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Shinnecock Hills is beautifully chaotic. The exposed rolling dunes, turtleback greens, torturous fescue and swirling winds combine to form the most demanding test in the USGA’s repertoire. It is not built to protect reputations, and Shinnecock has a long history of dragging elite players into uncomfortable places. It’s about teamwork, strategy, and most importantly, endurance.
RELATED: The best Long Island courses, ranked
Welcome to U.S. Open week, where a course built in 1896 on the coast of Long Island is ready to put the best in the world to the ultimate test. Shinnecock’s wider fairways should create the illusion of freedom off the tee, but the real examination begins with approach shots into elevated, exposed greens that demand the proper angle and trajectory. The sheer magnitude of the challenge ahead can humble anyone, thus opening the door for a hardened tactician who is ready to pounce on the opportunity.
It starts with a simple question: Can one of these dark horses actually win the U.S. Open? I’m only considering players with have a combination of boxes checked. Those include current form, course skill-set alignment, major championship equity and a stat profile that suggests the market is overlooking them.
RELATED: U.S. Open 2026 power rankings: The entire field ranked at Shinnecock Hills
Here are five longshots who fit the bill and have what it takes to win the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Russell Henley
NurPhoto
All aboard the Russ bus. The first-round leader in the 2018 U.S. Open, the last time it was held at Shinnecock, arrives to Southampton fresh off a recent victory and in peak form. The widened corridors should allow the most accurate driver on the PGA Tour to easily play from the fairway, opening up proper sightlines and angles to carefully attack these greens.
Russell Henley has been a winner from the very start as a professional, but there were times when it was fair to question if his game was built to compete on long, difficult courses amongst the best fields. He’s answered the bell, finishing inside the top 10 in three of the past four majors. Shinnecock has always found a way to neutralize power and reward strategy, playing right into the hands of a confident Henley.
Current best odds: 45-1, BetMGM
Patrick Reed
Andrew Redington
What’s Patrick Reed been up to since Aronimink? Your guess is as good as mine, but his pedigree is proven in majors. The brutality of scoring at Shinnecock has me leaning into players who can navigate scrambling on the sharp run-offs with creativity and touch. Reed has all the shots around the greens, and the guts to pull them off in contention.
The reality of out-of-sight, out-of-mind is working in our favor from an odds perspective. Reed has only played in seven tournaments in the last six months. He has two wins, a second place and has finished 12th-or-better in six of the seven. Enough said, Patrick Reed should be on your card.
Current best odds: 50-1, Fanatics Sportsbook
Read The Line's Joe Idone and John Haslbauer break down why they love these 3 longshots at Shinnecock Hills:
Watch Read The Line's full betting breakdown of the U.S. Open here.
Chris Gotterup
Emilee Chinn
Tangible upside and win equity is coursing through the veins of one of the rising stars in Chris Gotterup. Born and bred in the Northeast, Chris Gotterup has a skillset built for majors. He’s gained +32.3 strokes on the field in the last four majors played, showcasing the ability to rise when the stakes and difficulty ramp up.
Shinnecock’s style and structure is so different that it becomes tough to find comparable courses in America. I liken it more to courses we see in Europe, where the demand on creative shotmaking and wind management are paramount to success. Gotterup fits that bill as a powerful player who is also comfortable flighting an iron off the tee and playing positional golf. He’s an ideal course fit and value proposition at 55-1.
Current best odds: 55-1, HardRockBet
More U.S. Open preview stories
Dylan Buell
Have you seen the wind forecasts? It’s going to torment players familiar with dome golf, but will also elevate those comfortable amongst the gusts. Robert MacIntyre is built for this. The Scottish born has produced four victories in the last four years, all in different countries and has the broad shoulders to stand firm in tough conditions across the world.
A T-15 finish last week in Canada was a positive sign for MacIntyre, who gained strokes across the board. A solo second place at last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont highlights his potential. Shinnecock theoretically suits his game better, with an increased emphasis on short game, a hallmark of MacIntyre’s game.
Current best odds: 78-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
Joaquin Niemann
Chung Sung-Jun
Often undervalued based on where he’s winning golf tournaments, Joaquin Niemann should not be overlooked this week. The 27-year-old now has 12 wins as a professional. He’s done it everywhere from Australia to Los Angeles, proving that he possesses all the tools to build a masterpiece.
Niemann won again at LIV Korea two weeks ago, his eighth victory since joining the breakaway Tour. Can he bring that level of performance to the majors has become a valid question. My argument is that the unknown there has built a healthy cushion of padding into his betting price, and 84-1 on a player of his caliber is too much to pass up.
Current best odds: 84-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
More U.S. Open preview content
NurPhoto
In the pantheon of the greatest short-game wizards we’ve seen in recent decades is Cameron Smith. News broke prior to the PGA Championship of a coaching change for Smith that has subsequently reignited his game. T-7 at the PGA, followed by a fifth place at LIV Andalucia two weeks ago showcases significant progress for the player once ranked No. 2 in the world.
On a golf course that is going to push players to the limits around the greens, Smith still has the magic in his hands. The widened fairways should provide the forgiveness he needs off the tee, and if this tournament ends up being won or lost on the greens, then Cam Smith should be on your card.
Current best odds: 130-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
RELATED: U.S. Open 2026: Our 13 best bets for Shinnecock
Joe Idone is a Read The Line contributor and host of the Preferred Lines podcast.
Continue reading...
RELATED: The best Long Island courses, ranked
Welcome to U.S. Open week, where a course built in 1896 on the coast of Long Island is ready to put the best in the world to the ultimate test. Shinnecock’s wider fairways should create the illusion of freedom off the tee, but the real examination begins with approach shots into elevated, exposed greens that demand the proper angle and trajectory. The sheer magnitude of the challenge ahead can humble anyone, thus opening the door for a hardened tactician who is ready to pounce on the opportunity.
It starts with a simple question: Can one of these dark horses actually win the U.S. Open? I’m only considering players with have a combination of boxes checked. Those include current form, course skill-set alignment, major championship equity and a stat profile that suggests the market is overlooking them.
RELATED: U.S. Open 2026 power rankings: The entire field ranked at Shinnecock Hills
Here are five longshots who fit the bill and have what it takes to win the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Russell Henley
You must be registered for see images attach
NurPhoto
All aboard the Russ bus. The first-round leader in the 2018 U.S. Open, the last time it was held at Shinnecock, arrives to Southampton fresh off a recent victory and in peak form. The widened corridors should allow the most accurate driver on the PGA Tour to easily play from the fairway, opening up proper sightlines and angles to carefully attack these greens.
Russell Henley has been a winner from the very start as a professional, but there were times when it was fair to question if his game was built to compete on long, difficult courses amongst the best fields. He’s answered the bell, finishing inside the top 10 in three of the past four majors. Shinnecock has always found a way to neutralize power and reward strategy, playing right into the hands of a confident Henley.
Current best odds: 45-1, BetMGM
Patrick Reed
You must be registered for see images attach
Andrew Redington
What’s Patrick Reed been up to since Aronimink? Your guess is as good as mine, but his pedigree is proven in majors. The brutality of scoring at Shinnecock has me leaning into players who can navigate scrambling on the sharp run-offs with creativity and touch. Reed has all the shots around the greens, and the guts to pull them off in contention.
The reality of out-of-sight, out-of-mind is working in our favor from an odds perspective. Reed has only played in seven tournaments in the last six months. He has two wins, a second place and has finished 12th-or-better in six of the seven. Enough said, Patrick Reed should be on your card.
Current best odds: 50-1, Fanatics Sportsbook
Read The Line's Joe Idone and John Haslbauer break down why they love these 3 longshots at Shinnecock Hills:
Watch Read The Line's full betting breakdown of the U.S. Open here.
Chris Gotterup
You must be registered for see images attach
Emilee Chinn
Tangible upside and win equity is coursing through the veins of one of the rising stars in Chris Gotterup. Born and bred in the Northeast, Chris Gotterup has a skillset built for majors. He’s gained +32.3 strokes on the field in the last four majors played, showcasing the ability to rise when the stakes and difficulty ramp up.
Shinnecock’s style and structure is so different that it becomes tough to find comparable courses in America. I liken it more to courses we see in Europe, where the demand on creative shotmaking and wind management are paramount to success. Gotterup fits that bill as a powerful player who is also comfortable flighting an iron off the tee and playing positional golf. He’s an ideal course fit and value proposition at 55-1.
Current best odds: 55-1, HardRockBet
More U.S. Open preview stories
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U.S. OPEN FAQs U.S. Open 101—Everything you need to know about this year's major at Shinnecock Hills
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Golf Digest Logo U.S. Open 2026: Why can't they get Shinnecock right?
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U.S. Open preview U.S. Open 2026: How does 2026 Scottie Scheffler compare to 2025, and what does that really mean for Shinnecock? Robert MacIntyre
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Dylan Buell
Have you seen the wind forecasts? It’s going to torment players familiar with dome golf, but will also elevate those comfortable amongst the gusts. Robert MacIntyre is built for this. The Scottish born has produced four victories in the last four years, all in different countries and has the broad shoulders to stand firm in tough conditions across the world.
A T-15 finish last week in Canada was a positive sign for MacIntyre, who gained strokes across the board. A solo second place at last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont highlights his potential. Shinnecock theoretically suits his game better, with an increased emphasis on short game, a hallmark of MacIntyre’s game.
Current best odds: 78-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
Joaquin Niemann
You must be registered for see images attach
Chung Sung-Jun
Often undervalued based on where he’s winning golf tournaments, Joaquin Niemann should not be overlooked this week. The 27-year-old now has 12 wins as a professional. He’s done it everywhere from Australia to Los Angeles, proving that he possesses all the tools to build a masterpiece.
Niemann won again at LIV Korea two weeks ago, his eighth victory since joining the breakaway Tour. Can he bring that level of performance to the majors has become a valid question. My argument is that the unknown there has built a healthy cushion of padding into his betting price, and 84-1 on a player of his caliber is too much to pass up.
Current best odds: 84-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
More U.S. Open preview content
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U.S. Open U.S. Open 2026: The protest of a Black teenager that almost ended the U.S. Open before it began
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News U.S. Open 2026: The man charged with setting up Shinnecock outlines the delicate balance he's seeking
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Golf Digest Logo Exclusive: Phil Mickelson accused of inappropriate contact with female course employee; Mickelson rep confirms he's no longer at club Cameron Smith
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NurPhoto
In the pantheon of the greatest short-game wizards we’ve seen in recent decades is Cameron Smith. News broke prior to the PGA Championship of a coaching change for Smith that has subsequently reignited his game. T-7 at the PGA, followed by a fifth place at LIV Andalucia two weeks ago showcases significant progress for the player once ranked No. 2 in the world.
On a golf course that is going to push players to the limits around the greens, Smith still has the magic in his hands. The widened fairways should provide the forgiveness he needs off the tee, and if this tournament ends up being won or lost on the greens, then Cam Smith should be on your card.
Current best odds: 130-1, DraftKings Sportsbook
RELATED: U.S. Open 2026: Our 13 best bets for Shinnecock
Joe Idone is a Read The Line contributor and host of the Preferred Lines podcast.
Continue reading...
