Scottie Scheffler Has No Doubt Naming Hardest PGA Tour Course Before U.S. Open
Scottie Scheffler Has No Doubt Naming Hardest PGA Tour Course Before U.S. Open originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
The top players in the world have arrived at Oakmont this week ahead of day one of the U.S. Open, which begins Thursday and marks the third major of the year on the PGA Tour.
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One thing has been made clear over the first two days of practice: the course is brutally difficult—especially when players find themselves in the rough. Several stars, including Xander Schauffele, Bryson DeChambeau, Tyrrell Hatton, and Scottie Scheffler, have all commented on how thick and punishing the grass is around the greens.
On Tuesday, Scheffler had zero doubt in calling Oakmont the hardest course he—and likely anyone else in the field—will ever play.
"I kind of equate some of the major tests to... I mean, like the majors in tennis—you're playing on different surfaces: grass, clay, and then hard court—and it's a different style of game," Scheffler said. "The U.S. Open compared to the Masters is a completely different type of test. At the Masters, you have a lot more shot-making when you get around the green because it's mostly fairway.
"And then when you get here, it's a lot of hacking out of the rough. You still have to be extremely precise, but when you talk about strength and power, I think that becomes more of a factor at these tournaments. Because when you hit it in the rough, you have to muscle it out of there."
Scheffler added, "I mean, this is probably the hardest golf course that we'll play—maybe ever."
Scheffler has had another remarkable year and is the undisputed world No. 1. After a historic 2024 campaign, he may not quite match that pace, but he's still on track for another legendary run in 2025.
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He already has four tournament victories this season, including his first PGA Championship title—which marked his third career major win. Two of those three major victories have come at the Masters.
The U.S. Open and The Open Championship are the final two tournaments Scheffler needs to win in order to complete the career Grand Slam—a feat Rory McIlroy accomplished earlier this year after winning at Augusta, becoming just the sixth player in history to do so.
Scottie Scheffler addresses the crowd after winning the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday golf tournament.Aaron Doster-Imagn Images
Scheffler skipped the RBC Canadian Open this past week to get in extra preparation for Oakmont, where the conditions could lead to some high scores. It wouldn't be surprising if only a handful of players finish at or just under par heading into Sunday.
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Related: Justin Thomas Sends Strong Message About Scottie Scheffler Ahead of U.S. Open
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 11, 2025, where it first appeared.
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