RADIO
Patrick Gates shares his betting card for the 2026 U.S. Open and breaks down each of his selections for this week's event.
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The PGA TOUR heads to Southampton, New York, this week for the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The third major championship of the season features a loaded 156-player field, including 48 of the top 50 players in the Official World Golf Ranking. There is no shortage of storylines entering the week, from World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler's pursuit of the career Grand Slam to the return of defending champion J.J. Spaun and questions surrounding Brooks Koepka's health following his withdrawal from the RBC Canadian Open.
In an article released on Monday, I broke down everything you need to know about the U.S. Open, from course details to key stats and historical trends. If you have not checked that out yet, I highly recommend giving it a read. As always, if you have questions about any players or the event itself, feel free to reach out to me on social media or in Discord.
With that said, let’s dive into the third Major Championship of the season as I break down my betting card for the 2026 U.S. Open!
Outrights
Matt Fitzpatrick (+2250) - DraftKings
Matt Fitzpatrick has put together one of the best seasons of his career, already capturing three victories in 2026. The Englishman won the Valspar Championship, followed it up with a victory at the RBC Heritage, and later teamed up with his brother Alex to win the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Fitzpatrick enters the U.S. Open in excellent form after finishing runner-up at the RBC Canadian Open last week. He closed with a final-round 64 and gained strokes in every major category, showing that his game is firing on all cylinders heading into the year's third major championship.
One trend that has followed Fitzpatrick throughout his career is his ability to build on strong finishes. Prior to winning the Valspar Championship earlier this season, he finished runner-up at THE PLAYERS Championship. Before his victory at the RBC Heritage, he recorded a T18 finish at the Masters. His win at the Zurich Classic came immediately after his RBC Heritage victory.
The trend extends beyond this season as well. Before winning the RBC Heritage in 2023, Fitzpatrick finished T10 at the Masters. Prior to capturing his first PGA TOUR victory and major championship at the 2022 U.S. Open, he finished T10 at the RBC Canadian Open the week before.
Speaking of the U.S. Open, Fitzpatrick already owns a victory in this championship after winning at The Country Club in Brookline in 2022. In ten career U.S. Open appearances, he has recorded four top-20 finishes. One of those came at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, where he finished T12.
Fitzpatrick has also enjoyed considerable success on links-style layouts throughout his career. He won the Alfred Dunhill Links Championship in 2023 and posted a T4 finish at both the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open Championship last season. His ability to control ball flight and navigate difficult scoring conditions should be a major asset this week.
Statistically, his profile checks nearly every box. Among players in this field over the last 24 rounds, Fitzpatrick ranks 2nd in Strokes Gained: Around the Green, 4th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, and 9th in Strokes Gained: Approach.
The biggest variable for Fitzpatrick is usually the putter, and that has been trending in the right direction. He gained strokes putting at Shinnecock Hills in 2018 and ranked 13th in Strokes Gained: Putting last week at the RBC Canadian Open on Bent/Poa greens. If the flat stick remains cooperative, Fitzpatrick has all the tools necessary to contend for a second U.S. Open title.
Russell Henley (+4000) - BetMGM
Russell Henley has quietly put together another strong season, recording six top-20 finishes in 13 starts. He was particularly sharp during the early portion of the year before hitting a rough patch in May, highlighted by a T49 finish at the Truist Championship and a missed cut at the PGA Championship.
Henley quickly got back on track at the Charles Schwab Challenge, where he captured his sixth career PGA TOUR victory by defeating Eric Cole in a playoff. He followed that performance with a respectable T22 finish at the Memorial Tournament, giving him positive momentum entering the year's third major championship.
The U.S. Open has quietly become one of Henley's best major championships. Over the last three editions, he has finished T14 at Los Angeles Country Club, T7 at Pinehurst No. 2, and T10 at Oakmont. In 12 career U.S. Open appearances, Henley has recorded six top-25 finishes.
One of those top-25s came at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, where he finished T25. Henley also held the first-round lead that week after opening with a 1-under 69, one of only four sub-par rounds posted during the opening round.
Henley has also shown an ability to contend on links-style layouts. He finished T10 at Royal Portrush in 2025 and posted a fifth-place finish at Royal Troon in 2024. His success in windy, demanding conditions should translate well to Shinnecock Hills.
Beyond links golf, Henley has produced strong results at several comparable venues. He finished T7 at Pinehurst No. 2 during the 2024 U.S. Open, T10 at Oakmont in 2025, and added a T5 finish at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am earlier this season.
Henley is not going to overpower Shinnecock Hills, but that's far from a requirement. One of the unique aspects of this venue is that multiple styles of golf can succeed. While bombers may have an advantage on certain holes, precision and course management remain equally important.
That is where Henley thrives. His accuracy off the tee should help him avoid the penal fescue, allowing him to lean on one of the strongest iron games in professional golf. If he consistently finds fairways, he should create plenty of birdie opportunities while limiting the mistakes that often derail players at the U.S. Open.
Statistically, Henley checks many of the boxes I'm looking for this week. Over the last 24 rounds, he ranks 18th in Strokes Gained: Tee-to-Green, 28th in Strokes Gained: Approach, and 32nd in Strokes Gained: Around the Green.
His short game profile is equally encouraging, ranking 5th in Scrambling Percentage and 31st in Sand Saves Gained.
Chris Gotterup (+4500) - FanDuel
Christopher Gotterup has emerged as one of the breakout performers of the season, capturing victories in two of his first three starts at the Sony Open in Hawaii and the WM Phoenix Open. While he has not maintained that torrid pace throughout the year, his overall form remains impressive heading into this week.
Since March, Gotterup has posted six top-25 finishes in nine starts. In his three most recent starts, he finished T14 at the Truist Championship, a T10 at the PGA Championship, and a T27 at the Memorial Tournament.
His recent major championship performances have been especially encouraging. In his Masters debut, Gotterup finished T24 at Augusta National before following it up with a T10 at the PGA Championship. That marked the second top-10 finish of his major championship career after his breakthrough third-place finish at last year's Open Championship at Royal Portrush.
Several of his best performances have come on courses that share similarities with Shinnecock Hills. He won the Genesis Scottish Open at The Renaissance Club last season and has repeatedly excelled on coastal layouts where wind management and creativity become critical.
His victories also reveal a trend that could be meaningful this week. Two of his PGA TOUR wins have come at coastal venues, Kapalua Resort in Hawaii and The Dunes Golf and Beach Club in Myrtle Beach.
The primary concern remains his accuracy off the tee. When Gotterup is driving the ball well, he has the talent to contend with anyone in the world. However, when the driver becomes inconsistent, it can quickly create problems. With Shinnecock's thick fescue punishing wayward tee shots, keeping the ball in play will be essential.
One encouraging development has been the improvement of his putting. Combined with his elite power, solid iron play, and steadily improving short game, it gives him one of the highest ceilings among players in this odds range.
There is also a local connection worth noting. Although he was born in Maryland, Gotterup grew up in New Jersey and began his collegiate career at Rutgers before transferring to Oklahoma, where he earned both the Haskins Award and the Jack Nicklaus Award. During his amateur career, he also won the Metropolitan Amateur and New Jersey State Open.
With plenty of regional support expected this week, Gotterup should feel comfortable in the spotlight. If he can keep the driver under control, he has the talent, form, and course-fit profile to make a serious run at his first major championship.
