The 125th US Open gets underway on Thursday at 8.30pm (AEST) as world number one Scottie Scheffler prepares for the formidable Oakmont course in what he said could provide “the hardest” challenge of his career.
Watch every round of the 2025 US Open LIVE & EXCLUSIVE on FOX SPORTS, available on Kayo. | New to Kayo? Get your first month for just $1. Limited time offer.
SCORECARD: All the latest scores from Round 1
Lightning-fast sloped greens combined with deep, dense rough and bunkers designed to leave balls along the edges had many players calling it the toughest layout they have faced as Oakmont hosts a record 10th US Open.
“This is probably the hardest golf course that we’ll play, maybe ever,” said Scheffler, who won last month’s PGA Championship for his third major title, ahead of Thursday’s opening round.
Second-ranked Rory McIlroy, who won the Masters in April to complete a career Grand Slam, called Oakmont a “big brute” and added: “You’re going to have to have your wits about you this week all the way.”
Meanwhile Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner sidelined after rupturing his left Achilles tendon in March, warned in a social media video there’s “no faking” about Oakmont.
“You just have to hit the golf ball better,” Woods said.
“There is no faking about Oakmont.
“The golf course is big, yes, but it’s just — there’s no way around it. You just have to hit the golf ball well and it favors longer hitters, just because of the degrees, the complexes.”
Being in the fairway to properly approach the greens is crucial as well, Woods said.
“It just helps so much to be coming with a shorter iron, to be able to sock the ball,” he said. “It’s about missing the ball on correct spots… because if you don’t, it’s horrible.”
Not since American Jordan Spieth captured the 2015 Masters and US Open has anyone won consecutive majors, but two-time Masters winner Scheffler is on a hot streak.
Scheffler has won three of his past four starts, matching a PGA Tour record for low 72-hole total to take the Byron Nelson and defending his Memorial title 10 days ago in addition to his major triumph.
MORE US OPEN COVERAGE
‘BLOODY WELL WANT TO KNOW’: Aussie great on baffling decline, ‘Plan B’ that changed his life
‘IMPOSSIBLE’: Viral footage reveals golfers’ worst nightmare as torture test awaits
‘NOBODY CAN ARGUE’: Fallen great’s $175m truth as ugly trip to oblivion laid bare
World #1 Scheffler – ‘NO one is better’ | 07:12
NO CONCERNS OVER ‘INCREDIBLE’ ADVANTAGE AFTER FAILED DRIVER TESTS
Meanwhile, the USGA has no concerns over rules compliance despite Scheffler and McIlroy’s drivers failing tests last month, CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday.
Scheffler and McIlroy’s clubs were found non-compliant ahead of the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow.
World number one Scheffler went on to win the title, but McIlroy finished tied for 47th and has been struggling to find a replacement.
McIlroy was upset that news of his driver test leaked to the public but other results, like Scheffler’s, did not.
“I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this ‘incredible’ advantage, we would change the degree in which we test,” said US Golf Association boss Whan.
“If we saw a trend that was alarming in terms of either how many or how far they were moving beyond, we would change the way we approach it. But with what we’re seeing… the juice wouldn’t be worth the squeeze.”
The testing measures the time a ball spends on a driver club face and that typically grows with wear and use.
“In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town,” Whan said.
“When you talk about a rules violation or somebody who’s playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality.”
Driver drama to derail Rory’s US Open? | 07:45
There will be testing this week ahead of the 125th US Open at Oakmont, but it is the least of players’ worries compared to the sloped, lightning-fast greens and thick rough on the iconic layout.
The rough is already to the point where they are worrying about lost balls. “We have plenty of spotters,” USGA chief championships officer John Bodenhamer said.
“No guarantees we won’t lose a golf ball or two, but we’re going to do everything we possibly can not to do so.” This year’s purse will be the same as last year’s payout, the USGA announced, at $21.5 million overall with $4.3 million to the winner.
Crowds of about 40,000 people a day are expected during the tournament. Whan also said he met on Tuesday with golf stakeholders such as manufacturers about USGA ball rule changes to pull back distance, saying: “I’m encouraged by the collaborative nature of the discussions.” Whan, a member of the official world golf rankings board, said he was unaware of Saudi-backed LIV Golf submitting a new plan to have its events earn ranking points.
“I know there has been dialogue with LIV about the concept of resubmitting,” Whan said. “But I don’t think that has happened.”
MORE US OPEN COVERAGE
‘CHOKEMONT’: Inside golf’s most ‘feared beast’ that sends players ‘insane’
LEISHMAN: Aussie’s $38m answer to heated debate… and why fairytale could be brewing
Leishman: “Happy to be back in Majors” | 06:48
‘INCREDIBLE’ STORY BEHIND DENTIST AND FORMER CADDY TURNED US OPEN QUALIFIER
Elsewhere, former Oakmont caddie Matt Vogt, a 34-year-old Indianapolis dentist, was destined for an emotional Father’s Day weekend after his father Jim died at 65 of colon cancer two months ago.
And that was before Vogt became an unlikely qualifier for this week’s US Open at Oakmont, where he carried clubs for six years as a youth.
“Although I wish he was still here with us — and yes, I’m sure this weekend will be emotional — there’s a sense of peace among our family, and I hope he’s at peace as well because it was hard,” Vogt said Monday.
“It’s a unique time in my life where my father passed and I miss him dearly, but I have this beautiful 15-month-old daughter and a wife who supports me in doing these kinds of things. I think this weekend is going to be full of gratitude and hopefully some good golf too.”
Vogt skipped nearby qualifiers filled with PGA Tour players last week and flew halfway across the United States to Walla Walla, Washington, to compete at Wine Valley Golf Club, where he fired two rounds of four-under-par 68 to earn medallist honours and his place as a player at Oakmont.
“Took a flier on it being a great course fit for my game. It paid off,” he said.
“It feels like it’s been about three years in about six days, but it has been incredible.”
Vogt, ranked 1,173 in world amateur rankings, is proud to represent Oakmont’s “caddie yard” this week.
“Oh my goodness. It has been crazy,” he said.
“I’m still trying to like soak it all in, but also not get too sentimental about it this place means so much to me.”
Lee “has a chance!” Aussie US Open tips | 06:12
Alas, his years helping golfers at formidable Oakmont have left few insights on how to solve its dense rough and lightning-fast greens.
“When you caddie here, you’re not really viewing the golf course in the lens of like tour-level golf,” Vogt said.
“I know everything that’s going on, but not to the level of detail that you need to play in the US Open.
“It has been a mentally exhausting few days just starting to get to learn the golf course a little bit.”
Vogt signed his first autograph on Monday but moments later his father was again in his thoughts.
“Walking up nine fairway after signing some autographs for some little kids, I looked up and thought about it. Anyone who has lost a parent, you feel these brief spurts of emotion.
“(Cancer) was starting to take a toll, so it’s emotional, but honestly I know he’s in a better place. He was beginning to suffer, and that’s something no one ever wants to see.
“The last few months, I feel like I’ve gone, in a way, from a boy to a man and matured as a person and as a dad.”
AUSSIES TEE TIMES AEST
Round 1 – Thursday night/Friday morning
10th tee – 9:18pm Ludvig Åberg, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama
1st tee – 10:02pm Cam Davis, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry
10th tee – 10:02pm Cameron Smith, Brian Harman, Phil Mickelson
1st tee – 3:03am Min Woo Lee, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
1st tee – 3:36am Corey Conners, Jason Day, Patrick Reed
10th tee – 3:58am Marc Leishman, Aaron Rai, Nick Dunlap
Round 2 – Friday night/Saturday morning
10th tee – 9:18pm Min Woo Lee, Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
10th tee – 9:51pm Corey Conners, Jason Day, Patrick Reed
1st tee – 10:13pm Marc Leishman, Aaron Rai, Nick Dunlap
1st tee – 3:03am Ludvig Åberg, Adam Scott, Hideki Matsuyama
1st tee – 3:47am Cameron Smith, Brian Harman, Phil Mickelson
10th tee – 3:47am Cam Davis, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry
LIVE BLOG
Follow the latest updates from the US Open in our blog below! Can’t see it? Click here!