2024 US Open: Top 10 power rankings at Pinehurst
2024USOpen/PowerRank/2. 2. OWGR: 2nd. Best U.S. Open finish: T-3rd (2019). Xander Schauffele
Most players in the US Open field have played Pinehurst No. 2 in competition at some point. Whether it was at the 2018 US Amateur or one of the three times the US Open came to town.
Schauffele is in the narrow window of players who were too young for the ‘08 Am and too old for the ‘19 Am, as well as too young for any of the aforementioned Open visits.
Despite the lack of course history, Schauffele is an attractive choice this week.
The obvious reason is he’s the most recent major champion. Schauffele quieted the naysayers who mentioned all his top-10s in majors without a win by prevailing at the PGA Championship last month at Valhalla.
He’s been one of the most consistent, well-rounded players in the world since bursting onto the scene in 2016. It’s easy to say that a player winning his first major will open the floodgates for more, although so few ever cash in again. Schauffele seems different given his chameleon-like ability to play well at a variety of different courses. There are no flaws in his game.
He was never a short hitter, but recent distance gains have made him one of the long ones.
The US Open has been his best major.
Schauffele owns five top-10s and has never finished worse than T-14th in seven starts. The Californian took T-10th last year at Los Angeles Country Club.
Through June 2, the 30-year-old is second on the PGA Tour in Strokes Gained: Total (2.265) and second in SG: Tee-to-Green (1.867). He’s 28th or better in every SG category.
Schauffele is also second in scrambling (71.18%) and bogey avoidance (8.98%).