OAKMONT, PENNSYLVANIA – JUNE 15: J. J. Spaun of the United States celebrates with the trophy after winning during the final round of the 125th U.S. OPEN at Oakmont Country Club on June 15, 2025 in Oakmont, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Patrick Smith/Getty Images)
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As the PGA Tour gears up for the third major tournament of the season, The U.S. Open, the game’s best players are present and hoping to put their name in the golfing record books with a victory at golf’s most difficult tournament.
The U.S. Open is being held on the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, a par-70 design that stretches 7,440 yards. The major tournaments, especially the U.S. Open is when all of the best golfers, including LIV golfers, all come together for the rare opportunity to see a full field event in its purest form.
However, it’s still important to take a look at the past winners of this event:
The U.S. Open Past Winners
- 2025 – J.J. Spaun (Oakmont CC)
- 2024 – Bryson DeChambeau (Pinehurst No. 2)
- 2023 – Wyndham Clark (L.A. CC)
- 2022 – Matt Fitzpatrick (Brookline)
- 2021 – Jon Rahm (Torrey Pines)
Let’s take a look at who is projected to be contending, based on pre-tournament odds.
2026 U.S. Open Odds
- Scottie Scheffler (+465)
- Rory McIlroy (+970)
- Jon Rahm (+1050)
- Xander Schauffele (+1700)
- Cameron Young (+2050)
- Matt Fitzpatrick (+2150)
When it comes to picks for this event, I like to start with my favorite and long shot picks for the tournament. The favorite pick is the winner pick I like the most. For the long shot winner, that is a golfer who has over +2000 odds to win. It is a long shot pick for a reason, and finding those can be like finding a needle in a haystack.
Here are my favorite and long shot picks for the 2026 United States Open:
Favorite: Scottie Scheffler (+465)
Long Shot: Bryson DeChambeau (+2900)
Scheffler might be a boring pick to many, but if his game has been anything this season, it’s been consistent. The only difference in 2026 vs. 2024 and 2025 is Scheffler isn’t winning as many tournaments. There have been two big changes with Scheffler this season, one being positive and one negative. He is driving the ball better, which will be needed at Shinnecock, but has struggled putting, which he’ll need to improve upon to win at Shinnecock. Scheffler might be a boring pick, but him completing the career grand slam certainly isn’t out of the realm of possibility.
My long shot play of DeChambeau comes out of shock he has +2900 odds attached to his name. Just two years ago DeChambeau was winning, and contending, in majors, but the reality is how his game has fallen off over the past calendar year. During that time he’s missed more cuts than made, and it is weird to say it seems as if he is a long shot in this tournament. Nonetheless, if someone can turn it around, it feels like DeChambeau is that guy.
Top 5 Bets For The U.S. Open 2026
- Scottie Scheffler (+106)
- Jon Rahm (+215)
If Scheffler isn’t winning tournaments he is typically around the top of the leaderboard. At Shinnecock where scores are expected to be much higher than the norm, the consistent and patient golfer usually prevails. Those two adjectives describe Scheffler perfectly. Getting plus odds on Scheffler Top 5 feels like a steal.
Rahm, unlike DeChambeau, has seen his game trend back to what we saw when he was winning major championships before leaving for LIV Golf. Rahm is a tremendous golfer with every shot in the bag, and it seems reasonable to think he’ll be in the mix for another major when Sunday rolls around.
Top 10 Picks For The U.S. Open 2026
- Xander Schauffele (+154)
- Cameron Young (+186)
Xander Schauffele had a tremendous 2024, winning two majors, but injuries have derailed him since. Schauffele might not win this golf tournament, but you have slowly seen his game trending back to what we saw in 2024. Schauffele finding a way to be in the Top 10 doesn’t seem crazy on a track like Shinnecock.
Cameron Young was red-hot earlier this season after winning the Players Championship and winning the Cadillac Championship, but his game has cooled the past few weeks. Shinnecock is a course Young knows well, and a Top 10 finish for Young getting +186 odds feels like a bargain.
Top 20 Value Picks For The U.S. Open 2026
- Wyndham Clark (+150)
- Patrick Reed (+158)
Wyndham Clark won the U.S. Open in 2023, but most remember his for his locker room outburst last year after missing the cut at Oakmont Country Club. Clark’s game was in a bad place all of 2025, and even into 2026, but he has found something which has him winning and contending in tournaments again. If Clark’s putter can stay red-hot, he’ll have a chance at a Top 20 finish this weekend.
Unlike DeChambeau and Rahm, Patrick Reed is waiting to get back to the PGA Tour. He is currently paying his penance and waiting the calendar year until he can return to full PGA Tour status. In the meantime, he has won on the DP World Tour, and finished T12 and T10 at the Masters and PGA Championship. He is still a phenomenal player, and +158 are odds I’ll take on another Top 20 finish in a major this season.
Best Prop Bets, Parlays And Bonus Plays For The 2026 U.S. Open
For bonus plays, these are picks which I don’t necessarily hang my hat on, but still provide value for some who want more exotic plays outside of the aforementioned picks. Sometimes bonus plays are parlays, double chances, triple chances, and even some fun plays for that particular event.
Here are the bonus plays for the 2026 U.S. Open:
Double Chance: Scottie Scheffler or Cameron Young (+360)
Big Guns vs. The Field: The Big Guns (+100)
LIV Golfers to Make the Cut: UNDER 5.5 (+110)
Top 20 Parlay: Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Wyndham Clark (+360)