There’s nothing like the week of a major on the PGA Tour. This week’s U.S. Open brings the action to the Los Angeles Country Club, a 7,500-yard par-70 layout that will test the best players on the planet. It’s fair, but it will punish even slight mistakes, which is what makes the U.S. Open so much fun. Who doesn’t enjoy watching the best golfers in the world struggle sometimes? Kinda reminds us of… us. This should be a great week of golf. Here are my U.S. Open picks for your fantasy golfing pleasure.
U.S. Open Picks
Scottie Scheffler
Week after week, Scheffler finds himself atop the field, and it’s no different with my U.S. Open picks, and for good reason. He’s been the best player on tour when it comes to Strokes Gained data, and it’s not even close. By a wide margin, Scottie consistently outplays the field. That is, until he finds the green. He’s somewhere around 150th on tour in putting. Not great. Not even close. The greens at LACC are tough (obviously an understatement; this is the US Open after all), so that could either accentuate Scheffler’s putting problems or level the playing field with the guys who putt a little better. If it’s the latter, Scheffler is the guy to beat this week. If it’s the former, he still has a chance. He’s that good.
Brooks Koepka
Only four tournaments really matter for Koepka every year, and this week’s US Open is one of them. When the major tournaments come around, Brooks is locked in. Statistically, that’s when he plays his best golf. It’s actually pretty remarkable how his game improves for the big tournaments. It’s like he has a major tournament superhuman switch or something. This week, he’s saying all the right things to make us believe he’s ready to take home his 6th major. He loves this tournament, mainly because the US Open is always a grind. If the winning score ends up somewhere around even par, Koepka is a pretty good bet to be the one carding that score.
Jon Rahm
Rahm has, in large part, avoided the crossfire of the PGA/PIF debacle. He’s been a bit more open with his comments this week, but other than that, he’s focused on the US Open. With it’s wide, deceptive fairways that reward drives in the right side of the short grass, this course fits Rahm’s game well. But he’s a pick this week due to his mental makeup. The great ones show up at the majors consistently, and Rahm just feels like a guy who will be somewhere near the top of the leaderboard on Sunday.
Collin Morikawa
LACC is a track that really rewards approach play, and not many golfers on tour rival Morikawa in that department. His Strokes Gained Approach is typically near the top of the tour, and that will go a long way in setting him up for success this week at the US Open. A few yards one way or the other can be the difference between par and double-bogey at LACC. Par is going to be a great score this week on a lot of these holes, and Morikawa’s iron play will likely keep him out of the green-side trouble that makes par really difficult.
Max Homa
Gotta love the story of the local kid finally getting to play in a US Open that he’s had marked on the calendar for years. It’s not just a feel-good story, though. Homa’s game and experience around LACC have him primed to fare well this week. He’s loose, laid back, and relaxed, and if he can keep that kind of cool California mindset throughout the weekend, look for good things to happen on Sunday.
The Sleeper: Sahith Theegala
There’s no doubt about Theegala’s skills. He’s consistently in line with some of the top names on tour when it comes to Strokes Gained data. This feels like the week that could put it all together and come out on top. Theegala played his college golf at nearby Pepperdine in Malibu, so he’s comfortable with the area and the course. He’s a dark horse for sure this week, but I wouldn’t be surprised to see him somewhere near the top of the leaderboard this weekend.
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