Who will win The Players playoff? Rex, Lav predict
The Golf Channel Podcast with Rex & Lav previews Monday morning's Players Championship playoff between Rory McIlroy and J.J. Spaun -- a "five-full-shot" format whose winner the guys agree on.
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New York Times
2 hours ago
- New York Times
U.S. Open 2025 big board: Scottie Scheffler, Bryson DeChambeau and other favorites, ranked
OAKMONT, Pa. — The third major of the men's professional golf season is here and it's a big one — the U.S. Open. The national championship has returned to Oakmont Country Club for a record 10th time, but the first time since 2016. Dustin Johnson won that U.S. Open, his first major, but while he's in the field this week, he's not considered one of the favorites. Advertisement So who is? It's Scottie Scheffler's world again, coming in having won three of his last four tournaments, including the PGA Championship. That was his first non-Masters major win, and puts him halfway to the career Grand Slam. The U.S. Open would obviously be the third leg, and a Scheffler win would make next month's Open Championship a blockbuster. If Scheffler is now considered inevitable, it was only a few weeks ago that Rory McIlroy was talked about in those terms. But he's found life difficult since completing his career Grand Slam at the Masters, barely making the cut at the PGA Championship and not making it all at the RBC Canadian Open last week. Still, McIlroy could easily flip things this week and find himself back in contention. There's also reigning champion Bryson DeChambeau, who has more consistently found himself in contention at major championships over the last two years than anyone else. They are the big three in golf right now, to be sure, but there are plenty of other contenders this week at Oakmont. So much so that we've ranked the top players again, 1-30. Oakmont features thick, penal rough, and some of the nastiest bunkers you've ever seen. The putting surfaces are huge, but land in the wrong spot and even a pro can three-putt. What kind of player does well here? One that has control of every aspect of their game, and has the mental strength to withstand what this golden age masterpiece throws at them. (Illustration: Kelsea Petersen / The Athletic: Photos: Kenneth Richmond, Tracy Wilcox and Warren Little / Getty Images)
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
US Open 2025: All 156 Golfers Ranked by Chances at Oakmont
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. The third major championship of 2025 is here as the best players flock to Oakmont Country Club for the 125th U.S. Open. This week's track will hold all the power. Oakmont is a monster that will challenge the best players in the world. It is one of golf's greatest tests and should give fans plenty of carnage to enjoy. Keeping it out of the rough will be the key to winning the U.S. Open. Oakmont will quickly eliminate those who cannot keep it in the short grass. The track is a par-70 and measures 7,372 yards this week. Modern golf often showcases low scores, but it will not be that way at Oakmont. Players will appreciate bogeys at times and cherish those birdies. Who will take the third major after Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler took the first two? This week should be one of the best U.S. Opens to date, and last year set the bar high. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States signs autographs for fans during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States signs autographs for fans during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo byLike we did for the PGA Championship, let's rank all the players in the field this week. These rankings considered their ages, appearances at this national championship, success there, and performance at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2024. Last year, the USGA awarded $21.5 million in its purse, the highest among the majors. The 2025 purse has yet to be announced. Over 10,000 players attempted to qualify for this year's U.S. Open to compete against some of the best players in the world. Now, without further ado, let's rank all 156 players in this year's U.S. Open. U.S. Open players ranked: 156-136 156. Matthew Jordan, 155. Takumi Kanaya, 154. Riki Kawamoto, 153. Trevor Cone, 152. Brady Calkins, 151. Bryan Lee, 150. Maxwell Moldovan, 149. Harrison Ott, 148. Matt Vogt (a), 147. Cameron Tankersley (a), 146. Justin Hicks,145. Phillip Barbaree Jr., Diaz, 143. Trevor Gutschewski (a), 142. Joey Herrera, 141. Frankie Harris (a), 140. Grant Haefner, 139. Austen Truslow, 138. Lance Simpson (a), 137. George Duangmanee, 136. Mason Howell (a) U.S. Open players ranked: 135-115 135. Noah Kent (a), 134. George Kneiser, 133. Zachery Pollo (a), 132. Trent Phillips, 131. Riley Lewis, 130. Jinchiro Kozuma, 129. James Nicholas, 128. Alvaro Ortiz, 127. Scott Vincent, 126. Joakim Lagergren, 125. Edoardo Molinari, 124. Kevin Velo, 123. Chandler Blanchet, 122. Justin Hastings (a), 121. Will Chandler, 120. Jackson Buchanan, 119. Tyler Weaver (a), 118. Lanto Griffin, 117. Ryan McCormick, 116. Jose Luis Ballester, 115. Alistair Docherty U.S. Open players ranked: 114-94 Up next are the 114th-94th ranked players on this list. We are starting to get to the point of this list, which includes some known PGA Tour names. Included in this section is two-time PGA Tour winner Nick Dunlap. Despite winning twice last year, he has struggled to find form consistently in 2025. He competed in the last three U.S. Opens, but has yet to make a cut in this tournament. Here are the players in this category: 114. Zach Bauchou, 113. Scott Vincent, 112. Andrea Pavan, 111. Evan Beck (a), 110. Scott Vincent, 109. Yuta Sugiura, 108. Emilio Gonzalez, 107. Nick Dunlap, 106. Laurie Canter, 105. Jacques Kruyswijk, 104. James Hahn, 103. Frederic Lacroix, 102. Adam Schenk, 101. Preston Summerhays (a), 100. Guido Migliozzi, 99. Michael La Sasso (a), 98. Zac Blair, 97. Ben James (a), 96. Thriston Lawrence, 95. Erik van Rooyen, 94. Chris Gotterup U.S. Open players ranked 93-74 Leading the pack in this section is Phil Mickelson, who won the 2021 PGA Championship. He is still trying to get that illustrious career grand slam, and the U.S. Open is all he has left to do that. This year could be Mickelson's final attempt at accomplishing that feat. Also in this section are a few of Lefty's fellow LIV Golf players like Cam Smith, Marc Leishman, and Dustin Johnson. Can any of them become the third current LIV player to win a major? Here are the players in this category: 93. Johnny Keefer, 92. Niklas Norgaard-Moller, 91. Sam Stevens, 90. Jackson Koivun (a), 89. Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, 88. Carlos Ortiz, 87. Matthieu Pavon, 86. Dustin Johnson, 85. Marc Leishman, 84. Cam Smith, 83. Phil Mickelson, 82. Matt McCarty, 81. Jhonattan Vegas, 80. Thomas Detry, 79. Victor Perez, 78. Jordan Smith, 77. Brian Campbell, 76. Justin Lower, 75. Tom Hoge, 74. Andrew Novak U.S. Open players ranked 73-53 In this group, a handful of PGA Tour winners and guys have played well in 2025. Byeong Hun An contended in Canada last week and has played well most of the year. Tom Kim is here because he has not impressed much this season and needs to step up. J.J. Spaun is also in this group because, after losing to Rory McIlroy at the Players Championship, he has been kind of silent. Here are the players in this category: 73. Lucas Glover, 72. Rasmus Højgaard, 71. Richard Bland, 70. Davis Thompson, 69. Cam Davis, 68. Nico Echavarria, 67. Chris Kirk, 66. Emiliano Grillo, 65. Nick Taylor, 64. Byeong Hun An, 63. Justin Rose, 62. Tom Kim, 61. Stephan Jaeger, 60. J.J. Spaun, 59. Ryan Gerard, 58. Sam Bairstow, 57. Christiaan Bezuidenhout, 56. Michael Kim, 55. Max Greyserman, 54. JT Poston, 53. Jacob Bridgeman CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 08: Ryan Fox of New Zealand poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a four hole playoff after the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at... CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 08: Ryan Fox of New Zealand poses with the trophy after putting in to win in a four hole playoff after the final round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 08, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario. More Photo byU.S. Open players ranked 52-31 Now we're inside the Top 52 players, which means these guys could win this week if they play well. Last week's winner, Ryan Fox, comes in at 39 on this ranking. He will likely have a hangover from his victory, so it would shock me to see him contend for a second straight week. Here are the players in this section: 52. Matt Wallace, 51. Thorbjorn Olesen, 50. Mark Hubbard, 49. Gary Woodland, 48. Mackenzie Hughes, 47. Tony Finau, 46. Aaron Rai, 45. Si Woo Kim, 44. Cameron Young, 43. Maverick McNealy, 42. Matt Fitzpatrick, 41. Joe Highsmith, 40. Robert MacIntyre, 39. Ryan Fox, 38. Wyndham Clark, 37. Min Woo Lee, 36. Taylor Pendrith, 35. Davis Riley, 34. Bud Cauley, 33. Brian Harman, 32. Akshay Bhatia, 31. Jason Day, U.S. Open players ranked 30-16 Let's discuss the Top 30 players in the U.S. Open ranking. These guys are some of the best in the world and always seem to be relevant in majors. Some of them are major winners like Brooks Koepka, Jordan Spieth, Adam Scott and Patrick Reed. Viktor Hovland won the Valspar Championship earlier this year, but has continued to struggle with his swing. He is far too talented to keep off the table, but that young man could shine this week if he can keep it in the fairways. Here are the players in this section: 30. Brooks Koepka, 29. Corey Conners, 28. Russell Henley, 27. Joaquin Niemann, 26. Sam Burns, 25. Tyrrell Hatton, 24. Denny McCarthy, 23. Daniel Berger, 22. Davis Riley, 21. Jordan Spieth, 20. Adam Scott, 19. Harris English, 18. Patrick Reed, 17. Sungjae Im, 16. Viktor Hovland DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States (L) ad Ben Griffin of the United States walk off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday... DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Scottie Scheffler of the United States (L) ad Ben Griffin of the United States walk off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. More Photo byU.S. Open Rankings for players ranked 15-11 Finally, here are the 15 guys I think will be in contention on Sunday at Oakmont. 15. Ben Griffin Ben Griffin is having an extremely good season. He won the Charles Schwab Challenge and took home the Zurich Classic title with Andrew Novak. The two-time PGA Tour winner almost won The Memorial, too, so I like where his form is for his U.S. Open chances. 14. Patrick Cantlay Will this week at Oakmont finally be the moment for Patrick Cantlay? He has not missed a cut in his nine U.S. Open starts; his best finish came last year at Pinehurst with a T3. However, in 2025, he only has three top 10s in 12 starts. The eight-time PGA Tour winner missed the cut at Quail Hollow, but will that happen again at Oakmont? 13. Hideki Matsuyama Hideki Matsuyama has been quiet since winning the Sentry to start the 2025 season. However, he has just one top 10 on the year. He also missed the cut at the PGA Championship and has not finished inside the Top 25 since then. 12. Keegan Bradley Since Keegan Bradley missed the cut at Augusta National, Bradley has gone T18, T30, T8 and T7. Could this week be his moment to get over the hump and win a major championship? Last year at Pinehurst, the 39-year-old was T32. His best finish at a U.S. Open came in 2014 when he was T4. 11. Collin Morikawa Coming in at No. 11 is two-time major winner Collin Morikawa. He has three top 10s in 2025, but his last came in March at the Players. It has been another up-and-down season for Morikawa, but I like his game at Oakmont. Top 10 players ranked at 2025 U.S. Open DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Sepp Straka of Austria walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025... DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 01: Sepp Straka of Austria walks off the fifth tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday 2025 at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 01, 2025 in Dublin, Ohio. More Photo by10. Sepp Straka I think a lot of people are overlooking Sepp Straka this week. He won twice in 2025 and has 11 Top 25s in 16 starts. Straka did miss the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship, but do not let that deter you from picking him this week. Between those two majors, his worst finish was a T13. Straka has been so good in 2025 that he could very well contend at Oakmont or even win his first major championship. Crazy to think this golf ball's decision made Tommy Fleetwood a few hundred thousand dollars — Liam Blutman (@Blutman27) May 25, 2025 9. Tommy Fleetwood Tommy Fleetwood has four top 10s in 2025, and while he has been relatively quiet, this week could finally be the moment he gets it done. Fleetwood was T4 at the Charles Schwab and T16 at the Memorial. He was also T21 at the Masters and T41 at Quail Hollow. Despite not performing well on Sundays, he could finish the job this week at one tough test. The Englishman seems to like these tough tracks, so it will be interesting to see if he can finally get a win on U.S. soil. Jon Rahm now has 21 top 10s on the LIV Golf League, that's every single start since he joined as captain of Legion XIII over 18 months ago. Is that any good? — Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) June 8, 2025 8. Jon Rahm Jon Rahm won the U.S. Open title in 2021 and has gone T12 and T10 in his last two starts. He did not play at Pinehurst last year, as a foot injury forced him to withdraw ahead of the tournament. Rahm is No. 3 in the LIV Golf rankings right now with eight Top 10s. He has not finished outside the top 10 since he joined the Saudi-backed league. So, he has not lost his form. But this week, he must improve on his driving if he wants to contend and win another major. PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 15: Shane Lowry of Ireland gives the thumbs-up to his caddie before he plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open... PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 15: Shane Lowry of Ireland gives the thumbs-up to his caddie before he plays his second shot on the fifth hole during the third round of the 2024 U.S. Open on the No.2 Course at The Pinehurst Resort on June 15, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. More Photo by7. Shane Lowry Shane Lowry may be among the most consistent players in 2025 on the PGA Tour. He has 10 Top 25s and four Top 10s. Lowry missed the cut at the PGA Championship but has since recorded a T23 and a T13. Lowry was in contention in Canada but did not finish as he wanted. Last year, he finished T19 at Pinehurst and was T20 in Los Angeles the year prior. It does not seem like he has peaked yet in 2025, but do not count him out. The Irishman could win this week if he limits his mistakes and keeps his confidence. PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 16: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden prepares to play his tee shot on the first hole with his caddie Joe Skovron during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open Championship... PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 16: Ludvig Aberg of Sweden prepares to play his tee shot on the first hole with his caddie Joe Skovron during the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open Championship on the No.2 Course at The Pinehurst Resort on June 16, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. More Photo by6. Ludvig Åberg Ludvig Åberg was put on notice earlier this year after he won the Genesis Invitational, but since then, the Swedish phenom has been relatively quiet. He has missed three cuts, just three Top 10s and six Top 25s. At last week's RBC Canadian Open, Åberg finished T13 and was T16 at the Memorial. The former Texas Tech Red Raider seems to be coming back into form after a slight slump. The two-time PGA Tour winner did miss the cut at the first two majors, so look for Åberg to redeem himself at Oakmont. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Justin Thomas of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Justin Thomas of the United States plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by5. Justin Thomas Justin Thomas jumped up these rankings because of his recent play. He has six Top 10s in 2025 and won the RBC Heritage tournament. The former Alabama Crimson Tide golfer also finished runner-up three times at the American Express, Valspar Championship, and Truist Championship. He was T31 at the Memorial, but showed a lot of grit after his first-round 80. Thomas did miss the cut at Quail Hollow, but I think he redeems himself at Oakmont. The last two years have seen Thomas miss the cut, but his best finish was in 2020 at Winged Foot with a T8. This course is not too dissimilar to Winged Foot in terms of difficulty. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Xander Schauffele of the United States speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Xander Schauffele of the United States speaks to the media during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More 4. Xander Schauffele The 2024 PGA and Open champion has been cold in 2025. Granted, he has battled some injuries, but still, it is odd. He has just one Top 10 finish and five Top 25s. He was T25 at the Memorial and at the PGA Championship finished T28. Schauffele's only top 10 came at the Masters with a T8. He hasn't played poorly outside a 72nd finish at the Players. But expect cream to rise to the top at Oakmont and look for him to emerge as a contender. Schauffele has not missed a cut in his eight U.S. Open starts. His best finish came in 2019 with a T3. Last year at Pinehurst, the two-time major winner was T7. It's time to see Schauffele win again, so this week could be his moment to remind the other Top 10 players in the world he is still here. Happy US Open week 🇺🇸 — Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) June 9, 2025 3. Rory McIlroy Yes, Rory McIlroy is No. 3 on this ranking despite his atrocious performance at the RBC Canadian Open. He may have shot a 78 and posted his worst PGA Tour finish, but he is far too competitive to keep playing poorly. Since his Masters win, he has cooled off a lot, but could that change this week? His driver struggles are a massive concern at a track like Oakmont, but hopefully, he is able to find a big stick to his liking. The last time the U.S. Open was at this venue, he missed the cut in 2016. Last year's heartbreaking loss to Bryson DeChambeau saw him finish second for the second straight time after he also fell to Wyndham Clark in Los Angeles. McIlroy needs some momentum, and this week could be where he picks some up. If he can keep his driver straight, the Northern Irishman should be in contention on Sunday. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays a shot onto the 18th green during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09,... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Bryson DeChambeau of the United States plays a shot onto the 18th green during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by2. Bryson DeChambeau Can Bryson DeChambeau defend his title and claim his third U.S. Open? He comes in at No. 2 on this list after he continues to play well in majors and on LIV Golf. DeChambeau was T5 at the Masters and finished T2 at the PGA Championship. Could he take the third major or will he post another Top 5 major? His length off the tee allowed for a T15 finish at Oakmont in 2016. So, he has shown he can get around this track. Last week at LIV Golf Virginia, the Crusher GC captain was T4 alongside Phil Mickelson, Thomas Pieters and Bubba Watson. DeChambeau will need to be at his best on the greens if he wants to beat the world's No. 1 player, though. OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot plays a shot from the 18th tee during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club... OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States plays a shot plays a shot from the 18th tee during a practice round prior to the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 09, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. More Photo by1. Scottie Scheffler Scottie Scheffler is No. 1 on this list for good reason. He is coming off two massive wins at the PGA Championship and The Memorial. Scheffler dominated at the PGA Championship, marking the second of his career's three majors. He followed his major win up with a T4 at the Charles Schwab before taking home his third victory in three starts at The Memorial. Scheffler became the first player since Tiger Woods to defend his title at Jack Nicklaus' tournament. He went from no wins to three in a matter of a month. Sadly, those who thought his run was over were mistaken. He is coming into form at the right time this season and could win his second straight major. His length off the tee will help if he can keep it on the fairways and greens. The former Texas Longhorn has not missed a cut in 2025, and his worst finish was a T25 in Arizona for the WM Phoenix Open. Since that tournament, Scheffler has not finished outside the Top 8. Yeah, you read that right. He is atop the list for obvious reasons. If he plays anything like he has the last few weeks, Scheffler could quickly have one major left to complete the grand slam. More Golf: U.S. Open: 3 Biggest Storylines to Watch For at Oakmont
Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Rory McIlroy Looks to Join Ben Hogan in U.S. Open History at Oakmont
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. Rory McIlroy is looking for a bounce-back at the U.S. Open after a pair of very disappointing tournaments. After completing the career Grand Slam at The Masters in April, McIlroy understandably had a bit of a letdown. He barely made the cut at the PGA Championship, finishing T-47. Then, a meltdown at the RBC Canadian Open saw him finish in 149th before missing the cut, a new career-worst finish. Now, McIlroy will have to find a rhythm at the toughest tournament to do just that. Oakmont Country Club is ready to give the pros their biggest test of the year at the U.S. Open, and bad form isn't a good sign coming in. However, McIlroy has thrived at the U.S. Open over the years. He won the tournament back in 2011 at Congressional and has finished in the top 10 in each of the last six years. This time around, the five-time major champion has a chance to tie Ben Hogan and two others with a record seven-straight top 10s at the U.S. Open, according to The Athletic's Justin Ray. CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 06: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks on the tenth green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 06, 2025... CALEDON, ONTARIO - JUNE 06: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland walks on the tenth green during the second round of the RBC Canadian Open 2025 at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley on June 06, 2025 in Caledon, Ontario. More Photo byMcIlroy will come into this tournament with some scar tissue after back-to-back second place U.S. Open finishes. The Northern Irishman fell short to Wyndham Clark in 2023 at Los Angeles Country Club before a heartbreaking loss to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst a year ago. Still, McIlroy's track record of contending for this title shows that he knows his way around a difficult golf course. He will need all of that skill and experience this week while dealing with the sloped greens and dense rough at Oakmont. If he can find the rhythm he was in earlier in the season, when he won three tournaments before the halfway point in April, McIlroy is certainly one of the favorites to get a win. His last two starts were his only two finishes outside the top 20 of the year, so the consistency has been there in 2025. Part of that may be due to the controversy around his driver. McIlroy's driver failed a test ahead of the PGA Championship and was deemed non-conforming, causing him to switch clubs just before the event. The 36-year old has also mentioned a lack of motivation following his win at Augusta as a cause for the slump. The U.S. Open provides him with another chance to remove himself from all of that and settle back into being one of the world's top players. More Golf: Tiger Woods' Son, Charlie, Falls Apart at Florida Amateur Championship
