2025 US Open — Oakmont Country Club (June 12-15)

Will it be another bruising US Open bogey-fest? Can anyone outside Rory, Scottie, Bryson or Xander realistically win it? Or will an underdog crack the code and surprise us? We can’t wait to find out!  

What’s Oakmont Country Club like?

After the meh-fest that was the US PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, the US Open at Oakmont Country Club will at least feel more like a major championship. Oakmont last hosted the US Open in 2016, when Dustin Johnson broke through to win his first major championship. An inland links-style course, Oakmont is regarded as one of the hardest courses in America. It's much brawnier than Pebble Beach, asks more interesting questions than Winged Foot, and its fearsome greens rival Shinnecock Hills. Every hole is like getting punched in the mouth! If the USGA can resist the urge to make the course set-up excessively penal, Oakmont in US Open trim will provide a difficult but fair test. But there’s no doubt par is going to be your friend at the US Open.

Any standout holes we should be looking for?

The distinctive church pew bunker running alongside the third and fourth holes is an Oakmont signature. It’s almost 100m long and features 12 turf-covered ridges that resemble church pews. But the first and 18^th holes at Oakmont are considered the greatest opening and closing combo in major championship golf. The first hole, a brutal par four, features an off-camber fairway 22m wide that leads downhill to a severely undulating green that slopes front-to-back, away from the fairway. Meanwhile the beastly 18^th commands similar attention. The fairway, which is guarded by a ditch on the left and three bunkers on the right, tightens up significantly the closer it gets to the green. The safe play is to lay up off the tee, however, it leaves a long approach shot into a severely sloping green running back-to-front. With the expected firmness of the greens, a short iron is the only hope of sticking an approach near the pin. Whoever navigates the opening and closing holes best deserves to be the US Open champion…

OK, what’s the winning score this week?

Six-under-par, assuming the USGA decides to play nice.

What would an 18-handicapper shoot at Oakmont in US Open trim?

Triple figures, easily.

Who has a better chance of locking in the third leg of their career grand slam: Scottie or Xander?

After his outstanding performance at Quail Hollow, Scottie Scheffler kinda picks himself. Scottie, a two-time Masters champ before winning last month’s PGA Championship, is back to his storming best. You wouldn’t bet against him completing the career slam this year, although the best players are often hobbled by the vagaries of the draw and weather at the Open Championship. Meanwhile, Xander hasn’t hit his straps just yet in 2025 but his record at the US Open is remarkable. In eight US Open starts, he’s recorded six top seven finishes and has never finished worse than T14.

Is Rory going to speak at Oakmont?

Rory’s jarring silence at Oak Hill, when he refused to speak to the media in any capacity, was a little unusual. After all, he’s an eloquent communicator and is normally very kind with his time. But majors are Rory’s currency. Perhaps Rory and his sports psychologist, Bob Rotella, formulated a distraction-free approach to get him in the zone. Or was Rory sulking over driver-gate, when his TaylorMade Qi10 driver failed USGA testing at the PGA Championship and subsequently cast a cloud over his driver’s legitimacy during his epic Masters victory? Maybe he was sending a message? But unfortunately no-one will ever know what that message was because nobody could ask him! Will the silence continue at the US Open? Chances are Rory fronts up at some stage at Oakmont to quell speculation. He won the US Open as a 22-year-old in 2011 and if he claims the US Open at Oakmont, he’ll join luminaries such as Phil Mickelson, Nick Faldo and Lee Trevino as a six-time major winner.

Can Bryson defend his title?

A year ago at Pinehurst, Bryson was king of the golf world. His stunning bunker shot on the final hole to all but seal his second US Open title was the highlight, even though Rory wilted in a most spectacularly painful way. The king of YouTube golf, Bryson’s reputation as an entertaining bomber is being eclipsed by his capacity to perform in the most important tournaments. The Crushers captain has been in form, winning LIV Korea last month, finishing T5 at the Masters and runner-up at the PGA Championship. You have to admire Bryson’s unique approach, and his A-game is certainly capable of toppling Scottie or Rory.

Who last won the US Open at Oakmont?

Dustin Johnson won in 2016 with a score of four-under-par. He’s playing again this year, but has missed the cut in five out of his last seven majors. There were, however, signs of life at LIV Singapore in April when Dusty finished T5.

Who was the US Open Jungle Bird?

After winning the 2012 US Open, American Webb Simpson was recounting his round with NBC host Bob Costas when a most peculiar character videobombed the interview. Wearing a woollen beanie emblazoned with the Union Jack and featuring artificial bird plumage, the intruder casually entered the restricted area. He then gazed down the lens of the camera and unleashed a series of bird calls live on air before being tackled by then USGA director Mike Davis. The offender quickly became known as Jungle Bird and the episode has entered US Open folklore. Jungle Bird’s name was Andrew Dudley, an Englishman who performed the odd stunt to draw attention to global deforestation. Simpson, however, wasn’t bothered, telling Jungle Bird to "enjoy the jail cell, pal" as he was frog-marched away.

How many Aussies are playing this year?

Just five Aussies are in this year’s US Open field: Cam Davis, Min Woo Lee, Adam Scott, Jason Day and Cam Smith. It’s the fewest Australians to tee it up at the US Open since 2017.

So which Aussie will be banging down the door?

Ever since winning the Houston Open in a stunning performance, golf has seemed like more of a mystery for Aussie young gun Min Woo Lee. He was an also-ran at the Masters when finishing 49^th and then missed the cut at the PGA Championship. Cam Smith hasn’t made the weekend yet in his two major starts this year while the other Cam (Davis) shrugged off a horror start to the year with a T19 at the PGA Championship after briefly leading in the first round. Veteran Adam Scott has been steady in 2025, missing just two cuts and the 44-year-old bobbed up at the PGA Championship when also finishing T19. Which leaves Jason Day, who looks the best placed Australian at Oakmont. Despite missing the cut at the PGA Championship, Day has recorded three top 10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year, including an impressive T8 at the Masters which could’ve been better had he not bungled his final hole. Day finished T8 when Oakmont last hosted the US Open in 2016 and if he gets the job done, he will be the first Australian US Open winner since Geoff Ogilvy in 2006.

Who is flying under the radar this year?

Unless you’re a DP World tragic you probably won’t be too familiar with Rasmus Neergard-Petersen’s body of work this season. But the stats suggest he might go alright at Oakmont. The young Dane played his way into the US Open after topping the Texas qualifier and he’s been in decent form on the DP World Tour, finishing runner-up in Qatar early in the year and posting a pair of top 10s at the Volvo China Open and the Hainan Classic in China. While Neergard-Petersen missed the cut at the PGA Championship, the 25-year-old looks a star on the rise and could become the first Dane to snag a major.

What’s the fairytale story at this year’s US Open?

With all the career grand slam talk after Rory’s Masters victory, Phil Mickelson has a chance to do the same this week at Oakmont. The US Open is the only major missing on Phil’s resume but the tournament hasn’t been kind to Lefty. A runner-up six times, Phil has endured plenty of heartbreak — most notably at the 2006 edition at Winged Foot when a tent, tree and double bogey at the final hole derailed his chances. While Phil’s best golf may be behind him, no-one would begrudge him an overdue win in his national championship.

Whose stocks are you selling/buying this week?

Selling Patrick Cantlay, who just can’t figure out how to perform in the majors. Buying Carlos Ortiz, who despite being overshadowed by his Torque captain Joaquin Niemann, has strung together some impressive form in his three most recent starts on the LIV Tour and played his way into the field in the Texas qualifier.

Can Jon Rahm win another US Open?

After a scintillating PGA Championship run, why not? Starting the day five strokes behind Scottie Scheffler, Rahm drew level with the World No.1 at the 11^th hole. However, missed birdies at the 14^th and 15^th stalled Rahm’s charge and he collapsed down the leaderboard in the final three holes with five dropped shots. The Spanish superstar was the only player to apply pressure to the leader on Sunday at the PGA, even though he would eventually finish eight shots behind Scheffler. But the Legion XIII captain and 2021 US Open winner has the ability to shift gears, which means he’s always a threat at majors. 

Is Tiger Woods playing?

Tiger hasn’t teed it up yet in 2025 as he recovers from a ruptured Achilles tendon. Has he played his last US Open? It looks more likely than not.

What’s the deal with the USGA set-ups?

The US Open is the most gruelling tournament in golf, where birdies are like hen’s teeth and pars are like gold. But the penal rough and slick greens have at times proved too much in previous US Opens. Fortunately, the USGA have dialled it back the past few years, so the tournament provides a tough, rather than cruel, test.

What happened at Shinnecock Hills?

The infamous 2004 US Open at Shinnecock saw greenkeepers water a few greens during the final round after they dried out so much balls simply couldn’t hold the greens. At the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock, a similar scenario unfolded and triggered one of the most controversial moments in the history of the championship. By the time the leaders teed off in the third round, windy conditions dried out the greens and made them borderline unplayable. Enter Phil Mickelson, whose relationship with the USGA was already acrimonious. After missing his putt on the 13^th green, Phil jogged after his ball as it went past the hole, gathering pace as it rolled down the slope and potentially off the green. However, while the ball was still in motion, Phil hit it back towards the hole. Many pundits thought Phil should be disqualified for such an egregious breach of the rules and golfing etiquette, however, he incurred a two-stroke penalty. But Phil’s seemingly bizarre antics were a giant middle finger to the USGA, intended to highlight his dislike of their course set-ups.

Who is going to be the leading lefty this week?

Taking Robert MacIntyre for the leading player who stands on the wrong side of the ball. Bob had a welcome return to form at the Charles Schwab Challenge with a T6 finish. Tougher the better for the hard-as-nails Scottish grinder.

Who will win more US Opens: Bryson or Brooks?

While the score is two apiece, it's gotta be Bryson because Brooks has never looked so out of sorts. After a limp PGA Championship performance, Brooks’ days of keeping calm in the chaos of a major and intimidating his way to victory seem behind him. Koepka’s major MO was to eliminate mistakes and watch as his competitors crumbled around him. At the PGA Championship, however, it was a different Brooks. He was blocking tee shots, hitting poor irons, and missing putts he would normally hole. His steely gaze had disappeared, apart from when he held his son briefly on the rope line on the 17^th hole in the second round, knowing he was going home for the weekend. US Opens are hard to win but Brooks seems hopelessly lost in the wilderness at the moment.

Is someone going to play to different fairways at the US Open?

It will be interesting to see what happens at this year’s US Open given what transpired when Oakmont hosted the US Amateur in 2021. Many competitors chose to employ highly unorthodox lines off the tee, and when we mean unorthodox, we mean deliberately driving it down different fairways to play cross-country golf. On the first tee, competitors were shooting their drives onto the ninth fairway. On the third, home of the iconic church bunkers, they were bombing it into the fourth fairway. The same scenario happened on 10 and 11, and vice versa. The truth is it made strategic sense to play to an adjacent fairway because it opened-up greens, eliminated hazards off the tee and made the course much easier to navigate. While you have to respect the creativity, will it play out that way at the US Open? Unless the USGA introduce an internal out of bounds on some holes, there is nothing to stop competitors from doing so. However, the US Open has a significant amount of on-course infrastructure, which may limit opportunities. While shooting to different fairways raises obvious concerns about pace of play and safety of the galleries, elite golfers just care about shooting the lowest score. And if that means undercutting the genius design of Oakmont to win a US Open, then so be it.

Who’s going to win, then?

After seven top 10s in his last 11 majors, including last year’s US Open win at Pinehurst, Bryson Dechambeau will become the first player to successfully defend the US Open since Brooks Koepka in 2017/18.