Scottie Scheffler is the heavy favorite at the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, teeing off Thursday, June 18, amid windy conditions and a layout where even past champions finished with no one above par in 2018. The round’s notable pairings include Rory McIl
Scottie Scheffler showed up for the biggest stage with the same problem every champion eventually faces: expectations that don’t loosen, no matter how sharp your swing looks on the range.
Ahead of the 2026 U.S. Open, Scheffler went in-depth about how he plans to handle that pressure as the third major of the year approaches. The tournament tees off at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, with first-round action starting Thursday, June 18.
The U.S. Open’s setup is already designed to make life difficult. Wind is expected on the course. and the USGA’s annual edict is in place—turning the championship into a brutal test for the world’s best golfers where scoring becomes premium rather than automatic. That challenge feels personal at Shinnecock, too. In 2018, when Brooks Koepka won the U.S. Open at the same venue, no golfer finished above par.
Scheffler arrives as the heavy pre-tournament favorite to capture the only major trophy he hasn’t won as a professional. But the leaderboard won’t be built in a vacuum. Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Xander Schauffele and Bryson DeChambeau are also in the mix as contenders when the first groups go out.
The tension in this edition begins early. The first tee time is set for 6:35 a.m. ET, and the schedule is stacked with names who can flip a round quickly—especially in wind, where one wayward shot can change everything.
When the opening groups come into play Thursday morning. the course conditions and USGA standards will determine whether favorites look inevitable or simply vulnerable. At Shinnecock. where scoring has historically tightened. a single mistake can turn “expectations” into something sharper: a path back up the board.
First-round action on Thursday, June 18 will run across morning and afternoon tees, including these notable groups.
First Tee (morning and afternoon)
7:19 a.m. — Padraig Harrington; (a) Miles Russell; Cameron Smith
7:30 a.m. — Brooks Koepka; Cameron Young; Chris Gotterup
7:41 a.m. — Daniel Berger; Keegan Bradley; Rickie Fowler
7:52 a.m. — Patrick Reed; Andrew Novak; Kurt Kitayama
8:03 a.m. — Harris English; Adam Scott; Nick Taylor
8:14 a.m. — (a) Mason Howell; Scottie Scheffler; J.J. Spaun
1:47 p.m. — Justin Thomas; Hideki Matsuyama; Xander Schauffele
1:58 p.m. — Nicolai Højgaard; Nico Echavarria; Robert MacIntyre
2:09 p.m. — J.T. Poston; Patrick Cantlay; Billy Horschel.
10th Tee
7:30 a.m. — Sungjae Im; Lucas Herbert; Kristoffer Reitan
7:41 a.m. — Sam Burns; Tyrrell Hatton; Si Woo Kim
7:52 a.m. — Rory McIlroy; Ludvig Åberg; Tommy Fleetwood
8:03 a.m. — Alex Noren; Maverick McNealy; Sepp Straka
1:14 p.m. — Aaron Rai; Collin Morikawa; Jason Day
1:25 p.m. — Bryson DeChambeau; Viktor Hovland; Matt Fitzpatrick
1:36 p.m. — Dustin Johnson; Wyndham Clark; Gary Woodland
1:47 p.m. — Joaquin Niemann; Alex Smalley; Shane Lowry
1:58 p.m. — Akshay Bhatia; Carlos Ortiz; Min Woo Lee
2:09 p.m. — Justin Rose; Jordan Spieth; Jon Rahm.
For viewers, the 2026 U.S. Open will be broadcast nationally on NBC, USA Network and NBCSN. Live streaming coverage is available on Peacock, Fubo, USOpen.com and the U.S. Open app.
As play begins Thursday, the question won’t be whether golf’s big names have the talent. It will be whether they can handle the specific kind of pressure that Shinnecock brings—when the wind rises. the margin for error shrinks. and the scoreboard refuses to flatter anyone. not even the heavy favorite.
Scottie Scheffler 2026 U.S. Open Shinnecock Hills NBC Peacock leaderboard Rory McIlroy Jon Rahm Xander Schauffele Bryson DeChambeau Brooks Koepka