(Pinehurst) American world No.1 Scottie Scheffler, author of a dazzling start to the season, enters the United States Golf Open at Pinehurst as a big favorite starting Thursday.
The 27-year-old has already broken his record for earnings in a single season on the PGA Tour by winning five titles this season, the last on Sunday at the Memorial. No player had won so many tournaments before the U.S. Open in 44 years.
The two-time Masters winner, who only discovered the almost 7 km course on Monday, seems to have quickly forgotten his incredible arrest before the second round of the PGA Championship in May, for trying to force a police roadblock.
Xander Schauffele, his compatriot and runner-up in the ranking, who won his first major precisely during this PGA Championship, will try to become the first winner of two consecutive majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
The defending champion, the American Wyndham Clark, 4e world, frustrated by his recent irregularity, will launch with much less certainty, when defending a major trophy for the first time in his career at 30 years old.
The Australian Adam Scott, former world No.1, will take part in his 92e major tournament in a row, the second longest series after Jack Nicklaus’ 146 Majors from 1962 to 1998. He owes his direct ticket, without going through qualifying, to tragic circumstances: the suicide of Grayson Murray, 59eon May 25.
Tiger Woods, for his part, received an exemption from the organizers for the first time in his career to be able to line up. Now experiencing difficulty walking 72 holes four days in a row, due to his car accident in 2021, he was accompanied by his 15-year-old son Charlie to training on Monday. The “Tiger’s” third and most recent success at the United States Open dates back to 2008.