First time's a charm: 5 golfers who could win 1st major at Shinnecock Hills
For years, the PGA Tour's major championships belonged to Tiger Woods, as the 42-year-old claimed 14 of them in an 11-year stretch.
Since his last major triumph at the 2008 U.S. Open, though, the biggest titles in the game have been spread around a bit more, and nine of the last 10 major champions were first-timers.
Here are the five guys with the best chance to keep that trend rolling at this year's U.S. Open.
Jon Rahm
It may be hard to believe, but this only marks Rahm's eighth career start in a major. The 23-year-old is coming off a fourth-place finish at The Masters and arrives in Shinnecock Hills as the fifth-ranked player in the world. After three top-five showings in his last four starts, Rahm is among the favorites. His brilliant ball-striking is a perfect fit for the Long Island layout, and it won't shock anybody if he's standing in the winner's circle Sunday.
Rickie Fowler
Fowler is often the first name listed when discussion turns to the "best player to never win a major." In recent years, he's been one of the best players in golf's biggest events. Over his last 17 majors, Fowler has an astounding seven top-five finishes, including an electric Sunday charge to finish second at The Masters in April. A win could cap what would arguably be the best 10 days of Fowler's life, as the 29-year-old got engaged to girlfriend Allison Stokke earlier this week.
Hideki Matsuyama
"Can Hideki win this week?" is a question the Japanese media asks a number of the top players at every major, often eliciting a wry smile before each golfer's answer. Well, this might be the week for the Japanese star. Matsuyama was in contention last year at Erin Hills, eventually finishing second to Brooks Koepka. There aren't many better ball-strikers than the 26-year-old, and if he can manage a decent week of putting, a U.S. Open title could be in the cards.
Bryson DeChambeau
The man known as "The Scientist" is as hot as anybody in the world right now, with four top-four finishes, including a win two weeks ago at the Memorial, in his last seven events. However, DeChambeau has very limited experience in major championships - he's only participated in seven events with four made cuts. Despite that track record, don't be shocked if the 24-year-old is around Sunday. DeChambeau ranks 14th on Tour in strokes gained: tee-to-green, likely the most important stat this week.
Tommy Fleetwood
The 12th-ranked player in the world posted his best finish in a major at last year's U.S. Open, coming in fourth. Fleetwood has been among the world's most consistent golfers over the past couple years, and any tournament that puts a premium on pure ball-striking makes the Englishman a popular pick.
(Photos courtesy: Getty Images)