There will be 156 golfers entering the 124th U.S. Open but only one will raise the trophy in the end
• 6 min read
With the 124th U.S. Open on deck, it’s time to narrow down the field of 156 golf to the nine who we believe can win this year’s event. Pinehurst is a monster with only four golfers in history breaking par across three U.S. Opens held at the course. Three of those under-par tournaments happened in 2014 when Martin Kaymer, Rickie Fowler and Erik Compton all shot lower than 280.
So, we know it’s going to be a war against the golf course, and we believe we have identified the pool of nine players that includes the eventual winner. Obviously, any list like this has to start with the top player in the world. After that, we went with who’s playing good golf, who’s played good major golf this year and who has had success at past U.S. Opens.
Even then, there are difficult decisions to make, and history is not always the greatest indicator of success at Pinehurst. Michael Campbell won at this course after qualifying out of sectionals in 2005. Nobody on this list had to attend sectionals in 2024. Regardless, it would be a surprise (maybe even a stunner) if the eventual U.S. Open champion on Sunday was not in this group of nine going into the event.
Take a look at our full breakdown below along with 2024 U.S. Open picks and expert predictions from our CBS Sports staff. and don’t miss the complete U.S. Open TV schedule and coverage guide so you don’t miss a second of action all week.
2024 U.S. Open predictions, favorites
Who will win the U.S. Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine to see the projected U.S. Open leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 12 golf majors, including the last three Masters and the 2024 PGA Championship.
