By Neil Leverett
- The 122nd US Open begins on Thursday at the Country Club, Brookline, Massachusetts
- Jon Rahm defends title as world number one Scottie Scheffler chases second major of 2022
- Rory McIlroy looks to finally end major drought after Canadian Open defence; LIVGolf spectre lingers
MASSACHUSETTS – With the third major of 2022 getting under way on Thursday, who will claim US Open victory at Brookline as an uncertain new era dawns?
Brookline’s fourth US Open
As major season kicks back into gear this week, the 122nd US Open begins on Thursday at the Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
With Scottie Scheffler and Justin Thomas having sealed the Masters and Wanamaker Trophy so far in 2022 respectively, American hopes of a fourth-straight major win are strong as a home Open returns for a fourth time to happy hunting grounds.
Scene of Team USA’s infamous Ryder Cup victory in 1999, memories echos of Justin Leonard‘s monster putt on the 17th green to break European hearts, just as Sam Torrance‘s men looked set to take the trophy back home.
Putting aside the same images that saw a green invasion by the Americans – and Jose Maria Olazabal‘s evident disgust – the last time Brookline hosted the US Open was way back in 1988, when Curtis Strange beat Nick Faldo in a playoff.
In the two occasions before, Julius Boros won his second US Open crown in 1963, with Francis Ouimet victorious in 1913, the year before World War I broke out.
So who is primed to take home the trophy in 2022?
Rahm defends as Scheffler chases
Twelve months on from his first major win, Jon Rahm defends the trophy.
Though the wave of successive majors that many expected has failed to materialise, the Spaniard has quietly been building form ahead of Brookline and won the inaugural Mexico Open on May 1.
Nevertheless, since his win at Torrey Pines, Rahm has slipped down to number two in the world and his issue may be converting in majors in this moment, having only recorded T27 and T48 at Augusta and Southern Hills this year. Can Rahm get back on song this week?
On the subject of the world’s best, Scottie Scheffler retains his place at the top of the mountain and will look to make waves of a different kind after missing the cut in Oklahoma last time out.
Likely an important learning curve for the still youthful 25-year-old Green Jacket winner, Scheffler will know this is again the time to show he is the best right now ahead of both Opens either side of the Atlantic.
Similarly to Rahm, Scheffler’s recent results have not been as sharp and the New Jersey native finished a full 12 strokes off the lead in Toronto this past weekend.
On the flip side however, he came narrowly close to a fifth Tour win only late last month, losing out to Sam Burns in the Charles Schwab via a playoff. Should Scheffler make another move to the top of the leaderboard this weekend, it would be a surprise to no-one.
McIlroy, Fitzpatrick lead British charge
It really does appear that Rory McIlroy has found his form of old. Though still without a major win in eight years, the man from County Down arrives at Brookline fresh from defending the RBC Canadian Open he won in 2019.
His 35th career win, victory saw McIlroy defend either a PGA or DP World Tour title for the first time and the four-time major winner is building serious momentum ahead of the Open arc.
It does feel like Brookline could be the start of new chapter for McIlroy. Indeed, it was 11 years ago in the US Open at Congressional where the Briton won his first major by a full eight strokes over Jason Day – his biggest margin of victory to date.
Now with two Tour wins this term, McIlroy’s issues with getting over the line appear to be a diminishing factor and even his major performances have been encouraging with his surge at the Masters seeing a runners-up spot, whilst an eighth-placed finish at Southern Hills was equally not without merit.
With the Briton having finished T9 or better in his last three US Opens, could Brookline finally see McIlroy end his long wait for more glory?
If McIlroy fails to make an impression in Massachusetts this week, it might just be Matt Fitzpatrick who takes the baton for the Brits.
Still yet to win on the PGA Tour, the 27-year-old from Sheffield is arguably in the form of his life and at Southern Hills finished a career best T5 for a major.
Where Fitzpatrick might have a slight edge on the field, the Club Country has hosted no less than nine US Amateur championships for both men and women; The Briton won the tournament here in 2013 by a score of 4 & 3 over Australian Oliver Goss.
Fitzpatrick knows how to win at Brookline and his coming week could be a big one.
Unease hangs over Bay State
The 122nd US Open on paper looks like it could be a classic, however, a dark veil hangs over Brookline.
With LIVGolf now open for business, it is still unclear just how many players from the new Saudi Golf enterprise will turn up in the Bay State this week but after failing to show at either the Masters or Southern Hills last month, Phil Mickelson finally faced the media on Monday.
And the tension could have been cut with a knife.
Following on from Charl Schwartzel leading his all South African four-man Stinger team of Hennis du Plessis, Branden Grace and Louis Oosthuizen to claiming victory at the inaugural London Invitational event at Centurion this past weekend, his 20m dollar prize and the extra five pocketed by his team is sure to leave ill feeling on the range in Massachusetts.
As both PGA and DP World Tours assemble here, Greg Norman‘s ensemble troupe are still permitted to compete in majors and should any player from LIVGolf now win a major in the coming months and even years, there might then be an almighty uproar.
Enter stage left, the newest villain of the piece, Dustin Johnson. For all Mickelson may or may not have said, it could just be that DJ raises the ire to a greater degree this week.
Fresh from having resigned his PGA Tour membership to play in Hertfordshire only last Thursday, Johnson’s move may be seen as the bigger betrayal and of huge concern to the USGA will be that Johnson won this very tournament at Oakmont six years ago.
Though neither Johnson or Mickelson were in any form whatsoever at Centurion, the latter in particular needs this one trophy to complete the Grand Slam. Perish the thought it happens at Brookline.
Burns, Horschel amongst contenders
Returning to the rest of the field, this edition of US Open looks wider open than ever and could it be Billy Horschel to finally step into the winner’s enclosure at a major?
Set to be his 35th outing in a big four tournament, the Floridian has won three Tour events since March 2021 and his win at Memorial earlier this month was one of real composure, coupling that with his joint runners-up finish at the Arnold Palmer earlier in the year.
Taking home a cool 2.16m dollars at Muirfield Village, Horschel has not played the level of golf as he did at Jack’s Place and it has left many pundits to predict a strong run here this week.
Aside from Scheffler, perhaps the big story of this campaign has been Sam Burns.
As documented, the Louisianan beat his compatriot at Colonial just over a fortnight ago as he recorded his third PGA Tour win of the season. A focal figure in Toronto only days ago also, Burns is yet to finish in the top 10 of any major; Brookline could be his breakout moment.
Justin Thomas will of course be a serious contender having claimed the PGA crown only weeks ago, and could Brooks Koepka challenge for a third US Open? Eyes will also be squared on Bryson DeChambeau as the Californian looks to adapt to a modified swing after wrist surgery, whilst Chilean pair Joaquin Niemann and Mito Pereira will have carry interest from the galleries too – the latter having suffered a devastating final hole defeat last month.
With two Tour wins himself, can Max Homa make an impression, whilst as Jordan Spieth continues to improve on the regular rotation, the Texan’s major showings leave much to be desired still.
Finally, after another near miss in the PGA playoff against JT, has Will Zalatoris improved enough on the greens to finally claim a Tour win, or, with Collin Morikawa set to defend the Claret Jug at St. Andrew’s next month, can the Californian build the perfect platform here?
For many reasons, it is sure to be a fascinating week at the Country Club.
The 122nd US Open begins on Thursday at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts.
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