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The 2026 U.S. Open has finally arrived with Round 1 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club set for Thursday, June 18.
All eyes will be on betting favorite in the U.S. Open odds Scottie Scheffler, as he looks to complete the career Grand Slam with his second win of the season.
Here are my early golf picks for the week and a course breakdown of the famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
⛳ U.S. Open: Key takeaways
- Best early bet: Scottie Scheffler to win (+450) – There isn’t a player on the planet with a better stylistic or statistical fit for Shinnecock, and I believe Scheffler’s No. 1 goal in 2026 was peaking to win this event and complete the career Grand Slam.
- Best early value: Patrick Reed to win (+5000) – With a T4 finish at the 2018 U.S. Open, Reed heads back with a T12-T10 run in majors to start 2026, and his tee-to-green game and short-game prowess are perfect fits for what this course demands.
- Course: Shinnecock Hills Golf Club is a historic and grueling 7,440-yard Par 70 layout characterized by William Flynn’s ingenious wind-defying triangular routing, wide fairways, and punishing crowned greens that demand elite tee-to-green precision.
- Weather: The early forecast features a volatile opening round with 30 mph wind gusts and potential thunderstorms, followed by dry, sunny conditions with persistent 15-25 mph winds testing players throughout the weekend.
- Expected cut: The 36-hole cut for the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills will trim the 156-player field down to the low 60 scores and ties following Round 2.
📊 U.S. Open odds
The U.S. Open runs at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club from Thursday, June 18, through Sunday, June 21.
| Golfer |  |
|---|---|
 Scottie Scheffler |
<<+450>> |
 Rory McIlroy |
<<+800>> |
 Jon Rahm |
<<+1200>> |
 Cameron Young |
<<+1400>> |
 Xander Schauffele |
<<+1400>> |
 Ludvig Åberg |
<<+1600>> |
 Bryson DeChambeau |
<<+2000>> |
 Matt Fitzpatrick |
<<+2800>> |
Odds from BetMGM, one of our best golf betting sites.
Check out the full U.S. Open field.
Course breakdown: What wins at Shinnecock Hills?
As the oldest incorporated country club in the United States (1891) and one of the USGA’s five founding clubs, Shinnecock Hills Golf Club carries a legendary history, having hosted both the second U.S. Open and second U.S. Amateur back in 1896.
The present layout, masterfully designed by William Flynn in 1931, plays as a demanding 7,440-yard Par 70. Flynn was renowned for routing his designs to incorporate existing terrain and prevailing coastal elements.
This is brilliantly highlighted by three sets of consecutive holes that form strategic triangles, ensuring that, regardless of the wind direction on any given day, players are constantly faced with a variety of shot-making challenges. The layout retains its classic integrity while benefiting from minor modern adjustments by the design team of Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw, a restoration project completed in 2013 that widened fairways and reclaimed the open, windswept landscape.
Shinnecock features just a pair of Par 5s, amid multiple punishing Par 4s stretching over 500 yards. While the wide fairways look inviting and encourage aggressive play off the tee, Flynn’s unique triangular routing means specific angles into the greens are absolutely critical to survive the shifting gusts. Furthermore, the firm, crowned green complexes feature shaved runoffs and subtle contours that severely penalize imprecise approach shots.
The 2018 U.S. Open serves as the most recent baseline, and Brooks Koepka won at 1-over par, leaning on an elite tee-to-green performance while leading the field in true strokes gained on approach. He narrowly edged out Tommy Fleetwood, who carded a historic final-round 63 by dialing in his own approach for +4.33 true strokes gained on the field.
Obviously, there’s a massive premium on approach play into the challenging Shinnecock green complexes, and finding the fairway with the proper angles to attack the greens and control spin is also critical to navigate Flynn’s layout.
- Grueling 7,440-yard Par 70 featuring only two demanding Par 5s
- Triangular hole routing to maximize wind challenges
- Minor modern adjustments were completed in 2013 to restore classic playing angles
- Multiple punishing Par 4s stretching over 500 yards
- Crowned green complexes featuring shaved runoffs and deceptive contours
- 151 sand bunkers on the property
- Shinnecock Hills puts a premium on fairways hit and short-game precision
Players to watch
-
Xander Schauffele: A complete game throughout the bag has enabled Schauffele to card a pair of wins to go along with eight Top 10s across 14 majors since the beginning of 2023. He’s poised to contend again this week.
-
Jon Rahm: The ball-striking and short-game wizard finished T2 at the PGA Championship and has oodles of experience on links-style tracks that resemble the demands of Shinnecock. Of course, Rahm’s a two-time major champion with a U.S. Open title.
Key stats & player profiles to target
- True strokes gained on approach
- True strokes gained around the green, scrambling percentage
- Bogey avoidance
- Adjusted scoring average
- Par-4 scoring
- Three-putt avoidance
Players to watch
-
Scottie Scheffler: There isn’t a player on the planet who can match Scheffler’s statistical profile. He paces this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green, adjusted scoring average, Par-4 scoring, and bogey avoidance in 2026, after all.
-
Matt Fitzpatrick: Ranks second in this field in true strokes gained tee-to-green, seventh on approach, and second in the around-the-green metric across his past nine events, which includes three wins and two solo seconds. Fitzpatrick also sits third in both adjusted scoring average and bogey avoidance this season.
How to watch the U.S. Open & tee times
How to watch:
- Thursday: 6:30 a.m-5 p.m. ET (USA), 5-8 p.m. ET (NBCSN/Peacock)
- Friday: 6:30 a.m-1:30 p.m. ET (USA), 1:30-7:30 p.m. ET (NBCSN/Peacock)
- Saturday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (USA), 12-8 p.m. ET (NBCSN/Peacock)
- Sunday: 10 a.m.-12 p.m. (USA), 12-7 p.m. ET (NBCSN/Peacock)
Tee times:
U.S. Open betting FAQ
Who is the 2026 U.S. Open favorite?
Scottie Scheffler is a +550 betting favorite at BetMGM.
When is the 2026 U.S Open?
The 2026 U.S. Open will be played from Thursday, June 18, to Sunday, June 21.
Where will the 2026 U.S. Open be played?
The 2026 U.S. Open will be played at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York.
What are U.S. Open FRL markets?
First Round Leader (FRL) markets center around which golfers will be in the lead following the first 18 holes of the tournament.
How do U.S. Open matchup bets work?
When betting U.S. Open matchups, you’re selecting which golfer will score better between the two golfers listed in that specific market. There are 18-hole, single-round matchups, in addition to tournament-long, 72-hole matchups.
What is the U.S. Open cut line?
The U.S. Open features a cut to the Top 60 players and ties after Round 2.
Are U.S. Open odds the same across all sportsbooks?
You’ll see slight to significant variations in odds across sportsbooks for the U.S. Open; it’s always good practice to check multiple sports betting sites for the best odds.
Odds are correct at the time of publishing and are subject to change.
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