LET’S cast our minds back nine years, to the last US Open hosted by this week’s venue the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania.

There were six amateurs in the field that week. One of them was a 19-year-old by the name of Scottie Scheffler who had progressed through qualifying and carded a Thursday 69 to sit in a share of fourth on the first round leaderboard. The second round proved trickier, however. A 78 sent him packing. “I hit it really, really bad, couldn’t get the ball in the fairway,” he admitted. “My short game was all right though.” He’d spend another 18 months as an amateur before heading to PGA Tour Q School. Where is he now?!

For Spain’s Jon Rahm, also yet to join the pro ranks, it was a little different. He followed a first round 76 with a 69 to make the cut and ended the week T23rd. “To spend the last day of my amateur career on this course was a magical moment,” he gushed. A week later he would finish third on the PGA Tour – he was away and running.

Bryson DeChambeau was not an amateur that week, but he had qualified as one when winning the 2015 US Amateur Championship. His place in the national championship was voided when he turned pro but no matter: he regained it through qualifying and impressed all week, eventually finishing T15th. “It’s great,” he said. “I mean, it’s a grind. It’s not easy.” He then revealed that his caddie had used an interesting metaphor: “He said you’ve got to bring your lunch pail out there, because it’s hard work.”

Three youngsters – each with big dreams. Nine years later they have fulfilled them but they want more. Can a return to Oakmont see one of that trio triumph? Scheffler is the favourite to do so and a short one. Since the start of May he has been irresistible winning three times in four starts including the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament two weeks ago.

DeChambeau is enjoying a wonderful run of form in the American majors. In 2023 he was fourth in the PGA Championship and T20th in the US Open. Last year he was sixth in the Masters, second in the PGA and won the US Open. This year he was fifth in the Masters and second again in the PGA. He has been first at some point in the week in five of his last six starts anywhere (in the exception he finished second).

Rahm briefly threatened Scheffler during the final round of last month’s PGA Championship. The fire of old looked to have been re-lit. The Basque bear has been missing in recent years at the majors – a return to his best in elite company would be a boost to European Ryder Cup hopes. But he did call himself an “absolute f***ing moron!” on TV last Sunday after hitting a poor drive.

In stark contrast to all these mostly good vibes is the state of Rory McIlroy who seems to have got out the wrong side of the bed every morning since the start of May. He scraped seventh in the Truist Championship, not driving the ball well there but confident that a return to his favourite course, Quail Hollow, would sort that out in the PGA Championship.

It didn’t, he finished T47th, and it turned out that official testing of his driver had forced a late switch. It’s not such a big deal – the same thing happened to the eventual winner Scheffler – but the manner of the revelation, via a US media leak, irked him and he’s had a sore head ever since. In his only start since he shot 71-78 in last week’s Canadian Open, a total of 149 which only four of the field didn’t beat, and admitted: “I’m still searching for the missing piece off the tee. When I get that part of the game clicking, everything falls into place for me. Right now that isn’t and it’s a concern. I’ll be testing quite a few drivers over the weekend.”

There’s a good chance one of this quartet wins, but we’ll look to make a profit elsewhere in the field.

Harris English each-way at 70/1

Five-time PGA Tour winner Harris English has never missed a weekend at the US Open and in recent times he has been a genuine contender. He was top 10 all week when fourth at Winged Foot in 2020, third at Torrey Pines in 2021 and top 10 all week again when eighth at LA CC in 2023. He was also in the top 25 through 54 holes at Oakmont in 2016.

He’s also played his best golf of 2025 in spots that bode well for this week’s test. He was a winner on the US Open-hosting Torrey Pines, T11th at the US Open-visually resembling Philadelphia Cricket Club, and T12th last time out in the Memorial Tournament. In the majors he was T12th in the Masters and second in the PGA Championship. There’s lots to like about him this week.

Russell Henley each way at 50/1

Russell Henley was seventh in this championship last year but it wasn’t the first time he’s been involved at the top end of the leaderboard. He was seventh with 18 holes to play in 2017, the first round leader in 2018, tied for the 18, 36 and 54 hole lead in 2021, and T14th two years ago. He followed his top 10 12 months ago with fourth in the Open and had high hopes of this year’s majors after winning the Arnold Palmer Invitational. It hasn’t happened but his fifth place last time out in the Memorial is a reminder of his quality.

Denny McCarthy top 20 at 9/2

In his three most-recent starts in the US Open Denny McCarthy has impressed, finishing seventh in 2022, T20th in 2024 and T32nd last year. He was fifth at Torrey Pines earlier this year and eighth in the PGA Championship. He’s yet to win on tour but he can land another top 20.

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