Scheffler, McIlroy or DeChambeau
DeChambeau is bidding to win his third US Open following victories at Winged Foot in 2020 and Pinehurst last year, where he edged out Rory McIlroy in a thrilling finish.
Here, the PA news agency looks at some of the main contenders for the year's third major championship.
Scottie Scheffler
Scottie Scheffler won the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow (David J. Phillip/AP)
Scheffler recovered from a relatively slow start to the season to win the CJ Cup Byron Nelson by eight shots in his adopted home state of Texas and followed up with a five-shot victory in the US PGA Championship for his third major title.
The world number one was a 19-year-old amateur when he held the clubhouse lead after bad weather brought the first day's play to an early end the last time Oakmont hosted the US Open in 2016 and it would be no surprise to see his name on top of the leaderboard again nine years on.
Rory McIlroy
A U.S. Open champion at 22. The career grand slam now. Congrats, Rory. 👏 pic.twitter.com/yJKhLOC9si
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) April 13, 2025
McIlroy could only follow his Masters triumph with a share of 47th in the US PGA at Quail Hollow, a venue where he had won four times before, and declined to speak to the media after every round.
The world number two's driver was deemed non-confirming earlier in the week and he struggled off the tee, but McIlroy – who missed the cut at Oakmont in 2016 and in each of the next two US Opens – has come to relish the tough test it provides and his form figures since 2019 read 9-8-7-5-2-2.
Bryson DeChambeau
Bryson's clutch bunker shot forever immortalized at Pinehurst No. 2. pic.twitter.com/UEhi8TXRhV
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) April 14, 2025
DeChambeau has become a fixture on major championship leaderboards since his move to LIV Golf, his US Open win last year one of five top-six finishes in his last six starts.
DeChambeau led after two holes of the final round of the Masters before fading to a closing 75 and also failed to convert a promising position in the US PGA before finishing in a tie for second, but his 2020 victory at Winged Foot proved he can overpower a traditional US Open-style venue, with Oakmont very much in that category.
Shane Lowry
Shane Lowry held a four-shot lead after 54 holes when Oakmont last staged the US Open in 2016 (Zac Goodwin/PA)
Lowry held a four-shot lead after 54 holes at Oakmont in 2016, but struggled to a closing 76 to finish three shots behind Dustin Johnson.
Three years later he converted the same advantage into his first major title in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush and although he has not won as often as a player of his ability should, five of his six DP World Tour victories have come in prestigious events.
Jon Rahm
Tough finish for me on Sunday but hats off to Scottie on an amazing win – always love the battle! Thanks to the PGA of America, all of the volunteers, fans, and everyone at Quail Hollow Club for putting on a great event. Taking lots of positives with me for the rest of the year,… pic.twitter.com/lMH79aEKPX
— Jon Rahm Rodriguez (@JonRahmOfficial) May 21, 2025
Rahm made a welcome return to contention in the majors with his performance in the US PGA Championship, where he wiped out a five-shot deficit to claim a share of the lead after 11 holes of the final round, only to drop five shots on the closing three holes after Scheffler had responded with two crucial birdies.
He won his first major in the 2021 US Open at Torrey Pines and added the Masters title in 2023 but had struggled to produce his best form following his shock move to LIV Golf at the end of 2023.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Record
an hour ago
- Daily Record
Rory McIlroy's US Open preparation in tatters after calamity in Canada sees him card an eight and crash out
Superstar suffers torture in Toronto as he misses cut Ravaged Rory McIlroy suffered the shambles of carding an eight during a Canadian Open calamity which has left his build up to the US Open in ruins. The career Grand Slam winner crashed out of the weekend at TPC Toronto after a catastrophic second day. Having taken a fortnight off in the wake of his disappointing display at the PGA Championship which was won at Quail Hollow by Scottie Scheffler, the Masters champion headed to the RBC-sponsored event to get back into competitive mode ahead of Oakmont. Armed with a new driver in the bag, the opportunity was there to get some key work in tournament conditions under the belt ahead of the brutal test in Pennsylvania. However, his comeback was cut to just 36 holes after a frightening Friday left him reeling and spinning out of Canada. McIlroy parred his way through the opening four holes before a horrendous turn of events at the fifth began the implosion. After hitting his tee shot into the right rough on the par four, his approach shot soared over fans and the green and into a place that resulted in a penalty stroke. McIlroy needed three more shots to finally reach the green and finally ended up with a quadruple bogey to shoot himself towards the exit door. He then dropped more shots to reach the turn in a faltering 40. With little hope of making the weekend, McIlroy's situation just got worse with another double-bogey on the 11th taking him to nine-over par. Energy was zapped out of his play as the inevitable loomed and, despite a birdie at the last, McIlroy ended up with a 78, which saw him end his competition a whopping 21 shots behind leader Cameron Champ. The superstar now faces hard work to solve the issues before he gets to Oakmont and that may be tough given his pre-tournament admissions over current levels of motivation. Having won the career Grand Slam and fulfilled his lifetime goals, the push for the next target is going to be a tough one as he confessed on the eve of Canada: 'The last few weeks I've had a couple weeks off and grinding on the range for three or four hours every day is maybe a little tougher than it used to be. You have this event in your life that you've worked towards and it happens, sometimes it's hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again. 'I think the last two weeks have been good for me just as a reset, just to sort of figure out where I'm at in my own head, what I want to do, where I want to play. I thought it was a good time to reset some goals. I've had a pretty good first half of the season and I want to have a good second half of the season now, too.' McIlroy admitted he was happy enough after round one, but the wheels careered off on day two.
The Herald Scotland
an hour ago
- The Herald Scotland
Jannik Sinner ends Novak Djokovic's bid for 25th grand slam at French Open
But in Sinner – 15 years his junior – the Serbian was essentially playing a younger, fitter version of himself. Jannik Sinner won his 20th consecutive grand slam match (Jon Buckle/PA) It was a high-calibre contest befitting a semi-final between the current world's best player and arguably the greatest of all time. But it was Sinner who won the big moments and came out on top with a 6-4 7-5 7-6 (3) victory. Sinner, who holds the US and Australian Open titles, is now on a 20-match winning streak at grand slams. He will play defending champion Carlos Alcaraz, the second seed, in a blockbuster showdown on Sunday. They may have won the last five grand slams between them, but it will be the first time they have met at one in a final. Just to make Djokovic feel even older, it will be the first major final to be contested between two players born this century. With Aryna Sabalenka and Coco Gauff the last two women standing, Roland Garros will be the first grand slam to feature the top-two seeds from both the ATP and WTA draws in the finals since the 2013 US Open. Djokovic has won three titles on the Paris clay but the surface was not his friend when Sinner broke in the first set after the ball kicked up violently off the dust and left him swinging at thin air. Early in the second set Djokovic won a spectacular 26-shot rally, the pair exchanging drop shots before the Serb stretched to volley into an open court before milking the applause from the crowd. Djokovic forced a first break point as Sinner served for the set and when the Italian netted a forehand, he was finally breached. Novak Djokovic's wait for the milestone 25th title goes on (Jon Buckle/PA) But the 23-year-old hit straight back and, after Djokovic received medical treatment on his left thigh at the changeover, he wrapped up the second set. Djokovic kept fighting and had three set points to take it into a fourth in a 10th game, but Sinner wriggled out of that hole and secured victory in the tie-break after three hours and 16 minutes. Once again Djokovic proved he still belongs in the latter stages of the grand slams, but the wait for the milestone 25th title goes on.
Metro
an hour ago
- Metro
Novak Djokovic drops huge retirement hint after French Open semi-final defeat
Novak Djokovic admitted his French Open semi-final defeat to Jannik Sinner could well be his final match at Rolland Garros, sparking suggestions about his potential retirement from tennis. The 38-year-old was seeking to win a record-breaking 25th grand slam singles, but was denied in straight sets by World No.1 Sinner. Djokovic took his time leaving Court Philippe-Chatrier after his 6-4 7-5 7-6 defeat, putting down his bags to applaud every corner of the stadium before touching the clay as he exited. And the Serb admitted that his emotions were heightened knowing that could well be the final time he competes at the French Open. 'This could have been the last match ever I played here, so I don't know. That's why I was a bit more emotional even in the end,' Djokovic said in his post-match press conference. 'But if this was the farewell match of the Roland Garros for me in my career, it was a wonderful one in terms of the atmosphere and what I got from the crowd.' Asked if it's more than likely that Friday's defeat was his last French Open contest, he added: 'I don't know really what tomorrow brings in a way at this point in my career. You know, I going to 'keep on keeping on'. 'Twelve months at this point in my career is quite a long time. Do I wish to play more? Yes, I do. But will I be able to play in 12 months' time here again? I don't know. More Trending 'Wimbledon and US Open, yes, they are in my plans. That's all I can say right now. I'm going to, unless something, I don't know, happens. 'But I feel like I want to play Wimbledon, I want to play US Open. Those two, for sure. For the rest, I'm not so sure.' More to follow. MORE: Who is Lois Boisson? World No.361 who has reached French Open semi-finals MORE: French Open odds: Novak Djokovic can beat Alexander Zverev and close in on a record 25th grand-slam title MORE: Novak Djokovic accuses French Open rival of 'spying' on him before showdown
