The 126th U.S. Open commences Thursday; Preview/Prediction

The 2026 U. S. Open, the 126th edition, returns to the iconic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southhampton, New York, 100 miles east of New York City on Long Island, a 2 to 2 1/2 hour drive, unless it’s the summer or the weekend, then it becomes a 3 1/2 hour drive.

With the New York Knicks celebrating their historic NBA Championship Thursday with a respective victory parade, and with the FIFA World Cup transpiring presently, with one of the venues being Met Life Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, 12 miles from the city, New York is busy. However, the Open is an elite sporting event, one of the best of the year, and it will get plenty of attention.

The defending champion of the Open is J.J. Spaun, a blue collar player, which is what is required to win an Open. He’s the ultimate warrior and sank a 64 foot birdie putt on 18 at Oakmont in 2025 to win the 125th Open. I like Spaun’s chances here. I had a text exchange with the Fellas, my commenters on the Blog, last week, and Brombey is real high on Spaun. I agree with him. J.J. is a serious factor at Shinnecock.

The course is a 7,440 yard, Par 70 that was designed by William Flynn and opened in 1891. It has hosted five Opens with the most recent in 2018 in which Brooks Kopeka captured the championship, one of his five majors. Tommy Fleetwood shot 63 on Sunday to make it interesting, but missed a six foot birdie putt on 18 that would have most likely gotten him into a playoff with Koepka. Koepka was a blue collar player then, those were his roots, though he’s a very wealthy guy now, so you’re not sure if the drive is still there. But he is doing pretty well now on tour, so the drive could be back. He’s got a wrist injury he’s battling, but he’s won two U.S. Opens, so he could be a factor.

Of course, Scottie Scheffler will attempt to obtain the career Grand Slam with a victory at Shinnecock. He’s been real low key about this achievement if it happens; too low key in my opinion. He said that if he wins the Open, people will ask him what’s next.

Maybe so, but winning a U. S. Open is monumental, and completing the career Grand Slam at 30 years old, he turns 30 on Sunday, 6/21, would be a any professional golfers lifetime dream. I would be a little more passionate about it if I were Scheffler.

Rory is playing better than ever and has figured out how to handle the pressure as he has earned the career Grand Slam and now owns 6 majors. If he putts well, he’s got a real shot.

There are 172 bunkers on Shinnecock, four less than Oakmont (176). The greens are Poa Annua and will be stimping at 10 because they’ve lost the greens before at there and the wind will more than compensate for the slower greens. They’ll be faster and firmer than that with no rain forecasted this Thursday/weekend.

Weather

Windy.

Thursday. 74. Very little chance of rain, but wind gusting 20 to 30. It was hard at the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club outside Philly with strong winds. The players will see that again Thursday.

Friday-79. Wind 10-20.

Saturday- 81. Wind 10-20.

Sunday, mostly sunny. 77. Wind 10-15.

The 156 player field will be fiercely challenged by this formidable course along with the windy conditions that will come with it. As of today, rain looks unlikely this week/weekend.

TV

Thursday: 5:30 A.M.-4 P.M. CT/6:30 A.M.-5 P.M. East, USA. 4-7 P.M. CT/5-8 ET, NBC Sports, Peacock.

Friday: 5:30 A.M.-12:30 P.M. CT/6:30-1:30 ET, NBC Sports Network, Peacock. 12:30-6:30 P.M. CT/1:30-7:30 ET, NBC. 6:30-7:30 P.M. CT/7:30-8:30 ET-NBC Sports Network, Peacock.

Saturday-9-11 A.M.CT /10 A.M.-12 P.M. ET, USA. 11 A.M.-7 P.M. CT/12-8 ET, NBC.

Sunday, 8-11 A.M. CT/9 A.M.-12 P.M. ET, USA. 11 A.M.-6 P.M. CT/12-7 P.M. East, NBC.

Odds-Scheffler, 5/1; Rory, 10/1; Jon Rahm, 10/1; Xander Schauffele, 19/1; Cam Young, 20/1; Matt Fitzpatrick, 22/1; Tommy Fleetwood, 25/1; Ludvig Aberg, 26/1; DeChambois, 27/1; Koepka, 33/1; Collin Morikawa, 35/1; Russell Henley, 37/1; Wyndham Clark, 37/1; Sam Burns, 38/1; Chris Gotterup, 44/1; Justin Thomas, 44/1; Tyrrell Hatton, 46/1; Patrick Cantlay, 46/1; Patrick Reed, 49/1; Justin Rose, 52/1; Vik Hovland, 54/1; Spaun, 61/1; Hideki, 65/1; Bob Mc, 66/1; Spieth, 69/1; Maverick McNealy, 76/1.

Those are several key players who are capable of surviving and winning at one of golf’s sternest tests.

Winner

You gotta like the Blue Collar player on this course. It was between this guy and Spaun for me. Brombey appreciates the blue collar work ethic and battle it out type player, and I do too. It’s a tough call between this 26 year old Easton, Maryland native, by way of Rutgers University and the University of Oklahoma, and the 35 year old stud Spaun, who’s from LA, by way of San Diego State University. But I’ll slightly take this workhorse to capture his first major on this historic and difficult course. All the tougher with the blustery conditions Thursday and through the weekend.

Chris Gotterup

Major contender with a real shot to win

J.J. Spaun

Talk about toughness. Spaun plays golf while dealing with Type 1 diabetes. I have personal experience with the Type 1 illness as my sister, nephew and a great friend have Type 1. Dealing with that every day is grueling, and I care deeply about all three of them. Let’s hope and pray there is an ultimate cure soon. Breakthrough T1D is making good progress.

Give me the great Spaun to make a serious run at the national championship.