most stylish partnership kicked off the 2026 U.S. Open with more of a murmur than the usual shout.

A chill went through the air on Thursday morning of the 126th U.S. Open Championship. It was not a 40-mph wind gust. It was the first indication that hell may have frozen over. Jason Day wore an outfit to play golf, and I did not like it. Rare, like Sepp Straka with hair.

*Update: Shortly after publication Jason Day withdrew from the tournament with a back injury. We have no reason to believe the reception of his outfit has anything to do with it and we wish him the best.

They can’t all be hits, I get that. In fact, each week while I gather photos of the best-dressed golfers on the planet, I often skip Day’s more traditionally embellished, although contemporarily designed outfits. But this is the United States motherf*ckin’ Open! A time to flex, to say something on-the-nose (American Flag Shorts, Oakmont, 2025) or about The Hamptons, our gracious host community.

There you go—finally beating the “Malbon Shill” allegations—but I’m not happy about it.

This time around, Malbon employed Daniel Arsham, a contemporary artist whose work is nothing short of unbelievable (check out what he did around the Malbon Home below. Like I said, unbelievable. That Statue of Liberty Head is physically there.) What I appreciate about the move is the discoverability of it all. Seldom do artists who don’t paint landscapes or do scoreboard calligraphy get their due in golf, and the sport’s new wave of fashion brands have done a good job of exposing the golf world to the culture outside its white picket fences.

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But how they executed the clothes, at least for Thursday, fell pretty flat. And I think that’s being kind, considering the nearly offensive mixing of digital camo and critter pants.

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We call that a logo slap in the clothes analysis business. And not just because the logo is slapped all over him from ass to ankle, but because it’s as if the logo was incorporated without consideration of what it is: nothin’ special. Take that deteriorated head of Lady Liberty, play with some lines and some colors and get her stoic mug on the front of some outerwear or the back bottom corner of a polo shirt. The color alone is a bit too subtle a nod to her tone, in my humble opinion.

Day’s scripting the rest of the week ventures more toward what we’re used to out of this ambassadorship. I hope he makes the weekend so we can see this pink sweater that’s giving Hamptons as it should. But the rest of the scripting feels a little too—dare I say Tier Two Event? (or Tier Two Ambassador, even).

I know we’ve got Sungjae and Jackson and Eric Lee to dress, too. But I can’t help but feel like JDay got done a little dirty this time around. Maybe I hold brands like Malbon to a higher standard. Certainly it’s because they have earned that. But as my colleague Dan Rapaport often exclaims, we call balls and strikes around here and I expected a lot more from the sport’s most foremost culture and clothing collective.

My tears will dry. Nature will heal. Jason Day will be wearing a shirt made of burlap in six weeks and I’ll bow at the alter of it, call it innovative, buy the shirt myself.

Until then, they can’t all be gold. I’ll be admiring Tommy Fleetwood’s cardigan in the meantime.

Must be nice to eagle a par 5 using driver-pitching wedge. Unrelatable stuff from Mr. McIlroy.

The last time Rory McIlroy had made an eagle during a U.S. Open was all the way back in 2017 at Erin Hills. Well, that drought ended in impressive fashion during the opening round at Shinnecock Hills on Thursday.

After making what he called a “U.S. Open par” at the fourth, McIlroy stepped to the 600-yard par-5 fifth, driver in hand, with a stiff tailwind. Thanks to 187 MPH ball speed, a towering trajectory, and the aforementioned breeze, his drive went 396 yards. From the fairway, he hoisted a pitching wedge(!!) from 192 yards and stuffed it to 11 feet. And when you do that, you have to pay it off.

U.S. OPEN:How to Watch | Tee Times

After the eagle, he was 3 under for the day and in the solo lead. But given his recent history in the U.S. Open, it shouldn’t come as a surprise.

As the afternoon rolls on, the wind is only expected to get more intense. It’s going to take a Herculean effort for someone in the second wave of tee times to catch him—if he can get it in the house.

Ludvig Aberg is the newest player to see gains since moving from a blade-style putter to a mallet, and so far it's paying off at Shinnecock Hills

Mallet putters have been on quite the run over the last couple of years, to the point where in 2026 on the PGA TOUR, only one player has won with a blade (twice): Matt Fitzpatrick. Beyond Matt, we've seen a mallet in hand for every other winner so far this season, including at the majors, and it looks like another recent convert is finding his stride with a mallet this week at the U.S. Open, a one Ludvig Aberg.

RELATED: Every Winning Putter From the Last 10 U.S. Opens

Since turning pro and even going back further to college, Aberg has used a blade-style putter, but after a slower start on the greens this season (even though he's currently 43rd at +0.261), he made a change after the PGA Championship, and at this week's U.S. Open, it is paying off big time.

Just how much exactly?

At the conclusion of his first round, 1-under par 69, Ludvig gained an impressive 2.62 shots on the field, a pick up of 2.359 shots over his season average.

As of the first wave of players at the U.S. Open, only two people are ahead of him in strokes gained putting: Rory McIlroy at 3.19, and Sepp Straka at 3.09.

The Putter

The putter Aberg has moved into is a Scotty Cameron Phantom 3.2, a mid-mallet design that features a plumbers-neck hosel to more closely resemble a blade from address. And, thanks to its size and shape, it also has extra built-in forgiveness.

The smaller shape of the Phantom 3.2 has another benefit in that the center of gravity more closely resembles that of a blade so you get the feel of a blade but with added alignment features and forgiveness. Now, to see if this streak will continue for the rest of the week.

RELATED: Scotty Cameron Adds Phantom 3.2 & 12 Models to Its Mallet Line

With the U.S. Open taking place at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, here's a look back at the last ten winners and the putters they used.

The U.S. Open tests every part of a golfer's game. Leading the field in every stat and skill from driving to ball striking—and especially putting—is essential to finding success on a course set up by the USGA. And with such exposed putting surfaces that can get quick, players are going to need a deft touch at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.

But can putters help to predict a winner?

If the PGA TOUR is the model, then there is a good chance the winner of the U.S. Open will use a mallet since only one player this year has won with a blade, Matt Fitzpatrick, and he's done it twice. But mallets are gaining on blades in a big way, and if last year's leader board is any indication, we could see another mallet used to win.

With history already written, here's a look at the rest of the winners and their respective putters from the last decade.

RELATED: Can L.A.B.'s New Putter Win Over More Golfers?

The Players and Their Putters

2025: JJ Spaun - LAB Golf DF3

Thanks to an incredible final round, which included an amazing putt on the 72nd hole, JJ Spaun became the 2025 U.S. Open winner, and one that soon won't be forgotten.

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2024: Bryson DeChambeau - SIK Prototype Blade

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2023: Wyndham Clark – Odyssey JailBird

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2022: Matt Fitzpatrick – Bettinardi custom

RELATED: The Matt Fitzpatrick Bettinardi Putter Has Arrived - Grooves and All

2021: Jon Rahm – Odyssey Rossie S

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2020: Bryson DeChambeau - SIK Prototype Blade

2019: Gary Woodland – Scotty Cameron Newport 2

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2018 & 2017: Brooks Koepka – Scotty Cameron TEi3 Newport 2

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2016: Dustin Johnson – Scott Cameron Newport 2 Prototype

RELATED: Every Winning Putter From The 2026 PGA TOUR Season (So Far)

This week's winner at Shinnecock Hills will go home with $4.5 million. The total purse for the U.S. Open now sits at $22.5 million.

During the USGA’s pre-tournament press conference on Wednesday from Shinnecock Hills, the organization's CEO Mike Whan announced a purse increase for the U.S. Open.

RELATED:There’s Concern Surrounding the Overall Distance Standard Testing and its Effectiveness

Last year at Oakmont, the total purse was $21.5 million, and J.J. Spaun took home $4.3 million. This year in the Hamptons, the purse is up $1 million to $22.5 million. The winner’s share will be $4.5 million, up $200,000 from a season ago. These are the same numbers as April’s Masters.

"We believe we're the best championship in the game, and we want a lot of aspects to be the best championship in the game," Whan said. "Where we go, how we treat the players, how we pay out, how we're televised, and we're proud of the fact there's more network hours on the U.S. Open than any other major championship."

Yeah, some of that's just personal pride. We want to be big. We want to be the best. We want to make sure it's life-changing in multiple ways.

RELATED:Rory McIlroy is Right About Shinnecock Hills

With the tournament set to begin Thursday morning, the forecast calls for steady winds in the mid-20 MPH range with gusts up to 40 MPH.

Carnage is coming!

Rory, Tommy, and Ludvig? Spieth, Rahm, and Rose? These groups for the U.S. Open are going to be a blast to watch.

I was already anxious about getting to Thursday morning, but after seeing some of these groups for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open, the wait might kill me.

The USGA didn't mess around at Shinnecock Hills, creating some of the best star-studded groups in recent memory. It's going to be a show out in the Hamptons this week.

Here are the groups that we plan on following for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open.

U.S. Open: How to Watch | Full Field | Tee Times

Best Groups for the First Two Rounds of the U.S. Open

Brooks Koepka, Cameron Young, Chris Gotterup

Round 1: 7:30 a.m.

Round 2: 1:25 p.m.

Koepka was balling for the first two rounds last week in Canada, but now he's dealing with a hand injury. He won here in 2018 and seems to be peaking at the right time. Plus, Young and Gotterup have already won twice this year. This week's champion could very well come from this group.

Rory McIlroy, Ludvig Aberg, Tommy Fleetwood

Round 1: 7:52 a.m.

Round 2: 1:47 p.m.

Just three best buddies out for a stroll around Shinnecock Hills. Does it get any better than that?

Mason Howell, Scottie Scheffler, J.J. Spaun

Round 1: 8:14 a.m.

Round 2: 2:09 p.m.

The reigning U.S. Open champion playing with the reigning U.S. Amateur champion and the man going for the Career Grand Slam. Yeah, that'll do.

Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Matt Fitzpatrick

Round 1: 1:25 p.m.

Round 2: 7:30 a.m.

DeChambeau hasn't made a cut at a major in 2026. He needs a good week, badly. All eyes will be on him come Thursday afternoon.

Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama, Xander Schauffele

Round 1: 1:47 p.m.

Round 2: 7:52 a.m.

Watching JT play in windy conditions at Shinnecock will be a treat, and Schauffele is the most-consistent major player in the world. Oh, and Matsuyama isn't too shabby, either.

Justin Rose, Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm

I know one thing for sure with Spieth and Rahm: there will be viral clips over the first two days.

Round 1: 2:09 p.m.

Round 2: 8:14 a.m.

At Shinnecock, there's a lot more than just money up for grabs for the U.S. Open winner.

Winning major championships is what separates good players from great ones, but they also come with a whole lot more than just hardware. Capturing one of golf’s big four can set up a player’s career for a decade.

Oh, and the money isn’t too bad, either.

Last year, J.J. Spaun took home $4.3 million when he drained that electric 64-foot birdie putt at Oakmont’s par-4 18th. Although the purse hasn’t been announced for Shinnecock yet, it’s safe to say it’ll be more than 2025, knowing how money pools have increased in golf over the past five years. On top of the cash, the winner will also receive 750 FedExCup points.

Here’s a full breakdown of what the U.S. Open winner in the Hamptons will get next Sunday.

U.S. Open: How to Watch | Full Field | Tee Times

What the U.S. Open Champion Receives

1. Their own U.S. Open trophy (the real one stays in the USGA museum)

2. The Jack Nicklaus Medal

3. 10-year exemption into the U.S. Open

4. A 5-year exemption into the Masters, PGA Championship, Open, and THE PLAYERS

5. PGA TOUR card for 5 years

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An ode to seersucker, summer golf’s unofficial uniform, and how Rhone got it really, really right.

There’s something about seersucker that feels like it was made just for summer golf.

The fabric shows up in that exact sweet spot between intentional and effortless—because it's light enough to handle a hot and humid afternoon, yet structured enough to still look put together. You never have to try too hard with seersucker, which is kind of the whole point.

What makes it especially easy to tap into is how little you have to overthink it. A seersucker polo, short, or even a full set instantly signals quiet luxury without needing accessories, layers, or explanation. It carries this built-in casual cool that's relaxed, a little nostalgic, and feels a lot like what would happen if JFK and Jackie O were turned into fabric. (You see it, don't you?) It's classic-by-design nature is a big reason as to why it keeps showing up every time the temperatures climb.

The east coast summers of my dreams are filled with imagery of me and my favorite foursome catching the Jitney out east, where peach Bellini cocktails and oysters on the half shell await us post-round. How one can long for memories they've never had will forever perplexes me, but not nearly enough to stop doing it.

While partaking in my daily morning scroll on Instagram, I got hit with an ad for Rhone's new seersucker collection and immediately stopped in my tracks. What instantly struck me was that this wasn't the seersucker of Easter Sundays, country club portraits, and aggressively pastel suits that many of us who grew up in the Southeast still associate with the fabric. Instead, Rhone has managed to refresh the classic dimpled texture into something that feels distinctly modern—more coastal getaway than garden party.

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The mini capsule leans into soft, sun-faded colors and performance fabrics that preserve seersucker's signature texture while making it lighter, stretchier, and far more wearable. The result is a laid-back summer uniform that feels equally at home on the golf course, a beach town main street, or a post-round patio. It's the kind of seersucker that captures the romanticism of summer without feeling trapped in nostalgia.

We're moving away from performance fabrics and technical everything dominating the conversation, and opening ourselves up to linens and seersucker quietly reminds us all that comfort and style can still exist in the same sentence.

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The PGA TOUR and DP World Tour are concerned the Overall Distance Standard testing method won't have much of an impact on distance at the professional level.

On Wednesday, the United States Golf Association, R&A, PGA TOUR, and DP World Tour released a joint statement regarding the golf ball roll back and how balls are tested via the Overall Distance Standard (ODS):

“Feedback from the golf industry...related to the date of implementation of the updated ODS testing approach indicated that the majority support a single-date implementation (2030) versus a two-date, phased implementation (2028 and 2030).

The ODS is what governs how golf balls are tested and approved for play. And figuring out what the testing approach for conforming golf balls will be (aka the rollback conversation) has come with heated debate and input across the industry and governing bodies.

“Constructive discussions between the governing bodies, PGA TOUR leadership, the PGA TOUR Player Advisory Council (PAC), DP World Tour leadership and other stakeholders yielded three key outcomes: (a) recognition that distance continues to increase at the elite level; (b) a concern by the Tours that the updated ODS testing approach may not achieve the desired results; (c) a collective willingness to reconsider alternative approaches that may more materially impact the pace of future distance increases, while minimizing disruption to the overall golf market.”

In layman’s terms, the new testing approach will likely be implemented all at once in January 2030, instead of the originally-planned phased implementation in 2028 and 2030. As for the three outcomes mentioned above, B is far and away the most interesting.

The governing bodies and circuits have now recognized there’s concern around the ODS testing. This comes a month after Golf Channel reported that Cameron Young’s Titleist ProV1x Double Dot golf ball would likely conform under the new rules.

Because of these developments, the USGA and R&A will work closely with the TOUR, DPWT, and its memberships to review and test other options to limit distance at the professional level. However, there will be no change to the ODS testing until January 2030.

“The USGA, The R&A, PGA TOUR and DP World Tour are confident in the path forward and committed to working collaboratively, and with other key stakeholders, to ensure the long-term health of the game,” the last line of the statement read.

The USGA is hosting a press conference Wednesday morning at Shinnecock Hills, and we’ll keep you updated with further developments and comments.