The U.S. Open returns to historic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, for the 126th edition of America's national championship.
Host of five U.S. Opens, the third major championship of the year returns to Shinnecock (Par-70, 7,440 yards) for the first time since 2018, when Brooks Koepka won a historically difficult championship for a second year in a row, becoming just the seventh player in U.S. Open history to do so.
Koepka returns to the scene of his second major victory and joins a strong 156-man field that will compete in the 126th U.S. Open.
J.J. Spaun, coming off of his maiden U.S. Open win in 2025, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who has an opportunity to win the career Grand Slam at the first time of asking, Masters champion Rory McIlroy, two-time U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, and 2021 winner Jon Rahm, are just several of the big names in a star-studded field who are set to take on the toughest test in golf.
Who will emerge victorious at Shinnecock this time around? Let's make some picks and predictions for the penultimate major championship of the year.
2026 U.S. Open picks and predictions
Top 20 pick for the U.S. Open: Patrick Reed (+152)
Patrick Reed has had mixed results at the U.S. Open throughout his career, but he comes into the 126th edition after tying for 23rd at Oakmont in 2025. He has finished T23 or better in three of his last five starts at the U.S. Open and returns to Shinnecock, where he finished fourth in 2018. The 2018 Masters winner has finished in the top 12 in both of his two major starts in 2026.
Sleeper pick for the U.S. Open: Robert MacIntyre (+7200)
MacIntyre has had mixed results in 2026 so far but has shown a tendency to shine bright on the big stage throughout his career. Fourth at the Players Championship in March, MacIntyre will compete in the U.S. Open after finishing runner-up to eventual winner J.J. Spaun a year ago.
He has shown an ability to thrive in blustery, difficult conditions, winning at both the Scottish Open and the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship, and finishing in the top 10 at three Open Championships.
Pick to win the U.S. Open: Tyrrell Hatton (+4300)
Hatton found himself in the mix at Oakmont in 2025 en route to an eventual T4 finish, and he returns to Shinnecock, where he tied for sixth at the 2018 U.S. Open. He comes into the third major of 2026 having played some excellent golf this year, finishing T3 at the Masters and winning in his most recent start at LIV Andalucia.
Pick to win the U.S. Open: Russell Henley (+4000)
Henley has a tremendous history at the U.S. Open, having finished no worse than a tie for 14th in each of his last three starts in the major. Eleventh in the field in total strokes gained over the last six months, per Data Golf, Henley is having a fantastic 2026 with eight top-25 finishes and a win at the Charles Schwab Challenge at the end of May. He finished T10 at both the U.S. Open and Open Championship in 2025 and tied for third at The Masters in April.
Pick to win the U.S. Open: Xander Schauffele (+1900)
A two-time major champion, Schauffele has an outstanding record at the U.S. Open without having won. Since 2017, Schauffele has six top-seven finishes and no result worse than a T14 in any start; this includes a T6 finish at Shinnecock in 2018 in just his second U.S. Open start.
A winner in Japan at the Baycurrent Classic last October, Schauffele comes into the third major of the year having finished T9 at the Masters and T7 at the PGA Championship.
All betting odds courtesy of DraftKings. Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. The content in this article should not be considered betting advice. Gambling involves risk, and one should only gamble with funds that one can comfortably afford to lose. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.
Add us as a preferred source on Google