2024 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Pinehurst

Just like the 2024 PGA Championship went to Valhalla Golf Club for the first time in a decade, the US Open returns to Pinehurst No. 2 in the same fashion.

This venue is a US Open anchor site that has hosted this event in 1999, 2005, and 2014, as well as the 1936 PGA. The US Open will return here to Pinehurst, North Carolina, again in 2029, 2035, 2041 and 2047.

It also hosted the US Amateur in 1962, 2008, and 2019, as well as the 1951 Ryder Cup, 1994 US Senior Open, and 2014 US Women’s Open.

Pinehurst No. 2 was restored closer to its original look in 2011 by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw. They returned this classic 1907 Donald Ross design back to its more rugged, natural look with sandy waste areas and less rough. In ‘99 and ‘05, it still had its trademark upside down tee pot-shaped greens, but it otherwise looked more like a standard parkland golf course.

Short grass around the greens can lead to mishit shots repelling farther away than we normally see at America’s national championship.

A good short game will be needed to survive this week. That doesn’t necessarily mean your wedges have to be dialed.

In fact, runaway champ in ‘14, Martin Kaymer, often used putter to get up and down from off the greens. A modern-day example of a top talent who could deploy that strategy is Viktor Hovland, whose Strokes Gained: Around-the-Green profile would plummet him to the Korn Ferry Tour if not for his virtuoso ball striking.

Precision is also important off the tee to find the right portions of fairways, so as to not have a seemingly good tee shot hit the wrong part of a swale or ridge and carom off-line. Subsequently, controlling ball flight and spin on approach will be key to holding the green this week.

Distance can help in spots, but many fairways pinch in around the 300-yard mark, meaning less than driver can often be the prudent play.

All the world’s best are in the field this week, although Talor Gooch might beg to differ. At time of writing, Jon Rahm is still in the field. He withdrew from last week’s LIV Houston event due to injury, which is why you won’t see him in this week’s power rankings.

It’s going to be a hot, dry weather week with not a ton of wind to speak of. There had previously been good rainfall in the area, but conditions are still expected to be firm and fast like usual.

Let’s dive into the projected top 10 for the 2024 US Open: