The US Open gets underway this week in Massachusetts with the sport fractured after the controversial launch of breakaway tour LIV Golf. Players such as Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson have been tempted by the obscene money dangled by the Saudi-backed competition and the PGA Tour has suspended them. But there are no bans in place this week and some of the LIV Golf rebels, including grand slam chasing Mickelson, will be competing at Brookline Country Club in the third major of the season. Rory McIlroy’s win on Sunday at the Canadian Open firmly established him as the 9/1 favourite.
The 7,264 yard par 70 has undergone a significant restoration by course designer Gil Hanse in recent years and will be unfamiliar to most of the field. The US Open is normally deemed golf’s toughest test and the players will need a strong tee-to-green game to avoid the brutally thick rough at Brookline. The greens are very small and excellent scrambling will also be required to keep big numbers off the scorecard. Gusty winds are expected during the week while firm and fast conditions will also severely test the world’s best players.
Xander Schauffele Each Way (18/1)
Xander Schauffele has threatened a maiden major victory in recent years and the American is backed to finally make his breakthrough at Brookline this weekend. Schauffele has a phenomenally consistent record in this tournament and the US Open looks his best chance of an overdue success. Fifth place in his first major at Erin Hills in 2017 was a remarkable debut and in five appearances at the US Open he has finished no worse than seventh.
Schauffele won Olympic gold last year and his next goal is to land one of golf’s big four events. He teamed up with Patrick Cantlay to win the Zurich Classic in April and his form coming into this week is extremely solid. Fifth at the Byron Nelson was followed by 13th at the PGA Championship at Southern Hills. His last start resulted in a top 20 at the Memorial and he comes in well-rested for the mental and physical challenge facing the field in Boston. Schauffele, who ranks seventh this season for strokes gained tee to green and fourth for total driving, seems bound to contend again at the US Open at 18/1 each way.
Sam Burns Each Way (22/1)
Sam Burns looks like a potential superstar and the American is fancied to threaten a first major title this weekend. Burns has surged up the rankings into the world’s top ten, after a run of four PGA Tour victories since May 2021. His latest win came with a playoff triumph, over world number one Scottie Scheffler, at the Charles Schwab Challenge. The pair are best friends and it would be no surprise if they are competing for the biggest tournaments over the next decade.
Burns has won two of his last seven events and the next step for the 25-year-old is to become a major champion. He warmed up impressively last week, finishing in a tie for fourth at the Canadian Open. Burns led the field for greens in regulation and strokes gained approaching the green. His iron play was exemplary and should set him up strongly to surpass last month’s top 20 at the PGA Championship. Burns, who ranks sixth on tour for bogey avoidance, belongs at the top of the game and can mount a bold challenge at 22/1 each way.
Tony Finau Each Way (25/1)
Tony Finau appears to be peaking perfectly for this week and the popular American is worth backing to contend at Brookline. After a slow start to the year, Finau has found top gear. The two-times PGA Tour winner finished runner-up at last month’s Mexico Open and followed up with fourth spot at Colonial. He raised his level again last week in Canada, with a closing 64 securing second place behind McIlroy.
Finau’s long game strength has often been undone by weaknesses on the greens. But he ranked fifth for strokes gained putting in Canada and this flat-stick confidence sends him to Boston with great belief. Finau has been a regular feature on major leaderboards and has twice posted top-eight finishes at the US Open. Fifth place at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 is his best result at this tournament and the 25/1 shot looks in the mood to improve on this at Brookline.
Max Homa Each Way (33/1)
Another contender holding strong claims is Max Homa with the American primed to challenge for his home open. Homa has elevated his game to a new level over the last two years and looks ready to compete for a major championship. Three victories since the start of last season have all come on difficult tracks, underlining his suitability to the sport’s toughest events.
Homa clinched his fourth PGA Tour victory last month in the Wells Fargo Championship at TPC Potomac. Since this win, he landed his best result in a major with 13th place at Southern Hills and tied for fifth at the Memorial in his last start. Homa became the first player to record under 100 putts in a PGA Tour event during his four rounds at Muirfield Village. The 31-year-old heads to the Country Club in the form of his life and stands out at 33/1.
Branden Grace 200/1 Each Way and 11/2 for Top 20 Finish
There is room for a couple of outsiders at huge odds and Branden Grace fits the bill at 200/1. The South African has established a strong record in the US Open and looks capable of again putting his name on the leaderboard. Grace’s best performance was at Chambers Bay in 2015, contending all week before finishing fourth. He backed this up the following season with a joint fifth at Oakmont.
Grace also featured last year at Torrey Pines with seventh securing his third top ten in this major. This season has been underwhelming for the LIV Golf defector but he showed some promise last weekend in the rival tour opener in Hertfordshire. Grace shot a closing 65 to finish third at Centurion. This is a massive step up but he has shown an ability, time and again, to grind on extremely difficult courses. Grace can outrun his outright odds and is also worth adding at 11/2 for a top 20 finish.
Victor Perez 200/1 Each Way and 13/2 for Top 20 Finish
Victor Perez is also worth siding with to upset the odds at Brookline. The French golfer heads to New England following an exceptional fortnight on the DP World Tour. Perez holed some outrageous putts on his way to a playoff victory at the Dutch Open. He almost followed this up with another win, finishing third at the European Open on a challenging track which was excellent preparation for the US Open.
Perez has shown glimpses of his talent on the big stage with fourth place at the WGC Champions in 2019 and the WGC Match Play last year. His next challenge is to compete in the majors and the next month, with the Open at St Andrews on the horizon, offers two big opportunities. Perez, who ranks third on the DP World Tour for greens in regulation, is a tempting outsider and also stands out at 13/2 for a top 20 spot.
