US Open 2026

The U.S. Open has always occupied a unique place in golf. While the Masters often rewards brilliance and the Open Championship celebrates creativity, the U.S. Open is golf's ultimate examination of patience, discipline and survival. Par is a good score, bogeys are inevitable, and every year the world's best players arrive knowing that the championship is designed to expose weakness rather than reward aggression.

This week's return to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club promises to amplify that challenge even further.

Few venues in championship golf possess the fearsome reputation of Shinnecock. The historic Long Island layout, a founding USGA club and the only course to host U.S. Opens in three different centuries, has staged some of the most demanding tests the game has ever seen.

The numbers tell the story. Across the four modern U.S. Opens held at Shinnecock (1986, 1995, 2004 and 2018), only two champions have finished under par: Raymond Floyd at -1 in 1986 and Retief Goosen at -4 in 2004. Corey Pavin won at even par in 1995, while Brooks Koepka claimed victory at +1 in 2018. Looking beyond the winners, only three players in total finished under par for the week across those four championships: Floyd, Goosen and Phil Mickelson, who was runner-up at -2 in 2004. That is an astonishing statistic and underlines just how relentless Shinnecock can be. 

Visually, Shinnecock resembles a British links course more than a traditional American parkland layout. The property sits on open, rolling terrain overlooking the Atlantic, with very few trees, natural fescue grasses, severe run-off areas and constant exposure to the wind. The fairways may appear generous in places, but they feed balls into awkward angles and leave players battling some of the most demanding greens in championship golf. When the wind arrives, every hole can feel a club longer and every missed approach becomes a scrambling exercise.

That means the profile of a likely champion is different from many PGA Tour venues. Distance helps, but it is not the defining factor. Shinnecock rewards players who control trajectory, drive the ball accurately enough to find the correct side of fairways, excel with long irons and possess an elite short game. Perhaps most importantly, it demands emotional resilience. Players who accept bogeys, avoid compounding mistakes and remain patient over 72 holes traditionally separate themselves from the field.

History supports that theory. Floyd, Pavin, Goosen and Koepka were all renowned for their toughness and ability to manage difficult conditions. None relied solely on overpowering a golf course. They embraced the grind and waited for opportunities rather than forcing them.

As another U.S. Open begins, that same formula is likely to decide the championship. Shinnecock Hills rarely gives anything away. The player lifting the trophy on Sunday will almost certainly be the one who handles adversity best, keeps the ball out of the fescue, and treats par not as a disappointment, but as a victory.

Tommy Fleetwood 3pts ew 18/1 (10 places bet365)

Tommy Fleetwood arrives at the U.S. Open looking like one of the most compelling contenders to finally capture that elusive first major. I've always felt Fleetwood's game was built for a championship like this. He doesn't often beat himself, and this season has been another reminder of just how reliable he's become. In 12 starts in America, he's posted six top-10 finishes and missed just one cut all year at the PGA Championship. That kind of week-to-week consistency is hard to overlook heading into a U.S. Open, where patience and discipline are often just as important as raw talent.

There's also the Shinnecock factor. Fleetwood's final-round 63 here in 2018 remains one of the most memorable rounds in recent U.S. Open history. He came within a shot of Brooks Koepka that week, and while it wasn't enough to lift the trophy, it proved he can handle this course and this stage when the pressure is at its highest.

The numbers back up what we've been seeing on the course. Fleetwood continues to rank among the best on Tour in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, and his short game has quietly become one of his biggest strengths. He's consistently near the top of the field in both scrambling and around-the-green performance, which is exactly the skill set that tends to separate contenders from the rest when U.S. Open conditions get demanding.

What stands out most to me is how complete his game feels right now. Shinnecock Hills rewards players who can stay composed, manage misses and grind through difficult stretches, and Fleetwood checks all of those boxes. Between his current form, his history at the venue and the strength of his all-around game, it's easy to see why so many people are circling his name this week.

If there was ever a moment for Tommy Fleetwood to finally get over the line and win his first major championship, this feels like a genuine opportunity.

Patrick Reed 1.5pts ew 35/1 (10 places bet365)

If ever a player embodied the spirit of a U.S. Open, it's Patrick Reed. Plucky, dogged and never willing to give in, Reed has built a career on grinding out results when conditions are at their toughest, making him a fascinating contender once again this week.

While much of the attention has been focused elsewhere, Reed has quietly reminded everyone of his ability to perform on golf's biggest stages. In the year's first two majors, both played in America, he finished T12 at the Masters and T10 at the PGA Championship. Those results underline a player who still thrives when the pressure is highest and the tests are most demanding.

There's also plenty of encouragement to take from his previous visit to Shinnecock Hills. Reed finished fourth at the 2018 U.S. Open, improving his score each day across the week with rounds of 73-72-71-68. That steady progression perfectly reflected the resilience that has become one of his trademarks and showed he has the patience and adaptability required to handle this venue.

What makes Reed such an intriguing prospect is his mentality. U.S. Opens are rarely won without adversity, and few players embrace a battle quite like he does. He's comfortable grinding for pars, scrambling when necessary and staying in the fight even when conditions become brutal.

Shinnecock Hills demands resilience, creativity and determination, qualities Reed has displayed throughout his career. With encouraging major championship form already this season and a strong record at this venue, it would be no surprise to see him once again feature prominently on one of golf's toughest stages.

Russell Henley 1.5pts ew 33/1 (12 places Boyles)

Russell Henley is not the most obvious U.S. Open contender, but this feels like exactly the sort of championship where his strengths can come to the fore. Tremendously steady and rarely beating himself, he has developed into one of the most reliable performers in elite fields and looks capable of putting himself firmly in the mix once again this week.

It may sound slightly unfair, but Henley is the kind of player who could fall into a U.S. Open victory. That's not a criticism of his ability, rather an acknowledgement of how well suited his game is to a championship where patience, discipline and avoiding mistakes are often more important than producing moments of brilliance. If he's within touching distance on Sunday, he could be perfectly placed to capitalise should others falter.

We saw exactly that recently at the Charles Schwab Challenge. Eric Cole made mistakes down the stretch, while Henley stayed composed and closed with three birdies to force a playoff before securing the title. It was another reminder of his ability to stay patient, keep applying pressure and take advantage when opportunities arise.

There are positives from his U.S. Open record too. Henley finished 25th when Shinnecock Hills last hosted the championship in 2018, and he arrives this time as a far more accomplished major performer. Having seemingly found a formula for competing at the highest level, he has recorded five top-10 finishes in his last 10 major starts.

That consistency is exactly what is required at a venue like Shinnecock. Henley may not overpower the course, but his accuracy, temperament and ability to limit mistakes could prove invaluable if conditions become demanding. If this championship turns into the attritional battle many expect, don't be surprised if Henley is right there or thereabouts heading into the final round.

Harris English 1pt ew 60/1 (12 places Boyles)

Harris English continues to fly slightly under the radar, but his consistency and major championship pedigree make him a very interesting contender for this year's U.S. Open. Rarely flashy but remarkably reliable, he has made 13 cuts in 14 starts this season and arrives in excellent form with a game that looks well suited to the demands of this championship.

One of the strongest aspects of English's game is his ability to keep himself out of trouble. He remains an impressively accurate driver of the golf ball and is also one of the better putters on tour, a combination that can be invaluable when scoring conditions become difficult. U.S. Opens are often won by players who minimise mistakes rather than chase birdies, and English fits that profile perfectly.

His recent major record is particularly encouraging. English has not missed a cut in a major championship since the 2023 PGA Championship, underlining just how dependable he has become on golf's biggest stages. He has also shown he can contend against the very best, recording runner-up finishes at both the PGA Championship and The Open Championship over the last 13 months.

That level of consistency in majors is difficult to ignore. English has repeatedly demonstrated that he can handle the pressure, remain patient and stay in contention deep into the weekend. If he continues the impressive run he has established in golf's biggest events, he is more than capable of being a factor once again this week and could easily find himself in the mix come Sunday afternoon.

Cameron Smith 1pt ew 80/1 (10 places Powers)

Cameron Smith arrives at this U.S. Open with a very different narrative surrounding him than he has carried for much of the last three years. After his brilliant victory at the 2023 Open Championship, his move to LIV Golf coincided with a dramatic decline in major championship results. From the 2024 Open through to the 2026 Masters, Smith missed the cut in all six majors he played, a remarkable slump for one of the game's most naturally gifted shot-makers.

That run raised serious questions about whether the Australian could rediscover the form that once made him a major champion and one of the most feared players in the world. However, a recent split from longtime coach Grant Field and a new partnership with renowned instructor Butch Harmon appears to have sparked a resurgence. The early signs have been extremely encouraging, with Smith producing an immediate turnaround in major championship golf by finishing tied seventh at the PGA Championship just weeks after beginning work with Harmon.

Smith's short game and creativity have always been among the best in the sport, traits that can prove invaluable at a demanding U.S. Open venue. When his confidence is high, few players are better equipped to manufacture pars from difficult positions and take advantage of the limited scoring opportunities that courses like Shinnecock Hills present.

His history at this venue is far from perfect. Smith missed the cut here in 2018 after an opening-round 79 left him with far too much ground to make up. A much-improved 72 on Friday showed some resilience, but he ultimately fell three shots short of the weekend.

Yet golf loves a redemption story, and Smith suddenly looks capable of writing one. After years of frustration in the majors, there are finally signs that his game is moving in the right direction again. If the partnership with Harmon continues to unlock the form that once made him a Champion Golfer of the Year, then there is every reason to believe Cameron Smith could be one of the most intriguing names to watch at Shinnecock this week.