Jon Rahm will seek to become just the third golfer in the last 50 years to successfully defend their U.S. Open title, when he tees it up in the third Major Championship of 2022 at The Country Club in Brookline this week.
Scottie Scheffler won his first Major Championship at the Masters Tournament in April, before fellow American Justin Thomas defeated Will Zalatoris in a play-off at the US PGA Championship to land his second Major title. Who will be the third Major winner of the year?
If you haven’t already, you can sign up now to the official Fantasy Game of the DP World Tour and submit your six-man team before round one on Thursday: https://fantasy.dpworldtour.com/
Favourite - Rory McIlroy
Four-time Major winner Rory McIlroy arrives at the U.S. Open full of confidence after clinching his 21st PGA TOUR title at the RBC Canadian Open last week. The Northern Irishman posted an eight under par final round of 62 to successfully defend his title with a two-stroke victory at St. George’s Golf and Country Club.
McIlroy, who won his first Major Championship at the U.S. Open in 2011, has risen to third in the Official World Golf Rankings as a result of his excellent form and has registered three top ten finishes in his last four appearances worldwide.
The 33-year-old also has three top ten finishes in his last three appearances at the U.S. Open and will be hoping to land his fifth Major title in Brookline this week.
Form horse – Sam Burns
Sam Burns won his fourth PGA TOUR title in little more than a year at last month’s Charles Schwab Challenge. The American holed a 38-foot putt from off the green to defeat World Number One Scottie Scheffler in a play-off at Colonial Country Club.
The 25-year-old finished in a share of fourth at last week’s RBC Canadian Open in Toronto and now sits at a career-high ninth in the World Rankings.
Burns finished 20th in the US PGA Championship last month and he will now be looking to add a Major title to his back catalogue at the U.S. Open this week.
Wild card – Ryan Fox
The New Zealander earned his fourth U.S. Open exemption after finishing in the top ten in the four-event European Qualifying Series, courtesy of runner-up finishes at the Soudal Open and Dutch Open.
Fox won his second DP World Tour title at the Ras Al Khaimah Classic in February, cruising to a five-stroke victory at Al Hamra Golf Club, three years after his first DP World Tour victory at the ISPS Handa World Super 6 Perth.
The 35-year-old, who sits sixth on the DP World Tour Rankings, missed the cut on his last two starts at the U.S. Open but arrives in Brookline with greater confidence this time around.
