US Open Golf 2024: Early Predictions for Top Prize Money
The 2024 US Open is expected to be one of the toughest majors in recent memory.
A handful of golfers in the field have already commented on how difficult Pinehurst No. 2 will play over the next four days.
Reigning US Open champion Wyndham Clark delivered one of the sharpest takes of the practice rounds by calling the greens "already borderline" on Monday.
A tough US Open at Pinehurst has been the standard during the tournament's last few trips to the North Carolina course.
Martin Kaymer's nine-under winning score in 2014 is the exception to scoring trends at Pinehurst, where it is difficult to remain under par.
The winner of the $3.9 million first-place purse will have to navigate the difficulties of Pinehurst best. The winner could be a top-ranked player, like Scottie Scheffler, or previous U.S. Open winning experience could help in that regard.
Winning Score Close to Even Par
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The easiest prediction to make about the play at Pinehurst is how difficult scoring will be.
Michael Campbell won the US Open with an even-par final score. Even Tiger Woods in his prime finished at two-over in second place in 2005.
Payne Stewart outlasted Vijay Singh, Phil Mickelson and Woods in 1999 with a winning score of one-under.
Martin Kaymer's success in 2014 was far more of an outlier because he finished eight strokes ahead of the second-place finishers. He was one of three players to finish with an under-par score.
The past three US Opens at Pinehurst suggest that just getting under par on Sunday will put you in contention for the victory. That should be the expectation for Scheffler and other golfers vying for the season's third major title.
Bryson DeChambeau Emerges As Early Candidate to Win
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Bryson DeChambeau's re-emergence on the major stage was one of the biggest stories to emerge from the Masters and PGA Championship.
DeChambeau turned in a tie for sixth at Augusta and followed that up with a second-place mark at Valhalla.
The two finishes matched the amount of top 10 DeChambeau recorded at majors in the three years after his 2020 US Open triumph.
DeChambeau's form makes him one of the favorites to contend at Pinehurst, but so does his lone major-winning experience.
DeChambeau won in 2020 at Winged Foot, which had equally as difficult playing conditions as Pinehurst. He was the only player under par for the tournament.
The experience gained from Winged Foot could help DeChambeau maneuver the course better than other golfers. That could put him in position to win almost immediately this week.
Run of First Time Major Winners at Us Open Ends
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The last five US Open champions were first-time major winners.
A whole host of factors contributed to that streak, but there is a good chance it ends at Pinehurst because of the course's difficulty and the golfers favored to win.
Scheffler, Rory McIlroy, Collin Morikawa, Xander Schauffele, DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka are all solid candidates to win the US Open. All of them now have a major title after Schauffele's triumph at the PGA Championship.
It is difficult to find a potential first-time major winner outside of maybe Viktor Hovland or Tommy Fleetwood at the top of the US Open field.
An unlikely candidate or two could emerge as the week goes on, but entering Thursday's first round, it looks like Scheffler or another one of the top players will have enough skill to conquer Pinehurst.
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