Ranking the U.S. Open field: Golf's elite face daunting Shinnecock Hills

Buckle up.

The world's greatest golfers are set to take on the daunting Shinnecock Hills Golf Club to become the next U.S. Open champion. World-class golf on one of the best courses on the planet will provide four days of can't-miss action.

Here, we rank the field's top 10 players.

10. Jordan Spieth

Despite Spieth's struggles of late, he still cracks the top 10 going into the tournament. The 2015 U.S. Open champ finally gained strokes putting at the Memorial, but his terrible iron play caused him to miss the cut. If his elite approach game returns and his putter remains adequate, Spieth will produce a solid finish this week.

9. Tommy Fleetwood

Shinnecock Hills will require length and accuracy off the tee, giving Fleetwood a massive advantage. The Englishman ranks ninth in strokes gained: off-the-tee while also owning a remarkable iron game. Fleetwood - who is still hunting for his first PGA Tour win - finished fourth at last year's U.S. Open.

8. Henrik Stenson

If accuracy is a must-have to win the U.S. Open, look no further than Stenson, who leads the Tour in driving accuracy and greens-in-regulation percentage. His form entering this week includes four top-15 finishes in his last six events. Stenson is no stranger to links-style golf, as he put on one of the most dominant performances to win the 2016 Open Championship.

7. Jason Day

Day owns an impressive track record at the U.S. Open, recording four top-10 results in the last five years. The Aussie has two wins and a runner-up finish at major championship venues this season. He leads the Tour in strokes gained: putting and ranks third in strokes gained: around-the-green. Both will be essential in order to grind out pars at Shinnecock.

6. Brooks Koepka

The defending champion is in a perfect position to pull off the rare repeat. Koepka is playing excellent, with a second-place finish two weeks ago in Fort Worth bookended by two solid showings at The Players and St. Jude Classic. The 28-year-old put on a clinic at Erin Hills last year, and even though Shinnecock Hills is expected to play much differently, his length and ball-striking skills could prove to be overpowering once again.

5. Jon Rahm

Rahm's finish this week will be determined by mental toughness. There is no question the 23-year-old Spaniard possesses all the tools, but if he catches a tough break or two early, Shinnecock Hills could easily cause him to unravel. Rahm will have to learn to occasionally take his medicine, and if he doesn't, it could be a very short week.

4. Rory McIlroy

The 2011 U.S. Open winner has struggled at this event since that victory, missing three of six cuts and only recording one top 10. Regardless, Rory remains a serious contender at Shinnecock Hills, entering in great form, which includes four top-10 finishes in his last seven appearances. When all aspects of McIlroy's game are firing, there might not be a better golfer in the world.

3. Justin Thomas

Thomas put on a memorable performance at the 2017 U.S. Open, setting a championship scoring record with his 9-under 63 in Round 3. He possesses all the skills required to win his nation's open, especially at Shinnecock. His length, iron play, and putting prowess will put him in the mix late on Sunday.

2. Justin Rose

Rose will be looking for his second U.S. Open title after winning at Merion Golf Club in 2013. The 37-year-old Englishman dominated the field two weeks ago in Fort Worth and followed that up with a T-6 at the Memorial. All areas of Rose's game are clicking at the right time, making for a dangerous scenario for the rest of the field.

1. Dustin Johnson

The new world No. 1 enters the 118th U.S. Open as the betting favorite and is primed to win his second career major title. After dissecting TPC Southwind en route to the St. Jude Classic victory, Johnson's game is peaking at the best possible time. Few golfers will be able to overpower Shinnecock Hills, but Johnson is certainly one of them.

(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)