The US Open will soon get underway from Shinnecock Hills as golf’s best do battle for the third major championship of the year
J. J. Spaun won the US Open in 2025(Image: Getty)
As the practice rounds wrap up, the US Open is now on the horizon. Last year’s winner J. J. Spaun is out to defend his crown, whilst names like Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler head a star-studded field.
Spaun fared best at Oakmont Country Club 12 months ago in conditions that would make even the world’s finest weep. He claimed the title after finishing at just 1-under par, dropping in a 64-foot birdie putt on 18 to seal the deal and a hefty £3.2million.
Treacherous greens now await all those who’ll descend on Shinnecock Hills, with Scheffler eyeing up a Career Grand Slam and McIlroy, the reigning double Masters champion, seeking to add another major rung to his belt.
But the Northern Irishman was quick to point out a decision he initially thought was “stupid” this week as the championship returns to Long Island. Mirror Sport takes a look at the latest from the sport of golf.
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Rory McIlroy’s “stupid” claim
The US Open has been staged at Shinnecock Hills five times previously and the last two hostings have sparked controversy. In 2004, Tiger Woods famously claimed the USGA had lost control of the course because the greens had become lightning-quick and borderline unplayable after drying out due to winds and heat.
McIlroy addressed the watering of the greens at the US Open(Image: Getty)
In 2018, Phil Mickelson deliberately struck a moving ball to prevent it from rolling off the 13th green. McIlroy spoke about the ground conditions this week and said he initially thought the USGA watering the greens between the early and late groups on Thursday and Friday was a bad idea, but he has come round to it.
“I understand it,” he said. “When I first heard of it, my first reaction was, ‘That’s stupid, why are they doing that?’ But then once you actually listened and you let them break it down to you, you’re like, yeah, that makes sense.
“My concern was you don’t want it to look as if you’ve lost the golf course, and you’re starting to put water on it, which I don’t think is what they’re going to do.”
Brooks Koepka’s injury worry
Elsewhere, Brooks Koepka will feature at this renewal of the US Open despite pulling out of the RBC Canadian Open with an obscure hand injury.
Koepka will play and says his injury has improved(Image: Getty)
The five-time major champion, who prevailed the last time the US Open was held at Shinnecock Hills, struggled in Canada last week and said his ailment left him with numb fingers and unable to grip clubs properly. However, after Koepka played a nine-hole practice round on Tuesday, he issued a positive update. He said: “It’s getting better day by day.
“I would say yesterday was pretty much how it was on Sunday, but today there was quite a bit of improvement. I don’t think I would have gone out and played if it wasn’t.
“I don’t think the grip strength is 100 per cent, but it’s good enough. It’s fine. There’s no pain. There’s absolutely no pain, which is kind of the weirdest part of this whole thing.”
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