US Open Golf 2024: Early Storylines to Watch, Latest Odds and Predictions

The build-up to the US Open is once again about Scottie Scheffler.

The top men's golfer in the world enters Pinehurst off another PGA Tour win at the Memorial.

Scheffler has been tough to beat all season and that is reflected in his low odds to win the US Open.

Xander Schauffele halted Scheffler's potential run through the 2024 majors at the PGA Championship to become the latest first-time men's major winner.

First-time winners have been a trend at the US Open recently, as the last five champions captured their first major crown, including reigning champion Wyndham Clark.

Clark was one of the few vocal golfers on Monday about how tough Pinehurst will play, and that could lead to a tournament with a not a lot of under-par scores.

Us Open Odds

Andy Lyons/Getty Images

DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 09: Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland plays his shot from the first tee during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 09, 2024 in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)

Odds via DraftKings Sportsbook.

Scottie Scheffler (+300; bet $100 to win $300)

Xander Schauffele (+1000)

Rory McIlroy (+1100)

Collin Morikawa (+1400)

Viktor Hovland (+2000)

Bryson DeChambeau (+2000)

Brooks Koepka (+2000)

Ludvig Aberg (+2200)

Jon Rahm (+2500)

Tommy Fleetwood (+3500)

Hideki Matsuyama (+3500)

Justin Thomas (+4000)

Cameron Smith (+4000)

Pinehurst Expected to Play Tough

Alex Slitz/Getty Images

PINEHURST, NORTH CAROLINA - JUNE 11: Max Homa of the United States follows his shot on the fifth hole during a practice round prior to the U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort on June 11, 2024 in Pinehurst, North Carolina. (Photo by Alex Slitz/Getty Images)

Wyndham Clark wasted no time on Monday describing how tough the Pinehurst greens could play.

Clark called the greens "borderline" when talking with reporters, per Golf Digest's Joel Beall.

The US Open typically prides itself on tough conditions, but low scores have dominated the scoreboards in recent years. The last five winners finished at six-under or better.

The last US Open at Pinehurst in 2014, though, was one of the toughest tournaments for golfers to play in, except for winner Martin Kaymer.

Kaymer won with a nine-under score, but everyone else in the field was one-under or worse.

Only three golfers finished under par in 2014. Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson and Jason Day were among the top-10 finishers with over-par scores.

The scores may or may not be that extreme this time around at Pinehurst, but at least going into the tournament, the course appears to be very tough.

Will Another First Time Major Winner Emerge at Us Open?

Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images

DUBLIN, OHIO - JUNE 09: Xander Schauffele warms up on the chipping green during the final round of the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 9, 2024 in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Ben Jared/PGA TOUR via Getty Images)

Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Gary Woodland and Brooks Koepka all won their first major title at six of the last seven US Opens.

Koepka was the only previous major champion to win in that span when he repeated in 2018.

It's an unusual trend that might finally get broken because there are not many golfers without a major win near the top of the odds board.

Xander Schauffele removed himself from that category with his PGA Championship triumph. He would have fit the billing of a first-time major winner because he has six top-10 finishes at the US Open in his career.

Viktor Hovland, Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood are the only players without a major title in the top 10 on the odds board.

All three players have a top-10 finish at a major in 2024. They would be the best candidates to keep the first-time winner streak going. A long shot winner, like Clark in 2023, could happen, but the top of the field is so loaded that it may prevent that from happening.

Predictions

Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images

DUBLIN, OH - JUNE 09: Scottie Scheffler of the United States poses with the trophy after winning the Memorial Tournament presented by Workday at Muirfield Village Golf Club on June 9, 2024 in Dublin, Ohio. (Photo by Ian Johnson/Icon Sportswire via Getty Images)

Many people will say the US Open is Scheffler's tournament to lose.

It would be hard to disagree with that statement given how well he's performed on a consistent basis on the PGA Tour.

The Masters winner finished inside the top 10 in 11 consecutive events. He even finished in a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship despite the arrest that happened on Friday morning.

Plenty of golfers attempted to go head-to-head with Scheffler this season and failed.

Unless he has a bad start, Scheffler will be in the mix and it's hard to see him falling out of contention at any point on the weekend.

Prediction: Scottie Scheffler wins US Open.

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