The 123rd U.S. Open begins on Thursday, June 15th, with the world’s best golfers taking on the challenges of the Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles, California. This will be the first time the City of Angels has hosted a U.S. Open in 75 years. The four-day, individual stroke play features a field of 156 players vying for the U.S. Open title.
Matt Fitzpatrick is the defending champion after picking up his first major at The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts last year. Fitzpatrick’s 6-under par was good enough to outlast Will Zalatoris and Scottie Scheffler by one shot.
Players in the field will battle for a hefty $13.5 million dollar purse, with the winner taking home $3.15 million and being crowned a major winner.
Los Angeles Country Club
The Los Angeles Country Club was established at its current location in 1911 and features 36 holes on the property. The North Course is the center stage for this week’s tournament, and will give the players a tough test.
Playing as a par-70, LACC’s North Course stretches over 7,400 yards and was designed by notable golf course architect George C. Thomas Jr. The course has a parkland-style feel and underwent major renovations between 2009 and 2010 under the eye of Gilbert Hanse.
The Field
The major field is jam-packed with the best golfers in the world who’ve earned an exemption into the tournament, along with many players who qualified for the event through the USGA’s Qualifying process.
Scottie Scheffler, Jon Rahm, and Brooks Koepka headline the deep field of the world’s best. All of the past champions over the last 12 years are in the field trying to spark that same magic they had when they won the tournament. Those players include: Bryson DeChambeau, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland, Martin Kaymer, Justin Rose, and Webb Simpson.
Other notables in the field who could make some noise this week are Tony Finau, Max Homa, Cameron Young, Adam Scott, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, and Patrick Cantlay.
Favorites
The top two players in the world, Scheffler (+650) and Rahm (+1100), enter the tournament as the betting favorites. Koepka (+1100), who won the PGA Championship last month, is squarely in the mix and looking for his sixth major title. Rory McIlroy (+1600) has been in contention entering the final round of the last two tournaments he’s played and joins Viktor Hovland (+1600) on the first page of the odds board.
Patrick Cantlay (+1800) and Xander Schauffele (+1800) are two names thrown around this week as players to watch this week. Xander, a California native, has finished T14 or better in all six of his past appearances in U.S. Open tournaments.
Further down the list you’ll find Homa and Jordan Spieth both at +2500. Last year’s Open Championship winner Cameron Smith is featured at +2800. Fitzpatrick (+4500) is a value play as the Englishman attempts to defend his title. Another potential value play is two-time major winner Justin Thomas also at (+4500).
