RADIO
Alex Fitzpatrick Looks to Stay Hot at U.S. Open
Alex Fitzpatrick continues his impressive run on the PGA Tour, recording his fourth top-25 finish since earning his two-year Tour exemption. He now looks to keep it rolling at the U.S. Open, where he will be making his tournament debut. His major championship experience is also limited, with just two previous starts, resulting in a T17 at The Open in 2023 and a T75 earlier this year at the PGA Championship. Fitzpatrick brings a well-rounded game to Shinnecock Hills, gaining +1.403 strokes per round tee to green, +0.534 off the tee, and +0.880 on approach. As is usually the case at the U.S. Open, finding fairways will be crucial, and he has done that at an impressive 67.50% rate this season. Fitzpatrick is playing some of the best golf of his career, and with very few concerns in his game, the biggest question is how he will handle another major championship.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Shane Lowry Needs to Avoid One Bad Major Round
Shane Lowry roared out of the gates in 2026. The Irish golfer had a T-8 at Pebble Beach then nearly won later in February at the Cognizant Classic (T-2). Since then, most of Lowry's results have been in the 20's and 30's. Those are solid numbers but not spectacular. Lowry, across the board, performs well at most metrics. However, there seems to be one round where too many things go south. At the Masters, it was a Sunday 80 where everything fell apart. At the PGA, it was a Friday 76 that kept him out of contention. Lowry will not be phased by the early winds on Thursday afternoon which makes him a potential betting wager for a Top 20 result if he can keep things level into the weekend.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Ben James Gaining Experience at Shinnecock
Ben James turned pro before the RBC Canadian Open. The American golfer had quite an adventure blending highs, lows and a good deal of average golf. He made the cut, shot an incredible 63 on Friday, but watched the wheels fall off Saturday. The third-round 78 was rough to watch but again the 23-year-old was making his debut. Few are expecting much of James at Shinnecock this week. However, anything can happen early at the US Open. He benefits from an early tee time (8:25 am ET). James showed sold distance off the tee and was accurate with the driver 76.79% of the time. If the golfer can continue to hit fairways, James might be worth an early betting and DFS look on Thursday.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
J.J. Spaun Trying to Turn Tide on Long Island
J.J. Spaun returns to the US Open. The American golfer enjoyed his finest moment at Oakmont. Spaun held off Robert MacIntyre to win by two strokes after a Sunday Front 9 that would scare anyone. The golfer survived and made putts and approaches late in that final round. Spaun has an early advantage in that he tees off at 8:14 am ET. That could shield him from some of the heavier wind gusts. Also, driving accuracy will be important (100th in yardage - 301.9). Spaun hits the fairway 64.63% (20th) of the time. Again, Spaun needs the putter to be an excellent betting option over the weekend. The last two majors (PGA, Masters) have seen the putter be a large negative (-2.31 strokes gained at the PGA).
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Ben Griffin Attempts to Put the Memorial in the Rearview Mirror
Ben Griffin probably did not want to talk about the Memorial. The American golfer left early after a 74-77 on the course that Jack built. One of the big issues for Griffin was putting. He lost 1.67 strokes to putting and missed several easier putts as well. Two red flags about Shinnecock are obvious. Griffin's approach and off the tee metrics are not optimal for Shinnecock. With a long course, hitting longer shots from 200+ yards is almost a prerequisite. That is a weak part of Griffin's repertoire (157th at 60 feet 2 inches). If the golfer can temper the winds on Thursday and make some putts, that could pave the way for Griffin to be a weekend DFS option.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Ryan Gerard Showing Great Form Heading to Long Island
Ryan Gerard nearly won at the Memorial early in June. The American golfer lost in a playoff to JT Poston. Gerard gained four strokes on Poston to force hole number 73. It has been quite a season for the golfer as Gerard has made the cut in 15 of 17 events. The US Open is a different animal. However, Gerard gained a whopping 2.88 strokes to putting in Ohio. Majors are a concern for the young golfer, but at 26, the start could be troubling. Afternoon winds on Thursday with the potential for a shower will force him to play a little smarter at times. It will be intriguing to see how Gerard learns from the PGA and Masters troubles this week.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Rickie Fowler Might Get Early Boost at Shinnecock
Rickie Fowler will enjoy an early tee time at the US Open. The American golfer tees off on Thursday at 7:41 am ET. Fowler may have to turn back the clock to 2018 where he netted a Top 20. What the golfer did was to scale back his swing a little. This impacted his accuracy then (-8% to average) but it allowed him to approach the rough better. Setting up for better approach shots then boosted his strokes gained on approach to 1.45. Fast forward to 2026 where the last two tournaments have been disastrous for Fowler. He missed the cut badly at the Memorial losing 5.99 strokes gained. It may have been his worst event in years. Despite this, it may be time to ponder him for Thursday DFS purposes.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Jason Day is a Question Mark for the US Open
Jason Day comes off a misstep at the Memorial. The Australian golfer missed the cut after a 74-76 performance. Day started off the year well and was in contention at the Masters until a Sunday 75. He has missed several US Open cuts including 2018 at Shinnecock. While Day has gained 0.213 strokes to putting (51st), the problems mount off the tee and approaching the green. Day ranks outside the Top 150 in proximity and approaches greater than 200 yards. This scenario plays out with additional winds and breezes expected. Day has an afternoon tee time on Thursday which probably makes him less desirable from a DFS perspective.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Pierceson Coody Could Have Issues at Shinnecock
Pierceson Coody will be facing a beast of a golf course at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The American golfer is facing a course that in 2018 saw no golfer break par. Brooks Koepka survived at +1 to win the event. 2026 features an even more diabolical setup. Nevermind the 7,440 yard length and the wind on Thursday, Shinnecock, Coody faces a daunting task even with sold scrambling skills (33rd from the rough at 61.61%). Coody has lost strokes at several signature events in 2026 including the Memorial just a couple weeks ago. His driver accuracy is a red flag as well with accuracy fluctuating (-14% at the PGA Championship). Coody is a golfer to potentially target to miss the cut.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Daniel Berger May Struggle Again at US Open
Daniel Berger has had a solid 2026. The American golfer, however, has not performed well in the Majors. He missed the cut at the Masters. Add in that 81 at the Memorial a couple weeks ago and the concerns mount. Berger started off with a 74 at the PGA Championship and errant shots could plague him at Shinnecock. Thursday is going to get a lot of headlines for the wind but the course has the real teeth here. Berger's scrambling skills are not great (51.85% from the rough - 130th). This is a week from a DFS and betting standpoint to stray from a golfer like Berger.
Source: PGATour.com
Source: PGATour.com
Patrick Cantlay Bringing Strong Form to Shinnecock Hills
Patrick Cantlay has quietly put together a solid season, recording seven top-25 finishes, including five results of T17 or better in his last six starts. He now turns to the U.S. Open, where he finished T45 the last time this event was held at Shinnecock Hills. Success here requires a complete game, with an emphasis on finding fairways. Cantlay ranks 10th in strokes gained tee to green (+1.071 per round), 29th off the tee (+0.394), 30th on approach (+0.365), and 59th in driving accuracy. He has recorded 17 top-25 finishes in major championships throughout his career without a win, and he offers very strong upside at $7,300 on DraftKings at a discounted price.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Akshay Bhatia Facing Tough Test at Shinnecock Hills
Since his win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Akshay Bhatia has cooled off, recording three additional top-25 finishes and three missed cuts over his last eight starts. He now turns to the U.S. Open, where he will be making his Shinnecock Hills debut. Finding fairways and hitting precise approach shots will be key this week, and Bhatia ranks just 124th in driving accuracy and 50th in strokes gained on approach (+0.278 per round). His major championship record is also a concern, as he has missed six cuts and recorded just one top-30 finish in 11 career starts. More recently, he has lost strokes off the tee in seven consecutive events and has lost on approach in four of his last five starts, while the putter has been unable to bail him out. At $6,600 on DraftKings, Bhatia could be in for another difficult week in a major championship.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Rory McIlroy Eying a Second US Open Victory This Week at Shinnecock
Following his defense at the Masters, Rory McIlroy hasn't played a whole lot of golf. However, he's been just as dominant in the three starts since, with finishes of T19, T7, and T12. No matter the limited number of competitive reps, he is still able to rank highly among his peers in strokes gained off the tee and on approach. Short game and putting have been the biggest losers in his long periods between starts, as he's lost strokes in two of his three starts since Augusta. Even though his ball striking is always elite enough to give him a chance, he's a wasted pick if he doesn't finish top 5 or better due to his inflated price tag, which seems like a bit of a stretch given his clear scale down in professional starts. It may be wiser to avoid his high ownership levels and price tag this time around, despite his ability to win any given week.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
Russell Henley is an Interesting Option at This Year's US Open
Coming off a T22 at Muirfield Village following his win at Colonial, Russell Henley comes to Shinnecock Hills this week with a head full of steam. With a T25 finish here in the 2018 US Open, he'll be looking to find his way to the top by doing what he does best: avoiding mistakes. Nothing the 37-year-old does statistically is all that spectacular, but he's fairly proficient in all of them. However, his 11.96% bogey avoidance rate is the second-best on the PGA Tour. If he is to climb onto the first page of this leaderboard during the four days, it will be from his ability to limit damage and make a ton of critical pars. Play Henley with confidence.
Source: PGA Tour
Source: PGA Tour
Cameron Young Hopes to Reclaim His Stride at US Open
After the raucous start to the year for Cameron Young, things have quieted down over his last two starts, finishing T26 and T46 at the PGA Championship and the Memorial. The ball striking both off the tee and on approach is as solid as ever, but his short game, which climaxed at Doral, has lost him strokes over his last two appearances. He's also bled away strokes putting in three of his last five outings. Shinnecock will reward those who hit precise shots like we've seen Young hit all season, but he'll need to tighten things up on and around the green if he hopes to secure his first major championship this week. Nonetheless, he'll be one of the more favored DFS choices this week.
Source: Data Golf
Source: Data Golf
