5 storylines to look at on the 2024 U.S. Open

PINEHURST, N.C. — Speak about a stark distinction.

After the PGA Championship introduced the very best golfers on the earth with an execution take a look at at Valhalla Nation Membership that featured a successful rating of 21-under (the bottom ever in main championship historical past), the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 supplies one thing completely totally different.

The sand hills of North Carolina will take a look at each side of every participant’s recreation throughout what is predicted to be a scorching and humid week. And although there is a clear favourite, there are additionally 155 different gamers within the area wanting to show the third main of the yr into their shining second.

Listed here are 5 storylines we’re watching at Pinehurst this week.

Scottie Scheffler’s dominance

Nobody’s presence looms bigger over this golf event than Scottie Scheffler‘s. He has been talked about in each information convention, is the speak of each his friends and followers and is much and away the favourite to win this week, to not point out the very best participant on the earth by a wholesome margin.

After successful the Memorial Match and including to his five-win complete for 2024, it continues to really feel like barring any setback — be it damage or one thing out of the abnormal — Scheffler will contend each time he tees it up. As Viktor Hovland defined, it is not simply that Scheffler is successful, it is that even when he does not play in addition to he can, he can nonetheless win.

“All of us hit nice photographs out right here, and there are a variety of guys which are spectacular, however you realize the outdated saying: It is not about how good your good photographs are, it is how good your unhealthy photographs are,” Hovland mentioned. “He is actually taking part in a recreation the place his unhealthy photographs are nonetheless good.”

This yr, Scheffler performed in 13 occasions and completed inside the highest 10 in 12 of them. He leads the tour in strokes gained: complete averaging practically 3 strokes gained over the sector common. Even his placing has now improved to about tour common, which is sufficient for him to win just about all the things on any given week.

“He’s the gold normal proper now,” Bryson DeChambeau mentioned. “And we’re all trying as much as him going, ‘All proper, how will we get to that degree?'”

“Scottie is doing unbelievable issues,” PGA champion Xander Schauffele mentioned. “Each week we play, he appears to construct a much bigger lead, and one way or the other make the mountain even taller for all of us to climb.”

For all of the genuflecting gamers are doing round Scheffler, it is evident they wish to beat him and his play is just motivating them much more. The duty at hand shouldn’t be straightforward. Past the standard of Scheffler’s recreation being what it’s, it is onerous to consider a course that matches Scheffler higher than Pinehurst No. 2 with its demand on ballstriking and quick recreation — each of that are arguably Scheffler’s greatest strengths.

“What I respect about this sort of course is a variety of the areas across the greens are all fairway, and so it could be extraordinarily troublesome photographs, however there’s at all times alternative,” Scheffler mentioned. “I imagine it is a greater take a look at than simply having heavy tough over the again of each inexperienced.”

If it is a true take a look at that this course will present, there isn’t any one with a greater probability of acing it than the No.1 participant on the earth. — Uggetti

Who can beat Scheffler?

If Scheffler does not win his third main this week, then Schauffele could be poised to win his second straight. Outdoors of Scheffler, nobody is taking part in higher golf than Schauffele.

The 30-year-old from San Diego completed within the high 25 in every of his previous 10 begins on tour, together with seven within the high eight. He tied for second on the Gamers Championship, was solo second on the Wells Fargo Championship, a signature occasion, after which captured his first main finally month’s PGA Championship.

After ready so lengthy to win a significant — 28 begins to be actual — Schauffele mentioned he is not accomplished.

“Simply checked one field,” Schauffele mentioned. “Simply a variety of unchecked bins. I simply checked one field, which is actually cool. Clearly, a field very a lot on the high of my record. However nonetheless much more to do, clearly.”

Schauffele has been particularly good within the U.S. Open. He completed within the high 10 in six of his seven begins within the event, together with a tie for third at Pebble Seaside Golf Hyperlinks in California in 2019.

What’s Schauffele’s secret to success?

“Simply what I convey week to week, just a bit bit of additional persistence,” he mentioned. “You must ramp that up slightly bit extra throughout these weeks. All U.S. Opens, they’re distinctive in their very own method. However all of them really feel like par is a good rating, and you actually have to simply plot your method round a property.

“I used to be right here per week in the past only for slightly tuneup, and the best way the course is taking part in now could be considerably totally different already. I can solely think about what it will seem like in two days.” — Schlabach

Pinehurst is able to chunk

Even earlier than Wyndham Clark known as the greens at Pinehurst No. 2 “borderline,” gamers have been already experiencing the powerful problem the course will present this week. The firmness of the fairways and velocity of the greens is already dialed up, establishing per week that might function a variety of artistic — and irritating — quick recreation photographs across the course’s diabolical greens.

“The previous couple of days taking part in observe rounds — I am responsible in addition to the remainder of the blokes I’ve performed with — we have putted off a variety of greens,” Tiger Woods mentioned. “It relies upon how extreme the USGA desires to make this and the way shut they wish to get us as much as these sides. However I foresee similar to in ’05 watching a number of the guys play pingpong forwards and backwards. It may occur.”

Woods, for his half, mentioned he is been utilizing all the things from his 60-degree wedge to his 4-iron to hit totally different photographs across the inexperienced. DeChambeau mentioned he’ll probably stick with his wedges and putter, whereas gamers similar to Collin Morikawa have even tried hybrids and fairway woods.

The occasion and the course current a unique problem than what PGA Tour gamers (and LIV gamers, for that matter) face on a week-to-week foundation. Lengthy irons, particularly on par 3s, shall be loads, and hitting the inexperienced shall be a fair larger benefit this week than another. When you’re on, nevertheless, you are not secure both.

“I do not actually know the place they’ll find yourself placing the pins. But when they have been, for my part, borderline yesterday when the greens have been smooth,” Hovland mentioned, earlier than praising the raised, upside-down bowl nature of the greens. “What if it begins blowing up slightly bit and the greens simply hold getting firmer and quicker? It’s going to be simply fascinating to see.”

Whether or not it is reward or preemptive criticism, Pinehurst is not going to solely be powerful to overcome this week, nevertheless it must also present nice theater as gamers chart their method round a golf course that can make them assume loads over each shot.

“I feel a course like this positively calls for a unique ability set and in addition some creativity,” Rory McIlroy mentioned. “I feel for the viewer at dwelling, that is extra thrilling than seeing guys hack out of 4-inch tough on a regular basis. Hopefully, that involves fruition and it’s an thrilling golf event.” — Uggetti

What is going to the LIV Golf League gamers do?

Within the final U.S. Open performed at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014, Martin Kaymer ran away from the sector and gained by a whopping 8 strokes to change into the primary man from Germany to win the event.

After successful, Kaymer, now captain of Cleeks GC within the LIV Golf League, hadn’t been again to Pinehurst till this week.

“Yeah, final time I used to be right here was after I gained,” Kaymer mentioned. “I stay in Germany, and it is probably not a spot that you simply simply swing by rapidly for a pair days. Clearly, coming right here with all these good recollections, after I performed at present it felt like I left yesterday. The golf course appears slightly bit totally different than 10 years in the past, however the feeling was very constructive.”

Kaymer, 39, is even staying in the identical room in a lodge close to the course that he did a decade in the past.

“I do not know if it helps,” Kaymer mentioned. “It can not harm, I assume. I am slightly bit superstitious when it comes all the way down to that. I feel, regardless, it will be a very nice week.”

Kaymer is one in all 12 gamers from the LIV Golf League within the U.S. Open area; Jon Rahm withdrew on Tuesday due to an damage to his left foot. After a stellar efficiency within the majors in 2023 (Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka tied for second on the Masters, then Koepka gained his third PGA Championship), it has been a so-so begin this yr.

There have been three LIV Golf gamers within the high 10 on the Masters (DeChambeau and Cameron Smith tied for sixth and Tyrrell Hatton tied for ninth) and only one on the PGA Championship (DeChambeau was second).

“I feel Houston was really a reasonably stable take a look at for us,” DeChambeau mentioned. “The Bermuda fairways and greens are considerably just like this week, so there was positively some thought put into that. We ensure that over there to attempt to set the schedule acceptable relative to the majors, as properly.” — Schlabach

Who’s going to the Olympics?

There’s greater than the U.S. Open trophy and a $20 million purse on the road at Pinehurst No. 2 this week. There are additionally spots within the Olympics males’s golf event up for grabs. The cutoff to qualify for the event, scheduled for Aug. 1-4 at Le Golf Nationwide outdoors Paris, is on Monday.

The highest 15 gamers — however not more than 4 from every nation — within the Official World Golf Rating will mechanically qualify. After that, the remainder of the 60-man area shall be stuffed with not more than two gamers from a single nation primarily based on OWGR.

Because it stands, Scheffler (No. 1), Schauffele (No. 2), Clark (No. 4) and Morikawa (No. 7) would characterize the U.S.

Schauffele gained a gold medal on the Tokyo Olympics in August 2021.

There are 5 different People within the high 15 of the OWGR — No. 9 Patrick Cantlay, No. 10 Max Homa, No. 11 Sahith Theegala, No. 12 Brian Harman and No. 15 Keegan Bradley — however they would not be eligible to compete within the Olympics below the choice guidelines.

Morikawa jumped Cantlay within the OWGR with a runner-up end on the Memorial final week, so there actually might be further motion on the U.S. squad after the U.S. Open.

Different golfers who appear assured of being eligible for the Olympics embrace Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick (Nice Britain), Hovland (Norway), McIlroy and Shane Lowry (Eire), Hideki Matsuyama (Japan), Tom Kim and Ben An (South Korea) and Jon Rahm (Spain).

One of many tightest races is for the 2 spots on the Canadian group. Final week, Adam Hadwin completed third on the Memorial and moved from No. 59 to No. 35 within the OWGR. He jumped good buddy Corey Conners (No. 46) to doubtlessly be a part of Nick Taylor (No. 32) on the group. — Schlabach