Golf-Five storylines to follow at this week's U.S. Open

The Star

6 hours ago

OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (Reuters) -Five storylines to follow as the world's best players descend upon Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, this week for the June 12-15 U.S. Open.
RED-HOT SCHEFFLER
Scottie Scheffler has three wins in his last four starts on the PGA Tour, each by at least four strokes, and arrives at Oakmont as clear favourite to win the U.S. Open and pick up his fourth career major title and third leg of a career Grand Slam.
World number one Scheffler, whose start to the season was delayed due to hand surgery following a freak kitchen accident last December, enters the year's third major in full stride and in complete control of a game that appears well suited for an event that is known as the toughest test in golf.
Since the calendar turned to May, Scheffler has matched the PGA Tour 72-hole scoring record with a 31-under total at TPC Craig Ranch, won the PGA Championship by five strokes, finished fourth at Colonial and then won his U.S. Open tune-up event at Muirfield Village by four strokes.
DECHAMBEAU DOUBLE?
Bryson DeChambeau, who made a clutch par save on the final hole to win last year's U.S. Open after Rory McIlroy's collapse down the stretch, now aims to become the event's first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018.
DeChambeau, a fan favourite and twice U.S. Open champion who is dominant off the tee and a regular force at golf's biggest events, will play his first major since finishing runner-up at last month's PGA Championship for a second consecutive year.
Since joining LIV Golf in June 2022, the big-hitting DeChambeau has recorded seven top-10 finishes in 12 majors, including last year's U.S. Open triumph at Pinehurst.
RORY REDO
Rory McIlroy, who completed the career Grand Slam at this year's Masters, will look to recapture his major magic after a disappointing finish at last month's PGA Championship when he returns to an event where he has endured his fair share of heartbreak in recent years.
The U.S. Open has been one of the better majors for McIlroy of late as the Northern Irishman is riding a string of six consecutive top-10 finishes, but that stretch includes heartbreaking runner-up showings in each of the last two years.
McIlroy, who missed the cut in his U.S. Open tune-up event in Canada, will also need to be much more accurate off the tee this week than at the PGA Championship where he used a back-up driver after his regular one was ruled non-conforming earlier in the week, though there were no concerns of player intent.
MICKELSON GRAND SLAM BID
This is the final year of six-times major champion Phil Mickelson's five-year exemption into the U.S. Open for winning the 2021 PGA Championship and he will once again look to turn back the clock in what could be his last chance at winning the one trophy standing between him and the career Grand Slam.
The 54-year-old, who has been U.S. Open runner-up a record six times, missed the cut in the last three years. It will be his fourth U.S. Open at Oakmont, having finished tied 47th there in 1994 before missing the cut in 2007 and 2016.
Mickelson produced one of golf's most improbable wins when, aged 50, he won the 2021 PGA Championship to become the oldest major champion.
DAUNTING OAKMONT
Oakmont Country Club, regarded by many as the country's toughest course, is a quintessential U.S. Open venue.
It is garnering plenty of attention ahead of the year's third major given its punishing rough, narrow fairways, lightning-fast greens and slew of bunkers that could all combine to keep the winning score above par.
Hosting the U.S. Open for a record 10th time, the par-70 Oakmont course will be set up at 7,372 yards this week.
The venue played as a par-70 over the last two U.S. Opens (2007 and 2016) and during that time only four players scored under par for the week.
The field scoring average has been at least two strokes over par in every U.S. Open round at Oakmont, dating back to 1927.
(Reporting by Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Ken Ferris)