My Father’s Day isn’t complete until I plop down after lunch on Sunday to watch the final 18 holes of the US Open golf tournament.

My wife and sons became quite familiar with my annual Father’s Day afternoon ritual.  I have to grind the final five hours of this golf tournament (on television, of course) until a winner is crowned.

In the event of a tie, a two-hole playoff will be held immediately following the final round.  Prior to 2018, there was an 18-hole playoff conducted on Monday.

The US Open is usually played on the toughest golf course which the professional golfers face all year.  The last ten US Open champions have posted an average winning total of just six under par.

This year’s US Open returns to a windswept tract near the eastern tip of New York’s Long Island.

Shinnecock Hills was founded in 1891 and is one of the oldest golf courses in the United States.  They were also one of the first American golf clubs to admit women members from its inception.

This will be the fifth US Open conducted at Shinnecock Hills since 1986. 

Ray Floyd won that one with a one under par total.  Corey Pavin won in 1995 (even par).  Retief Goosen took the 2004 event at Shinnecock Hills with a four under par score.  The most recent US Open held at this course was in 2018 and captured by Brooks Koepka with a one over par score.

In other words, this fascinating US seaside links has a long history of playing tough for professional golfers.

Watch for these holes to cause the golfers significant trouble this week

Hole #7 (Rodan) – Listed at 185 yards, the par-3 7th hole at Shinnecock is a devilish short hole.

The winds play havoc with shot selection off the tee.  The green features a unique rodan design.  That means that the green slopes away from the front portion and toward the back left side.  A bad tee shot is quite likely to result in a bogey or worse here.

Hole #9 (Ben Nevis) – Ben Nevis is the name of the highest peak (4,400′) in Scotland.  The final par-4 on Shinnecock’s opening nine holes involves golfers playing their second shot uphill by some 20 yards against a prevailing wind into an elevated green.  Once on the putting surface, some players will face a downhill putt with the wind now pushing their golf ball even faster to make par an exceptional score.

Hole #11 (Hill Head) – You wouldn’t think that a short 150 yard par-3 hole would cause many of the top golfers in the world to get jittery standing on the tee box.

Missing this elevated green (which looks like inverted bowl from the tee) quickly brings a bogey or double bogey into play.  There are four deep sand traps surrounding the 11th hole.  Add a gusty wind on the tee, and this short par-3 can wreck someone’s round in a hurry.

Hole #14 (Thom’s Elbow) – This difficult par-4 plays a lengthy 520 yards and moves uphill on your second shot into the green.  Don’t forget the ever-changing 15-25 mph winds which will affect both your tee shot and approach into the green.

The hole was named for Shinnecock’s 55-year Scottish head golf pro named Charlie Thom.  Two-time Masters champion Ben Crenshaw once asked Mr. Thom why the 14th hole was named after him.

Thom replied, “Look at my elbow. It’s crooked.  They named the 14th hole after me, because it’s crooked like my elbow. It goes back up the hill.”

Which golfers are “hot” coming into the US Open?

Let’s cover a few golfers who are playing well right now.

Wyndham Clark – He won the US Open in 2023.  Clark then went into a lengthy slump but has returned to form recently with a win at the Byron Nelson tournament in Dallas.

He also posted a third place finish at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio a few weeks ago along with an 11th place finish last week at the Canadian Open.  When you’re hot, you’re hot!

Russell Henley – The quiet Henley won the Colonial in Fort Worth a month ago.  He followed it up with a 22nd place finish at the Memorial. Henley has a tendency to play well on difficult courses.  Shinnecock Hills will provide a great test of his skills this week.

Matt Fitzpatrick – The winner of two events this spring on the PGA Tour, Fitzpatrick shot a closing 66 and 64 in the final two rounds of last week’s Canadian Open to finish in second place.  Did you remember that this English golfer won the 2022 US Open title?  His game is peaking at the right time this year for a possible second major championship win.

Cameron Young – A product of nearby Scarborough, New York, Cameron Young is another two-time winner on this year’s PGA Tour.

Young is going to have a boisterous crowd of New York area fans rooting for him all weekend.

Now for a few top golfers who haven’t sizzled recently but may contend this week

Scottie Scheffler – The world #1-ranked golfer has failed to score a victory since late January.  That doesn’t mean that he’s playing poorly, though.  Scheffler’s last five tournaments have produced two runner-up finishes, a third place, 12th place, and 14th.  Scottie Scheffler could complete his personal career “Grand Slam” with a win at this week’s US Open.  He’ll be ready.

Jon Rahm – LIV Golf’s top player in 2026, Rahm won the 2021 US Open title on another tough layout at Torrey Pines in San Diego.

Spain’s Jon Rahm, like Scottie Scheffler, has a way of pushing his way to the top of the leaderboard in major championships.  He broke an 18 month slump with two wins on the LIV Golf tour this spring.

JJ Spaun – The defending US Open champion finished sixth and 12th in his two most recent golf tournaments.  Spaun’s focus and gritty style is reminiscent of another past US Open winner at Shinnecock Hills.  Corey Pavin captured the 1995 US Open on this same golf course with a memorable four wood second shot from the 18th fairway to seal the victory.

Tommy Fleetwood – After finally breaking through in 2025 with a win at the Tour Championship, Fleetwood’s sights are now set on winning his first major golf title.  The Englishman is quite familiar with seaside links after beginning his professional golf career on the European circuit.  Fleetwood is overdue for his first major championship triumph.

Don’t overlook these former US Open winners this week!

Rory McIlroy – Rory’s first major title was a US Open.  He won the 2011 US Open at Congressional near Washington, DC by a whopping eight shots.  The deep rough at Shinnecock Hills will punish Rory if his recent issues with errant drives continue.

Bryson DeChambeau – Inconsistency has been the only consistent portion of Bryson DeChambeau’s game this season.

The two-time US Open champion (2020 and 2024) missed the cut at both The Masters and PGA Championship this year.  However, he won twice in March on the LIV Golf Tour. DeChambeau, like McIlroy, must hit more fairways off the tee this week at Shinnecock Hills to get into contention.

Justin Rose – The 45 year old Rose is playing in his 100th consecutive major golf tournament this week.  That’s a record bested only by Jack Nicklaus.  The Golden Bear played in an incredible 146 straight appearances in golf’s majors.

Justin Rose is the seventh ranked golfer in the world. He won the 2013 US Open at Merion Golf Club near Pittsburgh.  His maturity in pressure situations could give him a chance this week.

Brooks Koepka – He won the 2018 US Open on this same golf course eight years ago.  Koepka has played well at times this year but hasn’t registered a win in 2026.  His five major championship wins have usually been on difficult golf courses. He knows Shinnecock Hills well.  If he makes the weekend cut, Brooks Koepka might be a factor on Sunday afternoon.

US Open weather:

The National Weather Service is calling for:

Thursday – 40% chance of rain.  High near 76.  South winds gusting to 35 mph.

Friday – Sunny.  High of 77 degrees.  West winds at 10-15 mph.

Saturday – Sunny.  High of 75 degrees.  West winds at 10-15 mph with higher gusts

Father’s Day Sunday – Sunny.  High near 74.  West winds 10-15 mph.

US Open television coverage (all times CDT):

Thursday – USA Network – 5:30AM through 4PM

NBC Sports Network 4PM – darkness

Friday – NBC Sports Network – 5:30AM through 12:30PM

NBC Television – 12:30PM – 6:30PM

Saturday – USA Network – 9AM through 11AM

NBC Television – 11AM through 7PM or conclusion

Sunday – USA Network – 8AM through 11AM

NBC Television – 11AM though 6PM or conclusion

Happy Father’s Day on Sunday to all of you Dads!  Enjoy the golf!

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