The 2018 U.S. Open (June 14-17) heads to New York, and back to the infamous Shinnecock Hills Golf Course that made some of the best players in the world look like absolute amateurs in 2004. The greens were brutal, and players on the wrong side of the hole did well to keep their ball on the green for their next putt. The US Open is renowned for being one of the hardest course set-ups of the year though, and after Brooks Koepka shot -16 under to win last season, it would be no surprise to see a much lower winning score this time around.
Shinnecock Hills has actually hosted the U.S. Open four-times. The first was in 1896 when James Foulis won, and the Scotsman born in St Andrews set a precedent for players to play well there. The 2004 champion Retief Goosen also boasted eight top-10’s in the open championship, while Phil Mickleson got his name on the Claret Jug at Muirfield. Mickleson also played his part in an epic battle with the 2016 open champion Henrik Stenson at Troon.
The 1986 winner Raymond Floyd may not have always won an open championship, but he often finished near the top of the leaderboard. This is also true for the 1995 champion Corey Pavin, who at that particular time managed to hold off the advances of the then 1993 open champion Greg Norman.
There’s little doubt that Jordan Spieth has what it takes to win the U.S. Open. Already a U.S. Open Championship winner, his U.S. Open win came on a course that was a links course. He may not get away with wayward driving here, but his accurate iron play and putting is what his game is based on. Since he’s got the best golfing brain on the planet, this could easily be another major for him.
Defending a U.S. Open won’t be easy for Brooks Koepka, but there’s a good chance that last year’s champion could take another significant step forward in 2018. He is well on his way to mastering the open championship.
Brandon Grace will also surely win a major before too long, and his win in last year’s Nedbank Challenge should fill him with confidence as he tries to better the two top-5 finishes he’s had in the U.S. Open in the last 3 years. He was also sixth in last season’s open championship, and shot a new major low-round of 62.
Martin Kaymer and Brandt Snedeker are coming back to form. Kaymer has already won a U.S. Open back in 2014. Snedeker boasts five top-9 finishes at the U.S. Open. He’s truly one of the best putters in his day, as he could be well-suited for Shinnecock Hills. The outcome of this year’s 2018 U.S. Open Championship will truly be a sight to see.