124th United States Open
Pinehurst Golf and Country Club
Course No. 2
Village of Pinehurst, North Carolina
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Mike Glasscott: 124th United States Open tips
Tony Finau (-138) v Wyndham Clark
This matchup is a story of two players going in two different directions. Finau has rattled off seven consecutive cuts, including five paydays of T18 or better. After watching his on-course interview during the round on Saturday, he seems at peace with his life and game.
Clark became the first player since 2009 (Lucas Glover) to win the U.S. Open the first time he made the cut (third attempt). The defending champion has a win this season at Pebble Beach but has missed the cut in three of his last five events, including both majors and last week at Memorial. Tossing in the responsibilities of being the defending champion and the extra duties that come with all the requests before the event starts doesn’t leave much time to tune up the golf game.
Sepp Straka (-110) v Jason Day
If this was Jason Day circa 2014, I would be all over the Australian and his chances. Cashing five times in the top 10 from his first six attempts, the 2015 PGA Champion has only made two cuts in his last five starts at this major. His fantastic short game will get plenty of opportunities this week.
Straka is hotter than a match. Back-to-back T5 paydays at two of the most demanding tracks on TOUR, Muirfield Village and Colonial added to his streak of T16 or better finishes since St. Patrick’s Day. The Austrian has not been bothered by big fields or difficult tracks and has a more well-rounded bag.
Matt Fitzpatrick (-125) v Max Homa
I’m keeping this one simple: I’m riding with the 2022 champion at The Country Club because he’s the better driver of the golf ball and it’s not close. Ranking ninth in Total Driving to Homa’s 90th, I’ll lean on the guy who can reduce stress off the tee. The U.S. Open is not an event to spray the ball everywhere off the tee is conducive to contending. In nine previous attempts, the Englishman has played the weekend. Homa, making his fifth start, has played the weekend once (T47) and owns at 73.92 scoring average.
Bet365: Top of the Board
Scottie Scheffler (3/1): I’m running out of things to write. Picking up his fifth win of the season last week, he’s now lifted the trophy at Jack’s Place, Arnold’s Place, Harbour Town, TPC Sawgrass, and Augusta National. That’s a great CAREER. As my buddy Jay suggests, if you’re not paying 3-1, bet your guy in the market WITHOUT SCHEFFLER. Safety first.
Xander Schauffele (10/1): The PGA Champion worked the kinks out last week at Memorial and still hit the top 10 for the 10th time in 14 events. I would give him the nod this week because of his short game and putting, but winning two major championships on the bounce is unlikely. Posting his eighth consecutive T14 or better at the U.S. Open is.
Rory McIlroy (11/1): Tuesday was a big news day at Pinehurst. Jon Rahm withdrew with an infected foot and McIlroy reconciled with his wife. The Hollywood ending for the man from Holywood, Northern Ireland, would be to win a major for the first time in almost a decade. Remember, the divorce papers were filed the Monday before the PGA Championship? Odd timing to say the least to have this all surround the middle two major championships.
Collin Morikawa (16/1): This time last week I thought he was ready to knock off Scheffler. He had a six-footer late in the round to tie the lead, but his putt went begging. I have seen nothing in his last three events that suggests smoke and mirrors. I’m playing another win ticket with and without Scheffler on him this week.
Viktor Hovland (16/1): The short-game numbers surrounding the 2023 FedExCup winner scare me to death this week. The greens here are visited, not held very often, and getting up and down is required. 2014 champion Martin Kaymer showed the way by using the “Texas Wedge” in his eight-shot victory. The Norwegian is starting to simmer.
Bryson DeChambeau (20/1): Placing in the top 10 in the first two majors, the 2020 U.S. Open winner is one of four players to accomplish that feat in 2024. My biggest concern THIS WEEK is his errant drives will not find four inches of Bluegrass where he can muscle up recovery shots. Bunkers and sandy, waste areas filled with wire grass will be too many variables to run through his computer. Unlucky bounces, perfectly struck irons that miss their target by a yard, and super-slick BERMUDA will cause him to overheat.
Ludvig Aberg (20/1): Playing in just his third major championship, the Swede has already solved Augusta National (2nd) but did not play the weekend at Valhalla. Making his first appearance at the U.S. Open, only Francis Ouimet (1913) won on debut.
Brooks Koepka (22/1): Time to flip his favorite switch. Making his 11th start, he already has two championships and three additional finishes T5 or better. A quiet Masters (T45) and T26 and a less-than-demanding Valhalla should have his chili running hot. Pinehurst No. 2 is difficult and he should be in the mix Sunday afternoon.
Tommy Fleetwood (28/1): Over his career, he has found the top 10 three times from eight starts and has posted 63 twice. Write a top 20 ticket and get Dad something nice for Father’s Day.
Players to consider for Top 10 or Top 20 action:
Matt Fitzpatrick and Hideki Matsuyama each at 40/1 catch my eye. Both are excellent around the greens which will be a major factor in determining the champion this week. Both finished in the top 10 last week at Memorial and come into this week flying.
Cameron Smith (45/1): The Sandhills of North Carolina should remind him of the Sand Belt in his native Australia. Big landing areas off the tee will suit the weakest part of his game.
Sam Burns (66/1): Bermuda greens and a grind make for a lovely combination.
Denny McCarthy (110/1): The return to Bermuda will fit his eye. His super short game should move him up the leaderboard this week.
Harris English (125/1): Never missed in eight tries and has hit the top 10 in three of the last four.
Nick Dunlap (175/1): Won the North and South Amateur on Pinehurst No. 2 last summer. Top 25 in his last two starts on TOUR that were not majors.
JT Poston (200/1): The North Carolina native should feel at home on Bermuda. Firm and fast conditions will help the hyper-accurate driver keep up off the tee. The super putter will hole a few.
Gordon Sargent (500/1): The low amateur from 2023 returns for another crack.
Frankie Capan III (1000/1): Won the USGA Amateur Four-Ball here in 2017.
NOW PLAYING:
| Host Course | Pinehurst No. 2 |
| Yards (per official scorecard): | 7,548. |
| Par: | 70 (35-35). |
| Greens: | Champion UltraDwarf Bermuda at 6,500 square feet on average. |
| Stimpmeter: | Championship speed. 13 feet plus. |
| Rough: | None. |
| Bunkers/Water Hazards/In-Play | 117/1/1 (water is 200 yards off the tee; not in play). |
| Architect(s): | Donald Ross (1907); Rees Jones (1999); Coore & Crenshaw (2011). |
| Defending Champion (event): | Wyndham Clark (LACC). |
| Defending Champion (course): | Martin Kaymer (-9). |
| Multiple Champion(s) Entered: | Tiger Woods (2000, 2005, 2008) & Brooks Koepka (2017, 2018). |
| Course Record | 65; Martin Kaymer (Rounds 1 and 2, 2014). |
| 72 Hole Tournament Record: | 271, 9-under; Martin Kaymer (2014). |
| Facts of the Week: | Martin Kaymer has not won anywhere in the world since winning the 2014 U.S. Open. |
Pinehurst No. 2
The Village of Pinehurst, set in the Sandhills of North Carolina east of Charlotte and southwest of Raleigh-Durham, is the home of the famous No. 2 course.
Completed by legendary architect and resident Donald Ross in 1907, No. 2 has hosted every major USGA event dating back to the 1936 PGA Championship, plus the annual North and South Amateur.
Hosting the United States Open for the fourth time in history and the first since 2014, the Par-70 will play two yards longer, 7,548 yards, than the last edition when Martin Kaymer steamrolled the field.
The 2024 edition will feature Champion UltraDwarf Bermudagrass greens for the first time in the 124-year history of the event. Sturdier and more heat tolerant than Bentgrass, UltraDwarf thrives in the summer.
The green complexes, tilting slightly from back to front, have not changed and are the signature of Ross’s design. The pushed-up putting surfaces, resembling a turtle’s shell, repel shots that are not struck soundly or have the proper spin. After finding the fairways, getting a decent lie or making clean contact from the sandy waste areas littered with wire grass is the second challenge.
Bogeys will be prevalent, but short-game experts can save shots around and on the greens. There is no rough, just closely mown areas that will test the patience, putting, and chipping from shots that do not find the greenside bunkers.
The course has one water penalty area, but it is not in play for the best in the game, and there is no out of bounds.
After 21-under par was the winning score at the PGA Championship, I would be surprised if there were 21 people at par or better this week.
The post-2011 restoration course record is 65, set in Rounds 1 and 2 by 2014 winner Martin Kaymer.
Kaymer also owns the tournament scoring record on this routing and is just one of four contestants to play 72 holes under par. The other three are Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton (-1) in 2014 and 1999 winner Payne Stewart (-1).
Recent Winners
2023 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| Sentry Tournament of Champions | Jon Rahm |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Si Woo Kim |
| The AMERICAN EXPRESS | Jon Rahm (2) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Max Homa (2) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Justin Rose |
| WM Phoenix Open | Scottie Scheffler |
| The Genesis Invitational | Jon Rahm (3) |
| The Honda Classic | Chris Kirk |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Kurt Kitayama (first TOUR win) |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Taylor Moore (first TOUR win) |
| Corales Puntacana | Matt Wallace (first TOUR win) |
| WGC – Dell Technologies MP | Sam Burns |
| Valero Texas Open | Corey Conners |
| Masters | Jon Rahm (4) |
| RBC Heritage | Matt Fitzpatrick |
| Zurich Classic of New Orleans | Davis Riley & Nick Hardy (first TOUR win for each) |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau (2) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Wyndham Clark (first TOUR win) |
| AT&T Byron Nelson | Jason Day |
| PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Emiliano Grillo |
| Memorial | Viktor Hovland |
| RBC Canadian Open | Nick Taylor |
| U.S. Open | Wyndham Clark (2) |
| Travelers Championship | Keegan Bradley (2) |
| Rocket Mortgage Classic | Rickie Fowler |
| John Deere Classic | Sepp Straka |
| Genesis Scottish Open | Rory McIlroy (2) |
| The Open Championship | Brian Harman |
| 3M Open | Lee Hodges (first TOUR win) |
| Wyndham Championship | Lucas Glover |
| FedEx St. Jude Championship | Lucas Glover (2) |
| BMW Championship | Viktor Hovland (2) |
| TOUR Championship | Viktor Hovland (3) |
| Fortinet Championship | Sahith Theegala |
| Sanderson Farms Championship | Luke List |
| Shriners Children’s Open | Tom Kim |
| ZOZO CHAMPIONSHIP | Collin Morikawa |
| World Wide Technology | Erik van Rooyen |
| Butterfield Bermuda | Camilo Villegas |
| The RSM Classic | Ludvig Aberg |
2024 Season Winners
| Event | Winner |
| The Sentry | Chris Kirk |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Grayson Murray |
| The American Express | Nick Dunlap (a) |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Matthieu Pavon (rookie) |
| AT&T Pebble Beach | Wyndham Clark (54 holes) |
| WM Phoenix Open | Nick Taylor |
| The Genesis Invitational | Hideki Matsuyama |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Jake Knapp (rookie) |
| Cognizant Classic | Austin Eckroat (first time) |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Scottie Scheffler |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Scottie Scheffler (2) |
| Valspar Championship | Peter Malnati |
| Texas Children’s Houston Open | Stephan Jaeger (first time) |
| Valero Texas Open | Akshay Bhatia |
| 88th Masters Tournament | Scottie Scheffler (3) |
| RBC Heritage | Scottie Scheffler (4) |
| Zurich Classic | Rory McIlroy & Shane Lowry |
| THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson | Taylor Pendrith (first time) |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Rory McIlroy (2) |
| 106th PGA Championship | Xander Schauffele |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Davis Riley |
| RBC Canadian Open | Robert MacIntyre (first time) |
| The 49th Memorial Tournament | Scottie Scheffler (5) |
The 124th United States Open
The first event, held in 1895, consisted of ten professionals and one amateur and was held at the Newport Golf and Country Club in Rhode Island.
The previous 123 editions have seen four players win the event four times. Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Ben Hogan, and Jack Nicklaus are the members of this exclusive club.
Tiger Woods, winner of three titles, and Brooks Koepka, winner of two championships, are both in the field. Koepka is the last player who successfully defended the title.
The loaded field of 156 players includes every golfer in the top 50 in the Official World Golf Rankings, 13 previous event winners, and 28 major champions.
The top 60 and ties after two rounds, will play the final 36 holes.
There will be a two-hole aggregate playoff, if necessary, to determine a champion if there is a tie after 72 holes.
John J. McDermott, 19 in 1911, is the youngest champion.
Hale Irwin won his third title at 45 in 1990, becoming the oldest winner.
Only Francis Ouimet (1913) has won on debut and no player has ever made this event their first win on TOUR.
Wyndham Clark (2023) became the fifth consecutive champion to win their first major at this event.
Since 2010, every winner has ranked inside the top 40 in the OWGR.
The last four champions were 20-somethings.
In 1999, Payne Stewart became the last 40-year-old or older to win.
Jon Rahm, the 2021 winner at Torrey Pines, withdrew Tuesday afternoon.
The winner will take home 750 FedExCup points, the Jack Nicklaus Medal, and $3.9 million of the $20 million prize purse.
Recent Winners – U.S. Open
Italics – not entered this week.
| Year | Winner | Notes |
| 2023 | Wyndham Clark (-10) | At 29, he became the fourth consecutive winner in the 20s and just second winner since Lucas Glover to be victorious the first time making the cut. |
| 2022 | Matt Fitzpatrick (-6) | At 29, he became the fourth consecutive winner in the 20s and just the second winner since Lucas Glover to be victorious the first time making the cut. |
| 2021 | Jon Rahm (-6) | Won his first major championship at Torrey Pines. |
| 2020 | Bryson DeChambeau (-6) | Won his first major championship at Winged Foot and was the only player to break par. |
| 2019 | Gary Woodland (-13) | The last player in their 30s to win the event. Defeated Brooks Koepka by three shots at Pebble Beach. |
One and Done
I’ll be joining Spotter’s game again this season. Now, where did I put my checkbook…
35 events.
1 player per event (plus a backup pick if your guy gets kidnapped on Wednesday night and doesn’t make it to the first tee Thursday).
1 use per year.
Add up the total money and Spotter is yer uncle!
| Event | Selection | Earnings |
| The Sentry | Collin Morikawa | 690,500 |
| Sony Open in Hawaii | Corey Conners | 18,592 |
| The American Express | Adam Hadwin | 310,800 |
| Farmers Insurance Open | Jason Day | 0 |
| AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am | Jordan Spieth | 70,125 |
| WM Phoenix Open | Matt Fitzpatrick | 156,200 |
| The Genesis Invitational | Max Homa | 329,000 |
| Mexico Open at Vidanta | Tony Finau | 145,125 |
| Cognizant Classic | Russell Henley | 32,850 |
| Arnold Palmer Invitational | Scottie Scheffler | 4,000,000 |
| THE PLAYERS Championship | Will Zalatoris | 0 |
| Valspar Championship | Sam Burns | 0 |
| Texas Children’s Houston Open | Wyndham Clark | 54,418 |
| Valero Texas Open | C Bezuidenhout | 67,735 |
| 88th Masters Tournament | Rory McIlroy | 175,500 |
| RBC Heritage | Patrick Cantlay | 1,160,000 |
| Zurich Classic | Nick Taylor | 122,375 |
| THE CJ CUP Byron Nelson | Stephan Jaeger | 112,100 |
| Myrtle Beach Classic | Daniel Berger | 20,350 |
| Wells Fargo Championship | Sahith Theegala | 47,000 |
| 106th PGA Championship | Brooks Koepka | 113,962 |
| Charles Schwab Challenge | Taylor Moore | 0 |
| RBC Canadian Open | Mackenzie Hughes | 295,316 |
| 49th Memorial Tournament | Ben An | 200,200 |
| Total Winnings: | 8,122,148 |
His game has more fun stuff to it. Reach out @A340Spotter on Twitter or A340Spotter@frontier.com for more details and to join.
Recapping Last Week – 49th Memorial Tournament
I’m done overthinking everything.
So I’m not thinking, PERIOD!
MY CHOICE: Ben An – T22
Too much heat! Too much power tee-to-green!
Too many players already used!
I didn’t have the winner or solo second to choose from. I guess Adam Hadwin was making up for lost time after missing the cut at his national open the week prior.
Others to Consider:
Patrick Cantlay: The course horse this week. Giddy up, if you can. And by giddy up, I meant RUN AWAY AS FAST AS YOU CAN. MC.
Viktor Hovland: I’m never a fan of following in Tiger’s footsteps, but he isn’t concerned about that history. The 2023 FedExCup winner entered the weekend 6-under but shot 77-75 to drift to T15. He’s close.
Si Woo Kim: Risky, rewardy, but he’s rocked here since the renovation. Another top 15 (T15) payday.
Justin Thomas: If you believe he’s really, really close then fire away. I’m not crazy about any of these plays with a major championship next week. After closing with three straight bogeys, he settled for T33.
This Week – 124th United States Open
No need to save guys anymore.
MY CHOICE: Xander Schauffele
The plan from the start of the season was to use him at Pinehurst and here we are.
With a win already under his belt and a MAJOR CHAMPIONSHIP on the mantle, he should be free to go about his business and run down Scheffler.
Others to Consider:
Scottie Scheffler
Collin Morikawa
Brooks Koepka
Matt Fitzpatrick
Hideki Matsuyama
Tommy Fleetwood
Good luck! You’ll need it!
Glass Houses 