As a PGA Professional who has spent the better part of three decades in this game, I've learned to appreciate the U.S. Open for what it truly represents: golf's ultimate examination. While the Masters tests your creativity and the PGA Championship showcases power, the U.S. Open strips away all pretense and asks one simple question: can you play golf when golf doesn't want to be played? At Oakmont, that question becomes even more pointed.
This year's championship arrives at a compelling moment in professional golf. We've witnessed Rory McIlroy finally complete his career Grand Slam with an emotional Masters victory, ending a decade-long major drought. We've seen Scottie Scheffler continue his remarkable ascent, adding a PGA Championship while establishing himself as the game's most consistent force. Now, as these two titans prepare to face Oakmont's unique brand of torture, we're left to wonder: will this be the week that defines the 2025 season?
The Venue: Oakmont's Relentless Test
To understand Oakmont Country Club is to understand Henry Clay Fownes, the Pittsburgh steel magnate who designed this monument to golf's masochistic tendencies in 1903. Fownes didn't just want to build a golf course; he wanted to build a test that would separate pretenders from champions. More than a century later, his vision remains as terrifying as ever.
At 7,372 yards playing to par 70, Oakmont presents length without mercy. The rough doesn't just penalize wayward shots—it devours them. The greens are slick, undulating surfaces that seem to actively repel golf balls, sending even well-struck putts careening past holes with indifference. Then there are the bunkers. All 200-plus of them, including the famous "Church Pews" bunker that straddles the third and fourth holes, featuring parallel ridges that can turn a simple sand shot into a theological crisis.
This is golf as Fownes envisioned it: a game where precision matters more than power, where patience trumps aggression, and where the course itself serves as the primary antagonist. Dustin Johnson's 2016 victory here came at 4-under par, the lowest 72-hole total in U.S. Open history at Oakmont. This is a score that would be mediocre elsewhere but represented a masterclass in major championship golf at this course.
The Favorites
Scottie Scheffler: The Relentless Machine
If there's a player built for Oakmont's challenges, it's Scottie Scheffler. The world's number one arrives having won three of his last four starts, including a dominant PGA Championship victory at Quail Hollow. What makes Scheffler dangerous isn't just his ball-striking, though it remains the tour's gold standard, but his mental approach to difficult conditions. While others get frustrated by Oakmont's demands, Scheffler thrives on the challenge.
The U.S. Open remains the one major missing from Scheffler's resume, despite three top-10 finishes in seven starts. His putting, often cited as a potential weakness, could actually be an asset at Oakmont. The greens here are so challenging that even the best putters struggle to gain advantages. In conditions where everyone fights to avoid three-putts, Scheffler's steady stroke might prove more valuable than flashier styles.
Rory McIlroy: The Complicated Champion
McIlroy's arrival comes with unusual questions. His recent missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open—a brutal 71-78 performance—raised eyebrows, as did his comments about motivation following his Masters victory, suggesting that achieving the career Grand Slam had left him searching for inspiration.
Yet dismissing McIlroy would be foolish. He's recorded six straight top-10 finishes at the U.S. Open, and his 2011 victory at Congressional remains one of the most dominant major performances in recent memory. The question isn't whether he has the talent, but whether he has the focus to grind through four potential rounds at Oakmont. His driving accuracy, inconsistent recently, will be crucial in Oakmont's unforgiving rough.
The Defending Champion and Dark Horses
Bryson DeChambeau: The Mad Scientist
DeChambeau arrives as defending champion after his dramatic Pinehurst victory, where he saved par from a greenside bunker on the 72nd hole to edge McIlroy. What makes him intriguing at Oakmont is his unconventional approach. While others might finesse their way around hazards, DeChambeau has never backed down from challenges. His power could be a significant advantage if he keeps the ball in play, though Oakmont humbles even the longest hitters when they get too aggressive.
Sleepers Worth Watching
- Harris English has been remarkably consistent in U.S. Opens, with three top-10 finishes in his last five starts. His steady, methodical approach seems tailor-made for Oakmont's requirements.
- Cameron Young's power-precision combination could be lethal, particularly if he channels his recent Canadian Open frustration into focused determination.
- Ben Griffin's surge up the FedExCup standings (currently fifth) reflects the kind of steady, unflashy style that succeeds when conditions get tough.
Weather: The Wild Card
The forecast adds to the complexity of an already challenging week. Thursday promises to be the hottest day, with mid-80s temperatures testing players' endurance. Weekend weather looks more concerning, with storm probabilities exceeding 50 percent both Saturday and Sunday. The potential for afternoon thunderstorms, localized heavy rain, and lightning could interrupt play just as leaders make their charges.
Historical Context and Predictions
This marks Oakmont's record 10th U.S. Open, more than any other venue. The list of champions reads like golf royalty: Armour, Snead, Hogan, Nicklaus, Miller, Nelson, Els, Cabrera, and Johnson. Each victory required different approaches but shared common elements: patience, precision, and mental fortitude.
Johnny Miller's final-round 63 in 1973 remains one of major championship golf's greatest single rounds, a reminder that even Oakmont can be conquered, but only by players operating at their absolute peak.
Predicting a U.S. Open winner at Oakmont borders on impossible. The course humbles favorites and elevates unknowns, rewards patience while punishing aggression. That said, I'm drawn to Scheffler's combination of current form and mental toughness. His ability to remain calm under pressure could be invaluable where emotional control often matters more than raw talent.
DeChambeau's defending status and unique approach make him impossible to ignore. His willingness to think differently about golf problems could be exactly what's needed at a course that has confounded conventional wisdom for more than a century.
Final Thoughts
As I prepare to watch another U.S. Open at Oakmont, I'm reminded why this championship holds such a special place in golf's hierarchy. It's about testing the very essence of being a golfer: the ability to persevere when the game seems determined to break you, to find solutions when problems seem insurmountable, to maintain composure when everything suggests panic.
The 125th U.S. Open promises to be memorable, not just for who wins but for how they win. At Oakmont, the how often matters as much as the what, and this week should provide plenty of both.
