Who can survive Oakmont? Preview the top contenders for the 2025 U.S. Open—Scheffler, Rory, Bryson & more in golf’s toughest major.
At Oakmont, you don’t just win a major—you survive it.
The U.S. Open returns to golf’s most brutal cathedral: Oakmont Country Club, a course so fierce it’s been described as “lightning on glass with rough like barbed wire.” No gimmicks. No mercy. Just 72 holes of pure psychological warfare.
As the world’s best assemble, the question isn’t who can go low. It’s who can last. Backed by data from OWGR, DataGolf, and recent major form, we spotlight the five contenders who are not just chasing a title—they’re chasing history.
🐐 Scottie Scheffler – The Relentless Machine
There’s dominance. Then there’s Scheffler-level dominance.
He’s the undisputed World No. 1, leads every strokes gained category that matters, and tops the DataGolf performance index. With six straight Top-10s in majors and a game built on surgical ball-striking, Scottie arrives at Oakmont as the immovable object.
And if he’s rolling it halfway decent? Forget it. The U.S. Open may not be about style points, but if there’s a blueprint for Oakmont success in 2025, Scheffler wrote it.💣 Bryson DeChambeau – Chaos Meets Control
Oakmont doesn’t care how far you hit it.
But Bryson does something no one else dares: he turns chaos into opportunity.
He famously bulldozed Winged Foot in 2020—and this time, he’s bringing more precision and less volatility. His short game is tighter. His mind? Sharper. His body? Tuned like a Formula 1 car. Recent form? Strong finishes in majors and LIV events. Confidence? Through the roof.
He doesn’t fear Oakmont. He studies it.
🧠 Rory McIlroy – The Oakmont Redemption
Oakmont broke Rory in 2016.
Could it crown him in 2025?
Rory hasn’t won a major since 2014, and yet his name is always on the shortlist—because it should be. With top-tier driving, improved iron control, and a fiery resolve, he’s entering Oakmont with something more than form: unfinished business.
Statistically, he’s Top 10 in SG: Tee-to-Green and remains among the most efficient players from 150–200 yards out. And that’s exactly where Oakmont strikes hardest.
This isn’t about skill. It’s about closure.
🔥 Xander Schauffele – Quiet Killer
Twelve Top-10s in majors. One Olympic Gold.
Still no U.S. Open trophy. Yet.
Xander has become the majors’ most reliable shadow—always there, rarely flinching, perpetually close. But 2025 feels different. He’s now a champion on big stages, and his game—especially from tee to green—is primed for Oakmont’s ruthless design.
Oakmont rewards stoicism. Schauffele’s game is emotional silence personified.
🧊 Ludvig Åberg – Ice in the Veins
No longer just a prodigy—Ludvig Åberg is a full-fledged killer.
With a swing so rhythmic it looks programmed, Åberg ranks among the Top 5 in SG: Approach over the past three months, according to DataGolf. He’s risen rapidly in the OWGR and owns one of the most efficient strokes in pro golf.
Oakmont punishes emotion. Ludvig doesn’t blink.
If it gets cold on Sunday, he might be the last man standing.
💡 Dark Horses to Watch
- Min Woo Lee – Wildly creative. Elite short game. Ready to break through.
- Shane Lowry – Oakmont was made for his grind-it-out mentality.
- Tommy Fleetwood – Experience, grit, and a major game that keeps knocking.
- Wyndham Clark – The defending champion. Still underrated. Still dangerous.
📍 Oakmont Country Club – Golf’s Brutal Cathedral
This place doesn’t host tournaments—it hosts reckonings.
Oakmont’s greens don’t just roll fast—they whisper terror. The slopes have secrets. The bunkers, depth charges. Every misstep snowballs. Every inch matters.
This is the venue where careers have been validated—or vaporized. With green speeds touching 14 on the Stimpmeter, and a course setup that borders on cruelty, Oakmont is a major in its rawest, most primal form.
“It’s the hardest course I’ve ever played.” – Tiger Woods, 2007
That hasn’t changed.
🎯 Final Word
The U.S. Open doesn’t want heroes.
It wants survivors.
And Oakmont? Oakmont doesn’t care about hype, headlines, or heartwarming stories. It breaks egos and tests character. It’s where silence roars, nerves fray, and every shot feels like a swing at history.
Who will bend… and who will break?
Because at Oakmont, only greatness survives.
The rest? They become part of the wreckage.
