Brian Keogh – US Open preview: ‘Complete player' Scottie Scheffler ready for rough and tumble
World No 1 looks man to beat with Oakmont set to deliver Major test of endurance
Ask the world's best players what they face at Oakmont in the US Open and the adjectives flow.
The great Pennsylvania course hosts the event for a record 10th time and while the identity of the winner remains a mystery, there will be pain, torture, hurt and heartache.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Irish Daily Mirror
26 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Rory McIlroy practises with Shane Lowry as friends paired for opening two rounds
Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry were first out on the course at Oakmont on Tuesday morning ahead of the first round of the US Open. The close pals were in high spirits as they played some holes together early in the morning on the notoriously challenging layout. McIlroy was followed around by his putting coach Brad Faxon, while Shane Lowry's coach Neil Manchip was also with the group. It has been a strange couple of weeks for McIlroy, who has struggled for form following his sensational win at the Masters. At last week's Canadian Open, McIlroy slumped to his worst-ever finish on the PGA Tour as rounds of 71 and 78 saw him finish on nine-over-par and miss his first cut since the 2024 Open Championship. But McIlroy will be hoping to be inspired by Lowry, whom he practised alongside before his historic win at Augusta. The close pals were in high spirits as they played some holes together on the notoriously challenging layout. McIlroy was followed around by his putting coach Brad Faxon, while Shane Lowry's coach Neil Manchip was also walked the course. The pair have also been paired together for their opening two rounds at the US Open. But McIlroy will be hoping to be inspired by Lowry, whom he practised alongside before his historic win at Augusta. McIlroy claimed his first and only U.S. Open title in 2011 but struggled in the tournament for several years afterward, missing the cut four times between 2012 and 2018, including at Oakmont in 2016. But the Holywood man has not finished outside the top ten since 2018 and has gone agonisingly close to winning his second US Open in recent years. At the Los Angeles Country Club in 2023, he lost a duel with Wyndham Clark, finishing one stroke behind the American. And last year, McIlroy was disconsolate after two missed putts from inside five feet saw him defeated by Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst. He returns this year, though, as only the sixth man to ever complete the career grand slam.
Free Malaysia Today
30 minutes ago
- Free Malaysia Today
Spaun seizes US Open lead as Scheffler, McIlroy struggle
JJ Spaun waits to putt on the seventh hole during the first round of the US Open at the Oakmont Country Club. (AP pic) OAKMONT : JJ Spaun matched the best first round in a US Open at Oakmont to grab a one-stroke lead after 18 holes while Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy were among many stars who struggled. Spaun defied Oakmont's fearsome reputation by conjuring a bogey-free, four-under par 66 – his lowest round in nine major championship starts. The 34-year-old American equaled the lowest first round of any US Open at Oakmont, a 66 by American Andrew Landry in 2016, producing only the eighth bogey-free US Open round at the Pennsylvania club hosting for a record 10th time. 'I'm just overly pleased with how I started,' Spaun said. 'I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren't very many out here. 'But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round.' Spaun started on the back nine, birdied four of his first eight holes, then parred his way to the clubhouse, his first-nine 31 a best for an Oakmont US Open. 'This is probably one of my better putting rounds all season,' Spaun said. He salvaged pars after finding the Church Pew bunker at the fourth hole and a bunker at the sixth. 'Those are huge, especially at a US Open, to keep your round going and not go the other way,' Spaun said. South African Thriston Lawrence was second on 67 with South Koreans Kim Si-woo and Im Sung-jae on 68 with five-time major winner Brooks Kopeka. 'I definitely think it was gettable,' Koepka said of the course. American Koepka sank a 42-foot eagle putt at the fourth, made bogeys at the 10th and 14th holes then closed with back-to-back birdies from five feet at 17 and 16 feet at 18. 'I played pretty consistent, drove it really well,' Koepka said. 'Iron play was pretty good. When I did miss it, I felt like I missed it in the correct spots.' World No 1 Scheffler, trying to win back-to-back majors after taking the PGA Championship in May, endured a roller-coaster round of 73 with three birdies and six bogeys – his worst opening major round to par. 'I made some silly mistakes out there,' Scheffler said. 'But at the same time, I made some key putts and some good momentum saves – overall just need to be a little sharper.' Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included Paris Olympic gold, has won three of his past four starts. Second-ranked McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, shot 74. The back-nine starter birdied 11 and 12 but made four bogeys and a double bogey on his second nine. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau shot 73 with five bogeys and two birdies. 'Pretty disappointed with how I played,' DeChambeau said. Six-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson, who turns 55 on Monday, opened with a 74 in his bid to complete a career Grand Slam. Im briefly had the solo lead at five-under but three bogeys in his last seven holes derailed him. 'I played five-under but ended up at two-under,' Im said. 'I planned to shoot under par, so I made the goal.' Two-time major winner Jon Rahm was in a pack on 69. 'I'm extremely happy,' the Spaniard said. 'I played some incredible golf to shoot one-under.' Reed makes an albatross American Patrick Reed made the fourth albatross in US Open history with a three-wood from the fairway from 286 yards on the fourth hole – the first at any major since Nick Watney in the 2012 US Open at Olympic Club. 'Just happened to be a perfect spot, perfect club,' Reed said. 'For it to go obviously is a bonus.' Ireland's Shane Lowry holed out from 160 yards out in the fairway for the first US Open eagle at Oakmont's third hole, but it was his lone bright spot in shooting 79. American Maxwell Moldovan made the first US Open eagle at the first, holing out from the fairway from 189 yards, then looking to the heavens with a smile. He fired a 76.
Rhyl Journal
35 minutes ago
- Rhyl Journal
Rory McIlroy struggles in US Open opening round at Oakmont
The Masters champion, trying to shake off the hangover of his Augusta National win in April, came to the Pittsburgh course last week on a scouting mission and carded an 81. While he fared slightly better in Thursday's first round, his four-over-par 74 leaves him needing to produce something special if he is to win the third major of the year. A tale of two nines for Rory. 33-41 from our 2011 champion as he sits 8 off the pace. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025 He is eight shots off first-round leader JJ Spaun, who tamed the brutal Oakmont course widely described as the hardest in the game, with a blemish-free 66. The American sits one shot clear of Thriston Lawrence. Sungjae Im, Brooks Koepka and Si Woo Kim are a shot further back on two-under-par. World number one Scottie Scheffler, the overwhelming pre-tournament favourite, also struggled in posting a 73, along with defending champion Bryson DeChambeau. Scheffler said: 'I just feel like after today, I've probably got to give myself a few more looks, it could have been a little bit of a different story. 'But the golf course is just challenging.' Two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka made a better fist of it, an eagle on the fourth hole helping him to two under, while Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth were one under. Scotland's Robert MacIntyre reckons he played one of the best rounds of his career in shooting a level par, which puts him four shots off the pace. McIlroy was simply beaten up by an unforgiving golf course which punishes you when you miss the fairway, which the Northern Irishman did plenty of times, and even sometimes when you hit the fairway. Starting on the back nine, it seemed to be going all too well for the Northern Irishman as he made the turn at two under after birdies at the 11th and 12th. But it quickly unravelled as he played holes one to nine in 41 shots, which included four bogeys and a double bogey. His playing partners Justin Rose and Shane Lowry did not fare any better as Rose went round in a seven-over 77 with the Irishman a further two shots back and both facing the prospect of missing the cut. McIlroy's struggles make Spaun's record-equalling round of 66 even more impressive. Watch and learn! 👇👇👇 Every televised shot from J.J. Spaun's bogey-free 66, just the 8th flawless round in U.S. Open history at Oakmont. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025 His four birdies in a blemish-free round, which is the joint-lowest first-round score in the US Open on this course, came on the 34-year-old American's first outing at Oakmont. 'All you've been hearing is how hard this place is, and it's hard to not hear the noise and see what's on social media,' he said. 'You're just kind of only hearing about how hard this course is. A post shared by U.S. Open Championship (@usopengolf) 'I was actually pretty nervous. But I actually tried to harness that, the nerves, the anxiety, because it kind of heightens my focus, makes me swing better, I guess.' He continued: 'I just tried to kind of take what the course gave me. I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren't very many out here. 'But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round. 'I'm just overly pleased with how I started the tournament.'
