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There's always a bounce in my step when we have another week of major championship golf, and there's extra bounce because the editors have asked me to talk about the Yahoo Golf Pick 'Em Game. Here's your chance to get in on the action and it's easy to play — you just have to answer 10 simple questions about this week's U.S. Open, and you're good to go.
Play Golf Pick 'Em now to make your predictions for the U.S. Open!
I'll walk you through the questions and give you my view on things; as always, you're welcome to fade or follow. Let's jump on the train to Shinnecock Hills and get to work.
Five of the top eight picks on the board are foreign players, but these odds slant to America because of Scottie Scheffler at No. 1 and the depth of Americans outside the top 10. I'll lean to the USA, too.
Pick: Yes
I'll admit I'm one of the sickos who prefer a U.S. Open where the players struggle and the score is over par. It's not about humiliating the best players; it's about identifying them. Alas, that sort of golf tournament doesn't really exist anymore. The average U.S. Open winning score is just under -7 for the past seven years.
Perhaps Shinnecock can put up a better fight here. There have been four modern U.S. Opens over this track, and par has always been a decent score. Raymond Floyd won at -1 in 1986, Corey Pavin's even par was good enough in 1995, Retief Goosen took the trophy with -4 in 2004 (best major putting I've ever seen), and Brooks Koepka's +1 was the winning score in 2018. You understand why the current over/under for winning score is set at under 2.5, a modest total.
All that said, I think the current shape of golf will allow some players to get under par. Shinnecock will likely play much like Augusta National, where the tee shots aren't stressful but the approaches and the short-game shots are. The longer hitters will feel free to let loose off the tee, and a few guys figure to have their short-game mojo working. Much of the final-score story will be told by how much wind we get over four days.
Pick: Under Par
I like leaning into the field on picks like this, understanding that there's a ton of pressure when you sleep on the 54-hole lead. And although the U.S. Open has been welcoming to first-time major champions in recent years, that doesn't mean you necessarily want the pressure of leading when Saturday is complete. We know this from all levels of competition: chasing is fun, defending is stressful.
Pick: No
If you click the no box, you're getting the top four favorites and seven of the top 10 (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Brooks Koepka, Bryson Dechambeau). But a first-time nod gets you access to Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg, and of course, the weight of the field has not won a major, so you welcome a cast of thousands onto your side.
This is another case where I side to the field, though it's petrifying to pick against that Fab Four. Also consider that 13 of the last 17 U.S. Open winners have been first-time major champs.
Pick: Yes
Neither player was a factor in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock — McIlroy shot 80 on Thursday en route to a missed cut, while Scheffler, recently turned pro, didn't qualify for the event. There's been plenty of yellow for both players since: McIlroy's last seven U.S. Open's have gone T9, T8, T7, T5, 2, 2, T19, while Scheffler checks in at T7, T2, 3, T41, T7.
If Scheffler were to bag this event, he'd complete the career grand slam and he'd do it on his 30th birthday. Although McIlroy bagged the Masters in April, Scheffler has been in better form since then, including a playoff loss at the RBC Heritage.
Pick: Scheffler
Are you taking Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy? (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Ben Jared via Getty Images
Although DeChambeau already has two U.S. Open trophies on the mantle, he's been out of form for a while, missing three cuts in the last four majors. Rahm posted a strong T2 at the PGA Championship last month and has cashed a check in 24 of his last 25 majors, including two wins and 13 top-10s.
Pick: Rahm
Schauffele has the perfect game and mindset for U.S. Opens, a sterling record through nine starts (T5, T6, T3, 5, T7, T14, T10, T7, T12). He hasn't won the event yet, but he obviously has two other majors — the moment isn't too big for him. Fitzpatrick doesn't have that same consistency at the U.S. Open, but he won at Brookline in 2022 and he's been outstanding this year (three wins, two seconds). But Young also has two wins this year — he narrowly beat Fitzpatrick at the Players Championship — and spoiler alert, I'm going to pick this week, too. We'll get to that in a second.
Pick: Young
This four-pack of foreigners packs plenty of wallop. Fleetwood is among the best players without a major, and we're still buzzing about the final-round 63 he shot at Shinnecock in 2018, finishing just one shot behind Brooks Koepka. Hatton has strong recent form in majors and he had a T6 at the 2018 visit to Shinnecock. Aberg's ball striking is exquisite, but his scrambling and putting stats make me a little nervous. Rose has all the Jim Furyk vibes, a ball-striking savant who's aged well, but you wonder why the second major hasn't arrived.
Pick: Fleetwood
Henley is the only player in this pool without a major, though he finished T3 at the Masters and is likely to eventually join the club. But this could be an event where his modest driving distance holds him back. Morikawa got off to a fast start in 2026 before a cranky back entered the picture. He's also recently become a father for the first time, so a win on Father's Day would be poignant. Koepka won the U.S. Open the last time we visited Shinnecock, and he thrives on harder golf courses. Thomas appears back in form, cashing nine straight checks, and he might appreciate the wider-than-usual (for a U.S. Open) fairways this week.
Pick: Thomas
Here's where you select one of the top 15 players for a specific point reward, or you can grab the field for five points (13% of Yahoo players are doing just that). I'm going to tab Young (five points, 6% picked) for the win. It's a home game for him, a native New Yorker who grew up about two hours from Shinnecock. He hits the ball a ton and his putting has improved significantly, in part due to his caddy, green-reading savant Kyle Sterbinsky. He's not afraid of big stages (check the rally to win the Players, or the T3 at the Masters; he also ran T4 at last year's U.S. Open).
The timing is right for him to join the club.
Pick: Cameron Young
Continue reading...
Play Golf Pick 'Em now to make your predictions for the U.S. Open!
I'll walk you through the questions and give you my view on things; as always, you're welcome to fade or follow. Let's jump on the train to Shinnecock Hills and get to work.
1. Will the winner be American?
Five of the top eight picks on the board are foreign players, but these odds slant to America because of Scottie Scheffler at No. 1 and the depth of Americans outside the top 10. I'll lean to the USA, too.
Pick: Yes
2. Will the winner be under par?
I'll admit I'm one of the sickos who prefer a U.S. Open where the players struggle and the score is over par. It's not about humiliating the best players; it's about identifying them. Alas, that sort of golf tournament doesn't really exist anymore. The average U.S. Open winning score is just under -7 for the past seven years.
Perhaps Shinnecock can put up a better fight here. There have been four modern U.S. Opens over this track, and par has always been a decent score. Raymond Floyd won at -1 in 1986, Corey Pavin's even par was good enough in 1995, Retief Goosen took the trophy with -4 in 2004 (best major putting I've ever seen), and Brooks Koepka's +1 was the winning score in 2018. You understand why the current over/under for winning score is set at under 2.5, a modest total.
All that said, I think the current shape of golf will allow some players to get under par. Shinnecock will likely play much like Augusta National, where the tee shots aren't stressful but the approaches and the short-game shots are. The longer hitters will feel free to let loose off the tee, and a few guys figure to have their short-game mojo working. Much of the final-score story will be told by how much wind we get over four days.
Pick: Under Par
3. Will the 54-hole leader win?
I like leaning into the field on picks like this, understanding that there's a ton of pressure when you sleep on the 54-hole lead. And although the U.S. Open has been welcoming to first-time major champions in recent years, that doesn't mean you necessarily want the pressure of leading when Saturday is complete. We know this from all levels of competition: chasing is fun, defending is stressful.
Pick: No
4. Will a first-time major champion win?
If you click the no box, you're getting the top four favorites and seven of the top 10 (Scottie Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele, Matt Fitzpatrick, Brooks Koepka, Bryson Dechambeau). But a first-time nod gets you access to Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg, and of course, the weight of the field has not won a major, so you welcome a cast of thousands onto your side.
This is another case where I side to the field, though it's petrifying to pick against that Fab Four. Also consider that 13 of the last 17 U.S. Open winners have been first-time major champs.
Pick: Yes
5. Who finishes higher: Scheffler or McIlroy?
Neither player was a factor in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock — McIlroy shot 80 on Thursday en route to a missed cut, while Scheffler, recently turned pro, didn't qualify for the event. There's been plenty of yellow for both players since: McIlroy's last seven U.S. Open's have gone T9, T8, T7, T5, 2, 2, T19, while Scheffler checks in at T7, T2, 3, T41, T7.
If Scheffler were to bag this event, he'd complete the career grand slam and he'd do it on his 30th birthday. Although McIlroy bagged the Masters in April, Scheffler has been in better form since then, including a playoff loss at the RBC Heritage.
Pick: Scheffler
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Are you taking Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy? (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)
Ben Jared via Getty Images
6. Who finishes higher: Rahm or DeChambeau?
Although DeChambeau already has two U.S. Open trophies on the mantle, he's been out of form for a while, missing three cuts in the last four majors. Rahm posted a strong T2 at the PGA Championship last month and has cashed a check in 24 of his last 25 majors, including two wins and 13 top-10s.
Pick: Rahm
7. Who finishes higher: Schauffele, Young or Fitzpatrick?
Schauffele has the perfect game and mindset for U.S. Opens, a sterling record through nine starts (T5, T6, T3, 5, T7, T14, T10, T7, T12). He hasn't won the event yet, but he obviously has two other majors — the moment isn't too big for him. Fitzpatrick doesn't have that same consistency at the U.S. Open, but he won at Brookline in 2022 and he's been outstanding this year (three wins, two seconds). But Young also has two wins this year — he narrowly beat Fitzpatrick at the Players Championship — and spoiler alert, I'm going to pick this week, too. We'll get to that in a second.
Pick: Young
8. Who finishes higher: Fleetwood, Aberg, Hatton or Rose?
This four-pack of foreigners packs plenty of wallop. Fleetwood is among the best players without a major, and we're still buzzing about the final-round 63 he shot at Shinnecock in 2018, finishing just one shot behind Brooks Koepka. Hatton has strong recent form in majors and he had a T6 at the 2018 visit to Shinnecock. Aberg's ball striking is exquisite, but his scrambling and putting stats make me a little nervous. Rose has all the Jim Furyk vibes, a ball-striking savant who's aged well, but you wonder why the second major hasn't arrived.
Pick: Fleetwood
9. Who finishes higher: Koepka, Morikawa, Henley or Thomas?
Henley is the only player in this pool without a major, though he finished T3 at the Masters and is likely to eventually join the club. But this could be an event where his modest driving distance holds him back. Morikawa got off to a fast start in 2026 before a cranky back entered the picture. He's also recently become a father for the first time, so a win on Father's Day would be poignant. Koepka won the U.S. Open the last time we visited Shinnecock, and he thrives on harder golf courses. Thomas appears back in form, cashing nine straight checks, and he might appreciate the wider-than-usual (for a U.S. Open) fairways this week.
Pick: Thomas
10. Who wins the U.S. Open?
Here's where you select one of the top 15 players for a specific point reward, or you can grab the field for five points (13% of Yahoo players are doing just that). I'm going to tab Young (five points, 6% picked) for the win. It's a home game for him, a native New Yorker who grew up about two hours from Shinnecock. He hits the ball a ton and his putting has improved significantly, in part due to his caddy, green-reading savant Kyle Sterbinsky. He's not afraid of big stages (check the rally to win the Players, or the T3 at the Masters; he also ran T4 at last year's U.S. Open).
The timing is right for him to join the club.
Pick: Cameron Young
Continue reading...
