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The final major of the year, the 2025 Open Championship, kicks off this week at Royal Portrush in Northern Ireland. Rory McIlroy, Scottie Scheffler and J.J. Spaun have already claimed major titles this year, but a long list of stars have not. Make your case: which pro will be kicking themselves the most if they don’t win this week and walk away from 2025 without a major?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Jon Rahm. He’s always on the short list of guys who enter the week with sizable public expectations. The other guys on that short list? They’ve all won one in the last 24 months. Rahm hasn’t. And he’s gone T7, T8, T14, T7 in his last four majors. Contending isn’t enough. 

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): Rahm is a great answer. Though he’s far from entering a major “drought,” a great golfer only has so many prime years. Another pair of players in their prime: Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth. These two guys were once the future of American golf. A loss in Portrush would send each golfer’s age-31 season out on a dour note. 

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Great selections above, so I will add Collin Morikawa. After the start he got off to in his career, it felt like he could be the greatest major champ of his generation. He’s played solid golf this season, but if he doesn’t win over the next few weeks, his winless drought will extend to two years, and his major-less drought to four.

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The last time The Open was at Royal Portrush, in 2019, McIlroy hit his opening tee shot O.B. and made an 8 on the first hole. He missed the cut in his return to home soil and at a venue where he holds the course record. Six years later, he’s back and again with lofty expectations. Will this year be different? Will the Masters title in his pocket help? Do you trust him this week?

Zak: This year will definitely be different. McIlroy was a different golfer then. He’d be the first to tell you. I trust him to strike it well, drive it well and probably putt it well on these slower greens. Add it all up, and he should finish in the top 15. Do I trust him to win with an entire country on his back? That feels like a lot. 

Colgan: It’s been a weird year for Rory, but his game is trending again. A win in Portrush would be good news for the Hollywood (two Ls) execs dreaming up a biopic on McIlroy’s career Grand Slam season. I think a top-7 finish sounds more likely.

Melton: It feels likely he’ll be in the mix, but expecting a victory is a stretch. I don’t expect him to flame out like he did in 2019, but I also don’t expect a Claret Jug in his hands come Sunday.

What’s one juicy Open Championship storyline you are monitoring this week?

Zak: It may not feel new, but it is juicy. Someone will clinch their Ryder Cup spot this week. Maybe not literally, in the way Scottie Scheffler has mathematically guaranteed it — but the figurative rubber stamp will be on offer at Portrush. There are just so many points available that players start to force a captain’s hands. I’m looking at the likes of, say, Lucas Glover, who only recently crept onto the radar. He’s ranked 16th and finished in the top 20 at Portrush in 2019.  

Colgan: Promise I’ll stop parroting Sean after this question, but Keegan Bradley could make the Ryder Cup playing captain question totally inevitable this weekend in a way nobody foresaw in January.

Melton: I’ll be interested to see how Scottie Scheffler fares. Of all the major championships, this has been the one where he’s had the least success. It feels like only a matter of time before he wins one of these, but as of yet, we’re still left waiting.

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Grace Kim put together one of the most epic finishes of the year to beat World No. 2 Jeeno Thitikul on the second playoff hole to win the Evian Championship and claim her first major title. The 24-year-old Australian eagled the 72nd hole to get into a playoff, chipped in for birdie on the first playoff hole after an approach went into the water and then eagled the second playoff hole for the win. What did you think of Kim’s play down the stretch, and was this the best LPGA finish of the year?

Zak: Man, it’s just another example of why pro golfers never think they’re out of tournaments. They just don’t! Not until the final approach shot, at least. The way it went down, though, this felt pre-ordained. The hole-out in the playoff, to beat No. 2 in the world? It was unquestionably the best finish of the season. 

Colgan: Rollercoaster major championship golf is by FAR the most entertaining golf on television. Grace Kim clearly understands that, and I think new LPGA commish Craig Kessler would be quick to admit he’d love a few more finishes like that on national TV.

Melton: You’d be hard-pressed to come up with another finish as good as that one over the last few seasons. Kim was absolutely nails coming down the stretch going eagle, (chip-in) birdie, eagle the three times she played No. 18 in regulation and extra holes. How about that performance to lock up a major title? 

After withdrawing an application in 2024, LIV Golf has again applied for Official World Golf Ranking points, a crucial feather needed to allow major pathways for its players. Why might this time be any different?

Zak: LIV promised they’ve made some necessary amendments. I suppose we have to take them at their word? An educated guess would be a completely revamped qualification methodology, allowing more people to play their way onto the tour, even on a week-to-week basis. That’s a major sticking point with OWGR acceptance. You can’t be a closed shop. And to this point, LIV has been pretty closed off. 

Colgan: This time might be different because the long-term legitimacy of the OWGR as a ranking system depends upon LIV’s inclusion. I don’t think what the upstarts have done is right re: OWGR eligibility, and I think there should be work done to weigh LIV fairly, considering it is an obviously inferior product. If the point of the OWGR is purely to decipher major championship eligibility, I’m cool having a longer conversation about platforming LIV. But if the point of the OWGR is to rank the best golfers in the world, it would be smart to be inclusive of the tour with a handful of top 50 players. 

Melton: As Sean said, LIV promised they’d made the necessary changes to satisfy the criteria. Should we believe them? Who knows. I — like many golf fans — am pretty fatigued by the entire ordeal at this point.

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FedEx Cup payouts are changing. Whereas the playoff-capping Tour Championship used to determine players’ hauls from the $100 million overall FedEx Cup prize fund, the Tour will now dole out bonuses based on FedEx Cup points standings after the Wyndham Championship (the regular season’s final event) and also after the BMW Championship, the second FedEx Cup Playoffs event. (The top 10 after the Wyndham will split $20 million, with first place banking $10 million, and the top 30 after the BMW will share about $23 million, with the top-ranked player heading into the Tour Championship pocketing $5 million; the remaining money — about $57 million —will be paid out at the Tour Championship, with the champ winning $10 million.) The Tour’s said the payout were recalculated “to account for the increased volatility of the final event, reward season-long performance and recognize the significance of the FedEx Cup.” Sensible move?

Dylan Dethier (@dylan_dethier): Sensible seems like the right word for it. Sensible, fair, equitable. That doesn’t necessarily equal exciting, but it at least means there will be an added incentive for players to perform at each stage of the playoffs — and down the stretch in the regular season. We haven’t yet seen high monetary stakes move fan interest in pro golf, so perhaps ditching starting strokes was correctly made top priority.

Josh Schrock, news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Yeah, it all makes sense. It’s good to reward players for good regular seasons and not leave it all up to chance in the final three playoff events. It’s incredibly difficult to be consistent over an eight-month stretch, so I like that there’s a chunk to reward those who performed best throughout the season and then have the rest of the money go toward playoff performance.

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): For sure. Remember when Jon Rahm got hosed a couple of years ago (monetarily, anyway) after having a monster season but a poor Tour Championship? Didn’t feel right. This system is a check against that kind of thing happening. OK, now that we’ve got the money sorted, can we please incorporate a match-play element in the playoffs?!

Does this rebalancing make the playoffs any more interesting for fans? Or is this really only consequential for players?

Dethier: Touched on this above but I think the good news is that it’s certainly not less interesting for fans. We should have more pros in the mix at the Tour Championship, and it’ll mean something special to get there. Is there room for improvement? I think so; August stops in Memphis and Atlanta have never been my bag. But this should be fun.

Schrock: I think Dylan hit the right note. Fans just don’t really care if Scottie Scheffler or Rory McIlroy make $30 million or $1 million. They want to see consequential golf. Removing the starting strokes and tiering the payouts differently should at least make the Tour Championship easier to follow and add more drama, but this feels more like a way to appease the players. Over the past few years, Scheffler has repeatedly criticized the playoff format by calling it “silly” and noting that you “can’t call it a season-long race if it comes down to one tournament.” This feels like a way to assuage some grumbles from the membership.

Bastable: Yes, yes and yes, Dr. Schrock! Tough look when the best player on the planet doesn’t endorse the system. And yeah…I can’t fathom a more boring topic for fans than how hundreds of millions of dollars of prize money are being reallocated. When you start moving decimal points around — $2.5 million vs. $25 million vs. $250 million — it’s easy to lose interest quickly. But the Tour hasn’t seemed to grasp that reality in the LIV era. Way too much talk about purses and bonuses and not enough about fan benefits and engagement.    

In an interview with GOLF.com last week, LIV CEO Scott O’Neil was asked whether he feels LIV needs a deal with the PGA Tour. “The platforms that we have between what the PGA Tour is doing and what LIV is doing are very different,” O’Neil said. “The audiences are very different. We have a global platform, and we love this notion of taking this game to the world. I would say that almost everyone I’ve met in golf wants to do what’s best for the sport, and we’re all so early in this journey. We’re all going to figure out what’s best over time.” How do you interpret that response?

Dethier: I’d take it to mean that O’Neil is seeking coexistence with the PGA Tour rather than a straight-up merger. Negotiations have gone silent these last few months, but O’Neil and Brian Rolapp (on the Tour side) are outsiders to the sport and newcomers to this rivalry; perhaps they’ll be more inclined to work together as a result.

Schrock: It seems like another sign that the merger talks are iced over and might be DOA at this point. The reported schedule for LIV next season shows them taking even more of a global approach, with only five U.S.-based tournaments. It seems that O’Neil is tacitly acknowledging that the two tours are going their separate ways and no longer focused on coming together.

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Bastable: Right, Josh. Also, the longer this limbo period has gone, feels like maybe the tours have come to realize they don’t need one another after all. Job 1 for O’Neil should be locking up Bryson for another decade, whatever the cost. Job 2: Reignite convos with the Official World Golf Ranking, if that isn’t already happening. LIV players’ inability to collect rankings points still is arguably the most problematic element of the league when it comes to attracting new talent. Securing points for LIVers would be a boon.    

Beginning at the 2026 Open Championship, the R&A will hold a winner-take-all final qualifier — the “Last Chance Qualifier” — at the Open site (which is Royal Birkdale next year) on the Monday before the championship. The R&A said the event, which will be comprised of up to 12 players, was the byproduct of a survey that revealed fans want more live golf and opportunities to engage with the Open. Let’s take this exercise a step further: The golf powers have granted you permission to make one change or enhancement to any major. What’s your tweak?

Dethier: The PGA Championship goes back to August — and it goes international. But first, it goes to Chambers Bay…

Schrock: Let’s turn back the clock and make it so everyone except the defending champion has to qualify for one of the majors. Since the PGA Championship is still searching for an identity, I nominate it as the qualifying major. Next year, Scottie Scheffler is in, and everyone else has to earn their way into the fourth major. 

Bastable: I’d love to see the U.S. Junior Amateur champ get an invite to both the Masters and U.S. Open. Maybe that’d have a been a crazy thought a generation ago, but the gap between the youngs and the olds has never been narrower. The kids could hang.

Speaking of the Open, this year’s edition, which is bound for Royal Portrush, is only two weeks away. Who’s your early pick?

Dethier: Tommy Fleetwood jumps out, though I suspect he’ll be a popular choice. I’m saddened the final major is on our doorstep, but it should be a terrific addition.

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Schrock: How did we already get to the final major of the year? The long winter is upon us. I feel like Tommy Fleetwood will play well but I’m going to take Jon Rahm. He’s a terrific Open player and we’re due for an injection of spice back into the PGA Tour-LIV feud.

Bastable: Heart says Rory, head says Russ, as in Henley. A winner this year (at Bay Hill and nearly at Travelers), has been on a heater the last few weeks and finished 5th at the Open a year ago. Not a flashy pick but he’s primed for a big week.  

Happy belated 4th of July! In recognition of America’s birthday, what is the most quintessential American golf experience you’ve partaken in?

Dethier: Anytime I order a hot dog at the muni down the street I can hear the Star Spangled Banner playing in the background — what’s more American than that?! (This question also feels like an alley-oop to plug my book which is literally about golf in America. Very kind of the TC crew.)

Schrock: I’ll say my college golf trip with my buddies that saw us go across Oregon and playing everything from Bandon Dunes, to Pumpkin Ridge, to Tokatee, plus a number of fun munis in Eugene, Portland, Bend and southern Oregon. A week-plus of golf, hot dogs, beers and talk of how the Oregon Ducks always let us down. America! (Also, buy Dylan’s book!)

Bastable: There will be no shameless plugs for Dylan’s book in my response (even if it was the best piece of travel-writing since On the Road), but I will go to bat for golf courses as optimal venues for firework viewing. For the last two Fourths, I’ve watched ’works down the corridor of a golf hole, and both shows were spectacular, with the trees beautifully framing the colorful explosions in the sky. Also, fairway grass is really nice to sit on.

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Patrick Reed won LIV Golf Dallas, which comes just a few days after he acknowledged he might have to win or play well at the Open Championship in order to be considered for the U.S. Ryder Cup team. With limited starts that offer World Ranking points, if Reed is picked it means captain Keegan Bradley would likely have to pass up several players ahead of him in the standings. While there’s still lots of golf left to be played before the 2025 Ryder Cup at Bethpage Black, should Captain America get more serious consideration to join the U.S. squad?

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@Jess_Marksbury): I love that Reed has so much love for the Ryder Cup, but if Ryder Cup eligibility is a priority for him, joining LIV was probably not the best move. It’s not impossible to make the team, but you definitely have to make your case for a pick by performing in the majors, as Bryson has done. Or, you could go on a can’t-ignore-me win binge like Joaquin Niemann, who isn’t even eligible for the Ryder Cup. Coalescing with the team is another factor, a gray area for sure, but something Keegan will have to consider with every captain’s pick. With all that said, winning the Open Championship would go a long way for Reed, but barring that outcome, my guess is he will likely still be on the outside looking in in September.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): Another reasonable question is whether Reed still deserves the nickname “Captain America.” In his last appearance in the event, he lost twice in three matches and — more notably — wasn’t exactly Mr. Team Unity either. He has played well in several of his recent major appearances. But as Jess says, he hasn’t been Bryson-level dominant. At this point, the fact that he plays with a ton of fire isn’t an especially persuasive argument. There are plenty of other guys who would kill to be on the team; who don’t have the same baggage; and who would be every bit as likely to earn as many or more points.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): The Americans are the betting favorites right now but a big reason for that is because it’s a home game. On paper though, you could argue the Europeans have the better core right now. So is that a potential reason to use a pick on Reed if he’s on the bubble? Or reason to not get cute? I think it’s unlikely it becomes a legitimate conversation in the future because he’ll need a really strong performance at The Open (he’ll likely have to win) to get selected. But it’s important to remember that chemistry matters. Reed didn’t exactly help the team bond back in Paris.

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A couple of months after the PGA Tour allowed rangefinders on a trial basis, it has now made an effort to share hole- and group-specific pace of play data during its telecast and also online on its leaderboard. (Although the pace-of-play times will focus on holes or entire groups, not individuals.) Does this change do anything for you or the average fan?

Marksbury: Not particularly. Unless it’s going to result in a flurry of penalties, I think the viewing experience will remain largely the same. Though I do think having this data will be useful from a course insights perspective.

Berhow: A little more transparency is good but I don’t see it as a tool fans particularly care about. I think most just want golf played quickly on TV and, worst case, they want the names of the slow players so they know who to complain about. Side note: I was a burnt-out baseball fan a few years ago (or maybe that’s just being a Minnesota Twins supporter), but the pitch clock completely reenergized me. Golf needs to speed it up, however the sport can.

Sens: Ditto to the above. Only if the transparency translates into enforcement. I’m just off watching a couple of hours of this week’s PGA Tour action, and I had to fight nodding off as player after player went through an agonizing straddle-the-putt routine. Is there any evidence that playing slowly actually helps performance? Seems to be the opposite. Play faster. Play better. Put out a more entertaining product. Everybody wins.

Still looking for his first win since October 2023, Collin Morikawa has now split with caddie Joe Greiner after just five tournaments together. A week ago he experimented playing without a glove on, and this past week he swapped out putters. Are these changes reason for concern? Or just a competitor eager to find an edge?

Marksbury: This seems like some world-class searching. But I get it. As a junior, I once had the shanks for nearly two months. The only thing that finally got me out of it was taking Happy Gilmore-style swings for every shot. Maybe Morikawa is just hoping to identify that one little thing that will give him his mojo back. And it’s not like he’s fallen completely off the map, either. Despite the changes, he’s still playing some good golf. I’m not worried.

Berhow: He’s not exactly going full Tin Cup with gadgets attached to his visor, so no need to worry yet. These guys are all so good it’s sometimes the smallest things, the tiniest tweaks, that make the difference. Despite his winless slump, he’s still been really good over the last couple of years. The sudden caddie change could be reason for concern but only if it turns into a revolving door, and there’s no reason to think that yet.

Sens: If he starts switching his change from one pocket to another, we’ll know he’s in serious trouble. No doubt he’s searching. And boy is it a nice reminder that at one point or another, this game does a number on everyone who plays it, no matter the level. Wouldn’t it be nice to struggle like Morikawa? Is it cold-hearted of me to find it somehow comforting?

Padraig Harrington won the U.S. Senior Open on Sunday, although he was also in the news on Friday, when Harrington and NBC reporter Roger Maltbie exchanged words after Harrington was irked Maltbie didn’t help him look for a lost golf ball. Maltbie explained his producer instructed him to deliver a report of what was happening, although Harrington told him it was “poor etiquette.” What gives?

Marksbury: I’m with Maltbie on this one. I’m sure most of the kerfuffle stemmed from the fact that Harrington, in the heat of major-championship battle, just wasn’t pleased to take a penalty for a lost ball. Maltbie is a professional who is there to do a job. He’s not a spotter, and there were plenty of others ready to help Harrington search. But hey, all’s well that ends well, right?

Berhow: I would not have expected Paddy to be involved in something like this (or even Roger!) so it was surprising. If Roger was a serial offender in not helping pros look for balls, we would have heard them complain about it by now. We haven’t, so I believe him as a one-off. Plus, did you see the overhead shot of all the people helping search?! One extra set of eyes wasn’t going to do much.

Sens: Pardon the metaphor but this seems like a case of Harrington losing sight of the forest for the trees. Maltbie had a job to do. That job wasn’t to look for Harrington’s ball.

Last week, we published a GOLF Magazine piece that broke down the 50 best experiences in golf (a list compiled by our staffers). What’s the No. 1 experience you’ve checked off? And what’s a feasible No. 1 you’d recommend to our loyal readers?

Marksbury: Such a great list! I’ll have to go with having the chance to attend the Masters. For a golf fan, it really is the ultimate. Everyone who loves the game wants to go, and everyone who has been wants to talk about it. As for an accessible experience I’d highly recommend, it’s tough to beat a golden-hour finishing stretch on your local course — especially during the height of summer.

Sens: The one I most want to check off is to shoot my age. It will mean that I’ve lived to 110 and I’m still healthy enough to get through 18. As for feasible experiences, the Cabot Trail in Nova Scotia is one of the prettiest drives in the world. Take it from Cabot Cape Breton (Cabot Links and Cabot Cliffs are both musts) to Highland Links, which I would put up there with Pebble, Bandon and a small handful of others as one of the greatest public-access walks in the game.

Berhow: Visiting St. Andrews is up there. Sure, it would be great to play the course, but it’s almost magical how the Old Course morphs into a park flooded with dogs on Sundays. What a world.

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Minjee Lee won her third-career major title Sunday at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship — or, put another way, she survived the fire-breathing test that was the Fields Ranch East course at PGA Frisco more effectively than any other player. On what was one of the toughest major setups in recent memory (firm, fast, windy, sweltering), Lee, who finished at four under for the week, was one of just three players to break par. Earlier in the week, two-time major winner Stacy Lewis told Golfweek, “The issue of this all too is, make us look good. We’re trying to get more people to watch women’s golf, and to watch us play golf, and setups like this, they don’t help us …We’re making very good players look silly.” What say you? Was the setup too difficult?

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James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): I think the U.S. Open at Oakmont proved beyond any counterargument that golf fans like it very much when the best players in the world look silly. Yes, there is a loaded gender connotation beneath this that shouldn’t be ignored: Female golfers fight for public recognition of their talent in a way men do not. But at its core, I say let the carnage reign.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): I understand what Lewis is saying there — birdies sell and bogeys don’t. Scottie Scheffler also said as much at the Travelers, where he said you don’t go to basketball games wanting to see fewer dunks or 3-pointers, or you don’t go to tennis matches wanting to see a slower ball. But there’s something also to be said for watching the best in the world get tested — and to use Scheffler’s example, one can also say folks go to football games to watch good defense. Would you say that last week’s U.S. Men’s Open was poor? The line should be rewarding good shots and punishing poor ones — if Fields Ranch East didn’t do that, change should be made, but if it did, then the course worked.   

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I’m in the pro-carnage camp as well, but totally agree with Nick, if the test was fair that’s all that matters. The moment you have pros making bogeys after what they thought were good shots, it becomes unfair. But honestly, I’m more compelled to watch a tournament where par is a great number than a birdie-fest, especially in majors. Lewis does make a good point that the PGA of America has typically set up golf courses to showcase its players, but there’s nothing wrong with showcasing their ability to make par when the going gets tough. A multiple-time major champion won, safe to say the best player in the field was identified this week.

On the PGA Tour, U.S. Ryder Cup captain and New England’s own Keegan Bradley won the Travelers Championship in electric fashion, making a clutch 72nd-hole birdie to pip Tommy Fleetwood and Russell Henley by one. The win was Bradley’s first of 2025, but marked his fifth top-10 finish and third in his last four starts. He has said he won’t expend one of his six captain’s picks on himself. But if Bradley (who started the week 17th in the U.S. Team Rankings) doesn’t auto-qualify, should he rethink his picks strategy?

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Piastowski: I think so, if he’s somewhere in the top 10 range. If he’s somewhere higher, then no. But yes, the U.S. team would be served well by an energized, in-form Bradley. Should he be in line to be picked, though, he should vacate the captaincy — doing both would be detrimental to the team.   

Colgan: Uhh, yes. The U.S. roster is a little light these days on players of Bradley’s recent form and energy. He should be on the roster. 

Hirsh: Yes! Pick himself, then relinquish the captaincy to Tiger Woods. Then Bradley does all the PR and run-up stuff that Tiger didn’t want to do and Woods adds the shot of adrenaline to the New York crowd.

On Tuesday, the PGA Tour officially announced Brian Rolapp as its new CEO. Rolapp was previously with the NFL as its longtime chief media and business officer. Why does this hire matter, and what does it essentially mean for the league, players and fans?

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Colgan: It matters because of the job title. Rolapp understands that modern sports leagues are media companies, and crucially, he understands that media is a positive-sum environment. More is more when it’s done right. $150 billion in media rights fees at the NFL prove he knows how to do it right.

Piastowski: Rolapp’s hire was a business hire. He himself said he has little golf background (though he once worked at Congressional). But he was, as Colgan noted above, instrumental in expanding the NFL’s reach, and one can imagine that was one of his selling points to Tour folks. Think about the changes we’ve seen in the NFL recently. Games all over the world. Games shown on different services. Games shown even on Nickelodeon. Rolapp promises not to be afraid to experiment in the hopes of growing. The players also seem excited by the hire. He’s an outsider. And the NFL background brings cachet.   

Hirsh: It matters because the PGA Tour, which is not one of the four most popular leagues in this country, just hired away the heir apparent to the NFL Commissioner, which is the most popular sports league in the country. Clearly, the PGA Tour has been treading water the last few years with Jay Monahan as it battled LIV and this was a move to inject some much-needed new ideas.

Rolapp has spent the majority of his career with the NFL, even adding in his introductory open letter, “I’ve got a lot to learn about golf.” Are you surprised an outsider from a different sport was brought in? And do you think that was the right move?

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Colgan: A little surprised, but I think the PGA Tour could use the new set of eyes. There’s been so much change in pro golf over the last 4 years, and yet I wonder if any viewer at home feels the week-in, week-out experience is improved from the time Bryson and Phil were still on the PGA Tour. I’m a proponent of the Tour’s changes over the last few years, but a fresh perspective at the top might yield something even better (and inclusive of ALL the best golfers).  

Piastowski: I’m mildly surprised, but the Strategic Sports Group, the group that’s pledged billions to the PGA Tour as it fights LIV Golf, is also mostly non-golf, too. Pro golf has become big business, and the Tour hopes it’s found a businessman. He might not be able to tell you the proper approach to escape a bunker, but he’ll have thoughts on how to get you to tune in, buy tickets, or both.  

Hirsh: I’m not surprised. Like I alluded to above, the PGA Tour hasn’t really done much to combat LIV aside from becoming smaller and increasing purse sizes. It still looks exactly the same. Rolapp was brought in from one of the most successful properties in the world (the NFL) to shake things up and that’s exactly what the Tour needs.

Like any incoming CEO, there’s a long list of items Rolapp needs to prioritize. What should be on the top of his list?

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Colgan: LIV reintegration. The PGA Tour postseason. The broader PGA Tour schedule. The list goes on.

Piastowski: I like all of those. And I’ll add whether the PGA Tour takes its game more globally — Australia, Europe, Asia, Africa, South America — or does it remain mostly in the U.S. Rory McIlroy has often brought up his wish of a global tour. I imagine this will be talked about. 

Hirsh: All great points. Have to emphasize on LIV reintegration. Golf needs to be unified once again. I know Rolapp wasn’t there when the NFL and AFL merged, but he needs to bring some of that energy.

Our James Colgan reported the Tour plans to “sunset” commissioner Jay Monahan after an overlap period that should help bring Rolapp up to speed, which could last between six and 18 months. How would you sum up Monahan’s body of work — the good and the bad — over the last nine years?

Colgan: Monahan has navigated some important times very well, but his tenure as commish will be remembered forever for LIV and the framework agreement of June 6, 2023. However you feel about that is how you feel about Monahan.

Piastowski: LIV and the framework agreement will be at the forefront of how Monahan will be remembered. Should he have reacted better to the Saudi investment? Should he have adopted earlier some of the changes now introduced? Perhaps. Players also point to how he managed the PGA Tour during Covid, getting it back to play after three months, and, as Tiger Woods has played fewer and fewer events the past few years, he’s managed to keep pro golf popular. But the turmoil will mark his tenure.   

Hirsh: I’m not going to sit here and type how bad of a job Monahan did as a commissioner. But I will point out that he let LIV Golf happen when, if he was proactive about it, it might not have ever begun, and we wouldn’t have this period of divided golf that we have now. He will forever be remembered for that.

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J.J. Spaun won the 2025 U.S. Open, closing with a final-round 72 to edge Robert MacIntyre by two. With five players tied at one over late in the day, are you surprised to see Spaun emerge from this group? What was the difference?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens) I never would have picked Spaun to win prior to the tournament. But by the time late Sunday rolled around, he’d played three-and-a-half rounds with the calm demeanor and dead-eyed driving that are crucial in a U.S. Open. He’d also fought back from a couple of seriously bad breaks. A ridiculously unlucky carom off the flag on 2. An unfortunate bounce off a rake at 4. Compare that to the way Sam Burns let a wet lie on the fairway get under his skin, and you could say the big difference was outlook. Spaun made some poor swings and piled up bogies. But in the end, he didn’t beat himself.

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): I was certainly surprised in real time, but when you think back to the brutal luck Spaun had to start the day, it’s not as surprising. No one in the field got as much bad luck pre-rain delay, and the stoppage was a good reset. Once he came back out, the bad breaks befell other contenders, and Spaun was able to stay steady.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I’m very surprised, especially given how Spaun’s final round started. After the bogey at the first and bad break on the second, I thought he was headed for an early exit. But he didn’t let that rattle him. He stayed in his process and hung around until the rain delay, which allowed him to breathe and reset. Once play resumed, his accurate driving gave him opportunities to rise, and the tee shot on 17 was his major moment.

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I agree with Sens, it was the way he shrugged off the bad breaks to start that kept him in it, but it was his putting that won him the tournament. Sure, the tee shots on 17 and 18 were critical, but they would have been irrelevant had he not drained those two long putts on 12 and 14. He gained more than 10 strokes on the field putting despite averaging more than 30 putts around! Wild statistic! Was I surprised he beat out guys like Burns, Scott, Hatton and Hovland? Absolutely! I thought he was done after starting with five 5s, but I guess 55 is a lucky number for Spaun. Awesome major championship finish.

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It was a chaotic Sunday at Oakmont, with a lengthy rain delay followed by wet conditions and several players battling for the trophy. Who are you surprised didn’t come through?

Sens: From the start, I thought Viktor Hovland was going to pull it off. He’d been in the hunt in majors so many times, and his all-around game seemed solid the first three days. Funny game. Anyone who tells you they can predict it is lying or fooling themself. 

Melton: Adam Scott. It seemed like destiny that his career would get a punctuation mark with a U.S. Open win at Oakmont. Alas, he just didn’t have anything today. A final-round 79 was not what I (or anyone else) expected. 

Schrock: It’s Hovland for me. He was the best player at the top of the leaderboard, and I thought he’d be able to pull off the shots under pressure that I assumed would doom Spaun and Sam Burns. Instead, he hit just seven fairways and lost over a stroke on the greens to finish T3. The search continues for Viktor.

Hirsh: It was Scott for me, too. Maybe it’s bias because he is golf’s ultimate gear nerd and I cover gear. Maybe it’s because I was 15 when he won the Masters, and his career was right behind Tiger and Phil for me growing up. Maybe it’s because it’s always fun to root for the 40-year-old in the field of 20-somethings. Scott has been good at closing the deal for much of his career (aside from the obvious exception at the 2012 Open), and this seemed like it would have been a dream-like cap to a hall-of-fame career. I guess I’m happy he proved he still has what it takes. Like 188 mph ball speed at 44? SHEESH.

Several players were frustrated by the soggy conditions, which made an already difficult Oakmont even tougher. Do you think the tournament should have been delayed to Monday? Or was the Sunday finish the right decision by the USGA?

Sens: It was the right decision. If play were stopped every time modern Tour pros were unhappy with playing conditions, no event would ever get completed.

Melton: In the words of Scottie Scheffler, it is an “outdoor sport.” Let the boys play.

Schrock: Absolutely the right decision. Let’s see who is the best at getting the ball in the hole when everything isn’t optimized. Tip of the cap to the USGA.

Hirsh: That was fantastic theater. Right decision. Next question.

It was an odd week for Rory McIlroy, who declined to speak with the media after his first two rounds — “It’s more a frustration with you guys,” he said Saturday — and who finished in a tie for 19th place and failed to contend for the fifth straight start since his Masters win. He also reiterated that it has been difficult at times to stay motivated following the career Grand Slam. How would you unpack McIlroy’s week, and why do you think he’s still struggling so much with finding that motivation?

Sens: McIlroy came across as mentally unready before the week began, and he proved that he wasn’t in a great head space when his opening round on Thursday started coming unraveled. In one sense, it seemed odd. In another, it seemed very typical of McIlroy: when he’s on, boy is he on. But when he’s not quite right, he’s not going to contend in the way that, say, Scottie Scheffler does when he doesn’t have his A game. As for motivation, McIlroy has said it himself. It is tough to keep grinding at that level when you’ve achieved everything you’ve always dreamed of. I can relate. As a child, my greatest ambition was to someday take part in an online forum offering armchair analyses of lavishly paid professional athletes. And now here I am, so satisfied I can barely bring myself to finish typi . . .

Melton: It seems Rory has some post-achievement depression. After over a decade of trying to accomplish one of his life goals, the comedown seems to have him in a funk. It’s a bit odd how he’s handled the media during this slump, and I can’t help but wonder if there’s something more to the story than he’s letting on. I’m sure we’ll all find out one day. 

Schrock: I think because as human beings we aren’t wired to have just one purpose, one goal that leads to everlasting actualization. David Duval famously won The Open and wondered if that was “it” on the flight back. Kevin Durant hoisted a trophy with the Warriors and was more lost than ever. It’s up to Rory to find, as he put it, another “Everest” to climb. He will. It might take time. He’s human, just like the rest of us. Has it been “disappointing” that his post-Masters run has been so flat and filled with an unnecessary feud with a golf media that has given him almost two decades of glowing coverage? Absolutely. But eventually, Rory McIlroy will finish digesting achieving one lifelong dream and move on to the next pursuit.

Hirsh: Schrock, I think you hit the nail on the head here. The last few weeks, McIlroy’s struggles have me thinking back on a chapter from one of Bob Rotella’s — who is also McIlroy’s mental coach — books. In the first chapter of Golf is Not a Game of Perfect, Rotella talks about how wonderful it was to work with Pat Bradley — Keegan’s aunt — because she always was focused on qualifying for the LPGA Hall of Fame, which is one of the most difficult halls of fame to qualify for. Once Pat won for the 30th time in 1991 to qualify for the Hall of Fame, she asked Rotella what she should do to find her next dream. She didn’t win again until 1995, which was the last of her career. It’s ironic that McIlroy works with the same coach now. Do I think it will take him four years to win again? No. But, it seems like he is having trouble identifying what his dream will be moving forward now that he has checked off the Masters, which he was trying to nab for 11 years. It will take time.

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In its 10th time hosting the U.S. Open, Oakmont Country Club allowed just one player to break par and only two players shot 66 or better the entire week. What did you think of the venue for this week? And did it prove to be too hard, not hard enough or just right?

Sens: It’s a great venue. Not the most telegenic of the U.S. Open anchor sites. But it’s my favorite of them. Have you ever seen so many short putts missed by so many great players. The course is a beautiful bear, and the greens are beyond belief in their subtlety and severity – in ways that TV can’t quite capture.

Melton: Perfect difficulty. If every U.S. Open could finish with just the winner finishing under par, I’d absolutely love it. A war of attrition is fun to watch once every year, and Oakmont is the perfect venue for that.

Schrock: This is what the U.S. Open is supposed to be about. A complete mental examination that is about grit and grind, not getting on the Trackman and golfing in a dome. It might not be my favorite U.S. Open venue, but Oakmont always rocks. Had it not been for the rain, the carnage would have been off the charts. 

Hirsh: I think the dichotomy of how J.J. Spaun and Sam Burns handled bad breaks was a perfect example of what a U.S. Open should be. Yes, was there some luck involved in whether you could advance the ball out of the ridiculous rough? Sure, but J.J. Spaun put together the best final nine holes at a U.S. Open since Tiger Woods in 2000. You can’t tell me he wasn’t a fitting champion. And it was great theater till the end. All at a course that was short of 7400 yards. We honestly should just have the U.S. Open there every year. Having played it, I know it’s also a blast despite being the most difficult course in the world.

Who won the U.S. Open week without winning U.S. Open week?

Sens: Hmm. I think I’d have an easier time coming up with the guys who had it within their grasp and couldn’t quite put it away.

Melton: Robert MacIntyre! He braved the conditions better than anyone and it damn near earned him a U.S. Open title. He’s one of the more earnest players in pro golf and I can’t help but root for his success. Honorable mention to Carlos Ortiz for earning a career-best major finish at T4. 

Schrock: Despite the poor final round, I’m going to say Adam Scott. Like Justin Rose at Augusta, I love seeing uber-talented pros who are past their prime but still love the grind. Scott talked about how winning a second major would fulfill his own self. At 44, with all the money in the world, to still be relentlessly pursuing who you dreamed you’d be is admirable. I hope he gets another major.

Hirsh: I would say Scott or MacIntyre, but since those are taken, I’ll go with Scottie Scheffler. He had a couple of brutal short misses, but ended up having a back-door top-10 with his C game. Feel like he had his B game at the PGA Championship, so really wonder what his A game is looking like right now. Scary for the field!

Finally, what did you learn this week?

Sens: It wasn’t a new lesson but an old one reinforced. At the elite level, in the most pressure cooker of situations, the game is 90 percent mental and 10 percent mental. They all have all the shots. But what matters most is how they cope with the results.

Melton: Oakmont is the hardest golf course on earth. Despite a deluge of rain in the leadup, and a couple proper soakings during the week to soften the course, just one player finished under par. Imagine how high the scores will be if there’s ever a week where it gets baked out and there’s a little wind. Ten over might win the thing!

Schrock: A lot of the game’s elite players are finding their form with one major remaining. Jon Rahm gained strokes everywhere except the greens this week. Same with Collin Morikawa, who led the field in SG: Approach (2.21) but lost it all putting. Brooks Koepka showed signs of life and Jordan Spieth played well outside of a brutal nine-hole stretch on Friday. Rory McIlroy led the field in SG: Driving, which is a good sign given his recent woes. Xander Schauffele was positive in all four strokes gained categories. Scottie Scheffler arguably should have won the tournament if not for a handful of missed putts and an uncharacteristic driving week. Many of the elite are trending (with McIlroy being the big question mark). It all sets up for fireworks at Royal Portrush in a month. 

Hirsh: Sens, I like to say that it’s 95 percent mental and the other five percent is in your head. Oakmont is amazing, but I think we already knew that. I think I learned that if you really want to challenge the best players in the world, you have to actually penalize them for missing the fairway. Even with soft greens, Oakmont proved that you can play a reasonable length golf course and still hold up against the best players in the game as long as they are truly penalized for missing fairways and missing fairways in the wrong spots.

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Sam Burns is the 54-hole leader at Oakmont after shooting a third-round 69 to head into Sunday at four under. Adam Scott and J.J. Spaun are one shot back while Viktor Hovland is three shots back as the only other player under par after three rounds. So, who wins the 125th U.S. Open come Sunday evening?

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): Adam Scott. The heart wants what the heart wants, man. He has been playing boring golf this week and that’s the kind of golf that wins U.S. Opens. He’s become such a gear nerd in the later part of career (well, at least he’s more open about it) and he’s searching for perfection. To win at this old school golf course at 44 years old would just be an awesome story.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens):  Hovland. So much firepower. So many close calls in majors. It’s his time. Sam Burns hasn’t been in this spot enough. Adam Scott’s putter will hold him back. J.J. Spaun’s flatline demeanor and dead-eye driving will keep him in it but it won’t be enough. The victor will be Viktor. Either that, or something else will happen. 

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): My heart wants Adam Scott, but for the sake of variety, I’ll make the case for Sam Burns. He slept on the 36-hole lead, showed up Saturday and posted an under-par round to hold the lead alone going into the final round. He’s by far the best putter of those in contention, and that flatstick will be crucial when the pressure ramps up on the back nine..

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Adam Scott for the win. If this is truly a test of lengthy accuracy, it’s hard to find anyone really doing that better than him all week. A few putts started falling for him Saturday night, and I think a few more find their target on Sunday. 

Maddi MacClurg, editor and producer (@maddimacclurg) : I’m going with Adam Scott. He’s been rock solid off the tee all week — accurate, consistent and his ball speed is getting up over 180 mph, which is nuts! At a course like Oakmont, patience and precision pay off, something Scott has in spades. He’s only one back, and I think his experience will be a huge advantage coming down the stretch tomorrow. 

 Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I want to say Adam Scott, but I feel that heartbreak is on the way for the 44-year-old, just as it was for Justin Rose at Augusta National. Scott’s career deserves a second major, but Viktor Hovland gets the driver straightened out and nips him at the finish line to etch his name into U.S. Open and Oakmont history. 

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Phil Mickelson double bogeyed two of his last four holes to miss the U.S. Open cut by a stroke, which could be his final appearance in the only major championship he’s yet to win. While he still could qualify for future U.S. Opens or receive a special exemption from the USGA, do you believe this will be his last?

Josh Schrock, associate editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): It’s really a toss-up. The USGA has given out exemptions before, and they gave one to Phil for the 2021 U.S. Open that he didn’t end up using since he won the PGA at Kiawah. Would it be nice to see Phil play one final U.S. Open at Shinnecock, where he was runner-up in 2004 and hockey-putted in 2018? Sure. But there might be a few things working against Phil. First of all, Mickelson and the USGA have butted heads for years. From calling out Mike Davis for the setup at Merion to calling Mike Whan’s decision to make Talor Gooch ineligible a d–k move, the relationship hasn’t had the warm fuzzies. Phil also hasn’t been a factor in major championships since his T2 at the 2023 Masters. For that matter, he hasn’t really done much on LIV, either. Then, there’s the LIV factor and Mickelson’s role in fracturing the game. All of that makes me think the USGA won’t exactly be running to give him a free ticket to Shinnecock. But I do think Mickelson will try to qualify if he doesn’t earn his way in via LIV’s exemption or a miraculous performance at the Open or next year’s Masters. I won’t be surprised if he’s around but I’m not counting on it either.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@JoshSens): I don’t think we’ve seen the last of him in this event, though a conventional USGA exemption seems less likely than something more outlandishly on-brand, catching fire at Portrush or Augusta, or powering his way through qualifying while playing right-handed. Something expectedly unexpected.

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I have no idea. But I do know that it was a hell of a dramatic way to go. I was standing beside the 18th green on Friday as Phil nearly landed his approach shot in the hole. And then, as he waited to hit the birdie putt he needed to make to sneak inside the cut, lightning flashed behind him. Thunder boomed. And his putt slid by the hole. Time to see if that’s the end of a stormy relationship.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): I don’t think he’s done yet, but as Schrock pointed out, it’s been a messy, complicated relationship he’s had with the USGA, which is exactly why this topic is so juicy — and difficult to predict. I wouldn’t rule out Phil trying to qualify in the future (and he would have a decent chance to get through) but I lean toward the USGA giving him one final send-off, eventually. It would be a nice way for him to go out.

Sean Zak, senior editor (@Sean_Zak): No, this is not Phil’s final Open. I see a future where he wins the U.S. Senior Open and the exemption that comes along with it. Otherwise, this could be it.

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J.J. Spaun set the early pace at Oakmont with a bogey-free 66, while former major champs like Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm, Collin Morikawa, Jordan Spieth and Adam Scott posted tidy rounds of their own. Meanwhile, tourney favorites Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau struggled to maintain any momentum during their opening rounds. That said, what was the biggest surprise on Day 1 at the U.S. Open?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): I didn’t have a 3-over round from Scheffler on my bingo card. But the more interesting surprise came from McIlroy, Or should I say surprises. First: the hot start when he’d been mostly written off by pundits pre-tournament. And then the spiral that sent him from minus 2 to plus 4 for the day. Interesting course. Interesting player. Funny things happen when you pair the two. 

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): Scottie was such a heavy pre-tournament favorite that I think a lot of people expected him to get in the mix and stay in the mix from his first birdie, which came at No. 2. He still beat the field average and, at three-over par, is very much in this golf tournament. But he’ll have to catch some very good golfers if he’s going to make it two majors in a row.

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): It’s gotta be J.J. Spaun getting around Oakmont bogey-free, right? The journeyman has been having a solid year, but putting together a clean card at Oakmont on a day when so many stars (Rory, Scottie, Bryson, etc.) shot over-par rounds is some seriously impressive stuff. Take a bow, Mr. Spaun.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): I’ll go with Brooks Koepka. Or maybe it should be surprising that we doubted Koepka. But the five-time major winner had shown fair-at-best form this year on the LIV Golf circuit —tie for 33rd, tie for seventh, tie for 35th, second, tie for 18th, tie for 30th, tie for 17th and tie for 33rd — and he missed the cut at the Masters and the PGA Championship. Then he came out and fired a two-under 68, and we should’ve known better: This is a major, and he’s major Brooks.    

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): The easy answer is Spaun’s bogey-free round but I think I’m with Nick on this one. Brooks has been MIA from the majors since his win at the 2023 PGA Championship. At last month’s PGA Championship, he shot 75-76 to miss the cut by a mile. His only fireworks came when he invited a heckler to come and say something to his face. Based on his post-round presser, Koepka has some of his swagger back this week. The test at Oakmont would suit the major-killer Koepka perfectly. I’m interested to see which version of Brooks shows up over the next three rounds.

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The 125th U.S. Open begins Thursday at Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh, Pa., with Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy — winners of the first two majors of the year — as the betting favorites. We’ll get to them, but first, what’s your favorite Oakmont storyline that doesn’t involve the aforementioned duo?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens). Love him or not, Bryson DeChambeau has become the most reliably compelling player in the majors. He said he’d be going back to his tinkerer’s workshop in advance of the U.S. Open. It will be interesting to see what tricks he pulls out at Oakmont, not to mention his brute power on such a brawny course. 

Dylan Dethier, senior writer (@dylan_dethier): I’m with Sens — Bryson’s week will be fascinating. He’s been playing the majors so well, he’s been driving the ball so well, he won last year’s U.S. Open and the brawny Winged Foot test, too, plus he has new irons in play…he’ll command plenty of attention. But I find myself drawn to the U.S. Ryder Cup team and its potential members. There are suddenly only two majors left, which means if some players in the 7-15 range have a big-time week, Bethpage could suddenly include a player we wouldn’t have guessed at the beginning of the year. Ben Griffin? J.J. Spaun? Tom Hoge? Or, of course, Keegan Bradley?

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Love the Bryson takes – it’s always fun to see what kind of tricks he has up his sleeves for majors. My favorite storyline to follow will be how the course plays. We all know Oakmont is a brute, and early reports suggest the scoring could be high. I can’t wait to see how the best in the world tackle it.

Scheffler enters the week having won three of his last four starts but has yet to win a U.S. Open. Does a challenging, maddening U.S. Open test like Oakmont versus a birdie-fest setup elsewhere actually improve his chances to win, or does it push him closer to the field?

Sens: The cream tends to rise on tough courses. The only part of the game that sometimes bedevils Scheffler is his putting, and Oakmont’s greens are next-level challenging. But I suspect this week will only underscore the gulf between Scheffler and almost everybody else. 

Dethier: Overall it should improve his chances, given he’s doing everything well at the moment. But it’ll be interesting to watch Scheffler — and the rest of the field! — navigate the mental test of what might be the world’s hardest golf course. Scheffler’s mental game is generally terrific, but he runs hot. I’m excited to watch him handle such a brutish setup.

Melton: Scottie is no one-trick pony. He’s won in birdie-fests (Byron Nelson) and slogs (Memorial), so I wouldn’t say that any certain setup will impact his chances. That said, I’ll be stunned if he isn’t in the mix come Sunday.

After opening his season with a top-20 finish in all eight starts — including three wins — Rory McIlroy tied for 47th at the PGA and enters this week coming off a 71-78 missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open. A troubling trend? Or a couple of outliers? How does Rory’s game translate to Oakmont?

Sens: When Rory’s on, his game translates to any course. But recent signs have been troubling. The erratic drives he’s been hitting of late will not work at Oakmont. Compound that with some comments McIlroy has made about his post-Augusta motivation levels, and I would not pick him high in an office pool. 

Dethier: McIlroy’s trip to Canada was strange from start to finish. I was most struck by one thing he said in his pre-tournament press conference: “You have this event in your life that you’ve worked towards and it happens, sometimes it’s hard to find the motivation to get back on the horse and go again.” It’s pretty clear he’s experiencing some sort of post-Masters letdown. When will he snap out of it? Professional golf is the ultimate grind and the U.S. Open is triply so; I’m sure he’s still eager to contend and to win but if he’s even a little bit elsewhere, that’s enough to throw off everything. We’ll get a good sense of McIlroy’s game this week – his swing, his mind, his grind.

Melton: The comedown after the high of completing the career Grand Slam seems to have caught up with him — and can you blame him? A burden over a decade in the making was finally lifted. I can see how coming down from that rush would make for a rocky re-acclimitization. With Rory’s talent, he’s a threat to win just about every week, but the way his game has been trending, I’d put my money on someone else next week.

While in Canada, McIlroy spoke to the media for the first time since his pre-tournament press conference at the PGA, explained why he didn’t meet with reporters after his rounds at Quail Hollow (“a bit of a weird week”) and added some context to the failed driver test storyline (he was irked Scheffler’s also failed but it was Rory’s name that leaked). What were your thoughts on Rory’s comments and how he unpacked the situation?

Sens: He was typically thoughtful, especially when talking about his frustration at being singled and not wanting to throw Scheffler’s name into the conversation. All of that made sense. But otherwise, his rationale for not speaking with reporters didn’t sit well. Sure, technically, he was not required to stop by the podium.  But it’s still poor form to blow off the press. It takes just a few minutes to field a few questions– a tiny price to pay for the obscene money he makes. 

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Dethier: McIlroy should have talked to the media at the PGA, not because he “owes it to us” or whatever but just as a tactical decision, to take some air out of the balloon. With that said, if you’re using this driver storyline as some sort of mark against McIlroy it’s because you already didn’t like him or are intentionally misunderstanding the situation. There are plenty of people in both those camps, so this will continue to float around in social media comment sections across platforms — but he unpacked the situation thoughtfully and, other than revisiting driver testing protocols, I think we should all move on.

Melton: Rory could have controlled the narrative if he’d given just a few minutes of his time to the press at Quail Hollow. Instead, this is still a storyline a month later. I can understand his frustration about the info leaking to the press, but he only threw fuel on the fire by ghosting the media. 

Lots will be said and written this week about the difficulty of Oakmont, one of the USGA’s five U.S. Open anchor courses that’s readying to host a record 10th national championship. Is Oakmont the best U.S. Open venue?

Sens: It’s my personal favorite from a design standpoint. But tournaments are also televised entertainment. And it’s pretty hard to top the imagery from spots like Pebble Beach and Shinnecock. And last I checked, Pjnehurst has produced some pretty electric finishes. Not trying to be mealy-mouthed here. Let’s just say it’s good that they rotate host sites. 

Dethier: This will be my first week on site at Oakmont, which has me fired up and I’ll be able to better answer at week’s end. But my instinct is yes in that it seems like the U.S. Open test that is the most U.S. Open-y, if that makes sense. We can debate whether greater Pittsburgh is in the midwest later this week but there’s something special about a storied club in the American heartland with brutal rough, ridiculous greens and layers of history that stirs the soul.

Melton: It certainly fits the mold of the brawny test that the USGA loves to present. Whether or not it’s the best is up for debate, but it’s definitely up there. I can’t wait to see the carnage. 

OK, enough about Scottie, Rory, tricky greens and long rough. Who is one sleeper to watch at Oakmont?

Sens: Harris English has three top 10s in his last five US Opens. He has also been in pretty good form of late. At 100-1, he’s decent bang for your office pool buck. 

Dethier: Sens stole my man. I’m also high on Keegan Bradley (sleepy, if not full dark horse), Cameron Young, (who left the 72nd hole at the RBC Canadian Open in a state he described as “a lot of anger”, but should be set up well), and Max Greyserman, just cuz.

Melton: No love for Ben Griffin?! He’s trending as well as anyone over the past month, who’s to say he doesn’t keep it going? 

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The post Tour Confidential: Stark conquers Erin Hills, Scheffler wins (again) appeared first on Golf.

Maja Stark won the U.S. Women’s Open at Erin Hills, taking a one-stroke lead into the final round and holding off Nelly Korda and Rio Takeda to win by two and claim her first major title. What impressed you most about Stark’s major triumph?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): Her Sunday. She had every reason to buckle. Her playing partner was sagging. They were playing slow. She bogeyed a par-5. Nelly Korda was chasing her. But she played so steady, in her own bubble. Good shot selection. Good caddieing. Good bounces, too. It all added up.

Zephyr Melton, assistant editor (@zephyrmelton): Her steadiness was remarkable. Sleeping on a 54-hole lead is never easy, but she handled the pressure beautifully. She has some serious guts to put together a Sunday like that without wavering.

Josh Schrock, assistant editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): Agree with both of you. How many times have we seen players enter Sunday with their first lead in a major and completely melt? She didn’t flinch even though she didn’t have her best stuff throughout the day. But when the moment called for it, she hit some incredible shots and didn’t give the chasers a chance once she took that three-shot lead on the back nine.

Korda has four top 10s this season but is still winless, and at this time last year she already had six victories. While it might be impossible to replicate her start to 2024, what’s holding her back this year? Any reason to worry?

Zak: The putter. She was the only player in the top 13 who finished negative in Strokes Gained: Putting. But she’s been a solid putter all season, so we’ll call it a one-week fluke on tricky USWO greens. But she’ll find something similar in three weeks at the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship in Texas.

Melton: If you look at her strokes gained stats, the only thing that jumps out is her chipping. Last season, she was fourth in SG: Around the Green. This season, she’s all the way down at 90th. She just hasn’t been able to save par quite as often this year. It just goes to show that the margins are razor thin.

Schrock: It’s the flatstick. She was the best player tee-to-green at Erin Hills but the putter was a problem. It reminded me a lot of Rory McIlroy’s loss at LACC. He was the better player that week but just couldn’t get anything to fall and it cost him.

Erin Hills hosted its first U.S. Open since Brooks Koepka ripped it apart in its debut in 2017, although this week, the USGA’s chief championships officer, John Bodenhamer, told our Sean Zak, “I think both the USGA and Erin Hills were just disappointed in 2017 in the sense that people didn’t see this place in its full glory.” How do you think Erin Hills performed as a U.S. Open test this week? And would you like to see more Opens return to it?

Zak: Well, I’m biased! I thought the course finally got its chance to send balls in bad directions. To be firm enough to make hitting greens a reward on its own. Getting close to the hole was difficult! Now imagine if there was wind. Although I feel like we’ve said “imagine if there was wind” for a decade regarding this course. Guess we’ll have to wait for the 2027 U.S. Amateur Four-ball.

Melton: Are we sure the wind blows out here? So far, they’re 0 for 2! Even without much of a breeze this week, I was impressed by the venue. Saturday was extremely fun to watch and showed what kind of test Erin Hills can offer up if things break their way.

Schrock: Maybe we will get wind next time? Even so, I thought Erin Hills was a proper test, especially with some of the ridiculously tricky pin locations the USGA unleashed on the weekend. I hope Erin Hills gets another U.S. Open, but if not, how about the PGA Championship just becoming the home for castoff U.S. Open courses like Erin Hills and Chambers Bay? It’s an identity!

Scottie Scheffler defended his title at the Memorial, pulling away on the back nine to win for the third time in his last four starts. Although, as host Jack Nicklaus put it, Scheffler didn’t really have to do “anything special,” on the back nine, as all the contenders made mistakes in front of him. Has Scheffler’s dominance over the last couple of years created almost a Tiger-like effect that tightens up the field knowing they have to be perfect?

Zak: Absolutely. Ben Griffin — man of the moment! — admitted as much last week when he won. He said he was planning on Scheffler shooting a Sunday 62, because that’s what you have to plan for! I’m looking forward to someone standing up in his way soon.

Melton: Sometimes the best golf is boring golf, and Scottie has perfected that. Perhaps some other players should take a page out of his book and play a little more “conservatively.” Seems to be a solid strategy. Of course, it’s not as easy as Scottie makes it look.

Schrock: Absolutely. As Jordan Spieth said Saturday, you know Scheffler isn’t going to go backward so that forces you to have to play pedal-down golf to try and catch him. He is precise and exacting and never takes himself out of the fight. To beat him, you have to beat him. Would love to see any of the top players really put up a fight at Oakmont.

News

One of those aforementioned Memorial contenders was Ben Griffin, who won the Zurich team event at the end of April, won the Charles Schwab Challenge a week ago and finished solo second this week. Did getting into this position following his win last Sunday prove to you this run is no fluke and he should be in the Ryder Cup conversation in the fall? Or should we still just classify this one as a heater?

Zak: Ben Griffin is on a heater, no doubt. But to merit a look, he needs to keep some form through July. That’s just how it goes! There are a lot of guys who will want that same look, but we’re four months away from Ryder Cup tee shots. That’s a long time.

Melton: Bethpage is a longggg way off. Let’s save the Ben Griffin for Ryder Cup talk until August at least. I’m gonna have to see more than a four-week heater to feel comfortable sending him into the hornet’s nest that is the Ryder Cup.

Schrock: We have sooooooo much golf left, as Zephyr noted. He should absolutely get a look but I wouldn’t be thrilled sending him out there against a stacked European team based off a nice May. He’s in the conversation because we haven’t really seen Patrick Cantlay, Tony Finau or other expected members of Team USA to this point.

The PGA Tour announced a revision to its Tour Championship (again), and beginning this year it will ditch the “Starting Strokes” format it has used since 2019 and return to its previous format of 72-hole stroke play with everyone starting at even par. Why the change might not be surprising given the criticism the previous format received, are you surprised the Tour reverted to an older format and didn’t create something new?

Zak: I think this was a little bit of a bridge to a future format that checks a few more boxes. Like stroke play into match play. Or match play into stroke play! For now, it’s appeasing the players … and TV. Little more than those two things matter.

Melton: Am I surprised the PGA Tour didn’t get creative with its product? No, not at all.

Schrock: The PGA Tour is all about bridges. Let me know when we get to the end of the bridge and if there’s some creativity at the end of it. But I am glad to see the starting strokes go.

Ok, we have asked a million times but let’s do it once more: what’s your Tour Championship fix?

Zak: Let’s get wacky. Top 32 advance to the TC. Nos. 32-17 face off in matches, with Nos. 9-16 waiting to play the winners. That’s right, Nos. 1-8 get a double bye and will take on the winners of the second-round matches. The eight people who advance through that play a two-round stroke play sprint to decide a champion. If you’ve made it to the TC but are ranked 24th, you’ve gotta play three good rounds and then two more to really cash in. If you rightfully advanced to the TC ranked fourth, you’d just need to win that one match to reach the stroke play sprint. Y’all confused yet?

Melton: Does it need “fixing?” Will anyone ever care who the FedEx Cup champion is? No amount of tinkering is going to make casual fans care about anything but the four majors.

Schrock: I’d trim it down from 30 to 24 to make it even more exclusive (we need to trim some fat all around) and then give the top eight players a bye and do single elimination match play from there. They also need to rotate the course to get some different vibes outside of East Lake. Will it make the FedEx Cup a must-watch event? Eh. But we need a match-play tournament now that the WGC is gone and this adds to the drama and stakes, which I’m told is what they want.

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