Five Contenders we’re keeping an eye on (and wagering on) to win this year’s U.S. Open
The 2025 U.S. Open returns to Oakmont Country Club, one of the toughest tests in golf. Brutally tough most would say. With lightning-fast greens, thick cabbage, and tight fairways, Oakmont rewards discipline, accuracy, and mental fortitude. Or, you’re Dustin Johnson, like in 2016, and stress doesn’t faze you because ‘simple is as simple does.’
Here are five players with the skill and mindset to contend — and possibly win — this year’s national championship.
1. Scottie Scheffler – The Clear Favorite
Scottie Scheffler is not just the World No. 1 — he’s been playing like it. With three wins in his last four starts, including the PGA Championship and the Memorial, Scheffler comes into Oakmont as the heavy favorite. His ball-striking is unmatched in today’s game, and his calm demeanor fits well with the grinding conditions of a U.S. Open. If he putts even slightly above average, stays out of jail, and doesn’t eat bad Chipotle, he’s the man to beat.
Why he’ll win: Elite consistency and the ability to control his game under pressure.
2. Bryson DeChambeau – Defending Champion, Built for Brutality
Bryson the Bear returns to the U.S. Open as the reigning champ and a two-time winner of this event. His unique blend of power and science-backed prep is well-suited to a course like Oakmont (or he’ll crumble, there is no middle ground for BD this week). He’s proven he can handle tough setups and playing with LIV Strong confidence. If the driver is on and he avoids big mistakes, he’ll be a serious threat once again.
Why he’ll win: Length, confidence, and experience navigating the most demanding setups.
3. Russell Henley – Precision Over Power
Henley might not make headlines or be taller than an Oompa Loompa, but his game is tailor-made for Oakmont. He’s accurate off the tee, has one of the best iron games on tour, and finished T7 at last year’s U.S. Open. This season, he has already won at Bay Hill, he’s posted multiple top-10s, and his ability to avoid bogeys makes him a compelling sleeper pick. His only true shortcoming is he bunts it off of the tee. He’ll need to be hitting long-iron darts for a chance to lift the fabled US Open trophy come Sunday.
Why he’ll win: Steady play, minimal mistakes, and a proven record in major pressure.
4. Keegan Bradley – Quietly Peaking
Captain Bradley enters Oakmont under the radar but with strong momentum. He’s had a solid year, including a top-10 at the PGA Championship, and his ball-striking has been among the best on tour. When his putter cooperates, Bradley can compete with anyone — and he has the temperament for major championship golf. What a story it would be if he were to win, or at least contend down the stretch. Then the question will be: Will he pick himself for his own Ryder Cup team this fall?
Why he’ll win: Veteran presence, elite iron play, and strong recent form.
5. Justin Rose – The Experienced Long Shot
At 43, Justin Rose may not be in the spotlight, but his track record at Oakmont and U.S. Opens in general shouldn’t be overlooked. A former U.S. Open champion and major winner, Rose has the experience and strategic approach to compete on the toughest layouts. He narrowly lost to Rory at the Masters and brings a calm, methodical style that fits Oakmont perfectly.
Why he’ll win: Deep experience, intelligent course management, and confidence under pressure.
Final Thoughts
Oakmont is not a course you can overpower or outsmart with flash — it demands discipline and resilience. Among this group—all groups—Scottie Scheffler enters as the clear front-runner, but DeChambeau’s U.S. Open pedigree and Henley’s precision also give them strong chances. I’d love to see Bradley and Rose pull off a victory, but that may be asking too much. Whatever happens, one thing is certain: Oakmont will test every part of a golfer’s game and their mental resolve. May the best man win!
U.S. Open Betting Odds (ESPN BET)
| Golfer | To win | Top 5 | Top 10 | Top 20 | W/O Scheffler | W/O top 4 | Make Cut | Miss Cut |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Scottie Scheffler | +275 | -150 | -285 | -800 | — | — | -1600 | +700 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | +750 | +190 | +100 | -220 | +500 | — | -800 | +475 |
| Jon Rahm | 12-1 | +260 | +135 | -160 | +850 | — | -550 | +360 |
| Rory McIlroy | 14-1 | +250 | +135 | -150 | +850 | — | -350 | +270 |
| Xander Schauffele | 22-1 | +400 | +210 | +110 | 16-1 | 12-1 | -350 | +250 |
| Ludvig Åberg | 22-1 | +550 | +300 | +155 | 18-1 | 14-1 | -320 | +240 |
| Collin Morikawa | 25-1 | +425 | +210 | +110 | 18-1 | 14-1 | -350 | +250 |
| Joaquín Niemann | 28-1 | +475 | +275 | +135 | 20-1 | 18-1 | -325 | +230 |
| Shane Lowry | 33-1 | +600 | +320 | +160 | 25-1 | 20-1 | -280 | +200 |
| Sepp Straka | 35-1 | +600 | +350 | +160 | 25-1 | 22-1 | -260 | +190 |
| Tommy Fleetwood | 40-1 | +550 | +290 | +135 | 25-1 | 20-1 | -325 | +230 |
| Justin Thomas | 40-1 | +650 | +375 | +170 | 28-1 | 20-1 | -270 | +200 |
| Patrick Cantlay | 45-1 | +600 | +350 | +155 | 28-1 | 20-1 | -260 | +190 |
| Corey Conners | 60-1 | +750 | +400 | +175 | 40-1 | 30-1 | -260 | +190 |
| Viktor Hovland | 60-1 | +900 | +475 | +250 | 40-1 | 25-1 | -200 | +150 |
| Tyrrell Hatton | 66-1 | +750 | +400 | +190 | 40-1 | 33-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Russell Henley | 66-1 | +800 | +400 | +190 | 45-1 | 35-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Ben Griffin | 70-1 | +900 | +475 | +230 | 50-1 | 40-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Jordan Spieth | 70-1 | +900 | +475 | +250 | 40-1 | 33-1 | -220 | +140 |
| Hideki Matsuyama | 70-1 | 10-1 | +500 | +260 | 45-1 | 33-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Sam Burns | 70-1 | 11-1 | +550 | +230 | 50-1 | 33-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Brooks Koepka | 70-1 | 13-1 | +650 | +320 | 50-1 | 30-1 | -160 | +120 |
| Keegan Bradley | 75-1 | 10-1 | +475 | +250 | 60-1 | 50-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Harris English | 80-1 | 11-1 | +500 | +260 | 70-1 | 50-1 | -200 | +150 |
| Patrick Reed | 80-1 | 12-1 | +550 | +290 | 70-1 | 50-1 | -170 | +125 |
| Daniel Berger | 90-1 | 11-1 | +500 | +260 | 70-1 | 50-1 | -200 | +150 |
| Tony Finau | 90-1 | 12-1 | +600 | +300 | 80-1 | 50-1 | -180 | +135 |
| Cameron Young | 90-1 | 20-1 | +800 | +400 | 110-1 | 66-1 | -160 | +120 |
| Justin Rose | 90-1 | 20-1 | +800 | +425 | 80-1 | 50-1 | +100 | -130 |
| Robert MacIntyre | 100-1 | 12-1 | +550 | +295 | 75-1 | 50-1 | -220 | +160 |
| Taylor Pendrith | 100-1 | 12-1 | +600 | +300 | 80-1 | 80-1 | -150 | +120 |
| Jason Day | 100-1 | 15-1 | +650 | +320 | 80-1 | 50-1 | -160 | +120 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | 100-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +350 | 75-1 | 45-1 | -160 | +120 |
| Ryan Fox | 100-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +350 | 80-1 | — | -150 | +115 |
| Cameron Smith | 100-1 | 22-1 | +900 | +450 | 100-1 | 50-1 | -125 | -105 |
| Si Woo Kim | 110-1 | 12-1 | +550 | +275 | 80-1 | 66-1 | -180 | +135 |
| Aaron Rai | 110-1 | 13-1 | +600 | +290 | 80-1 | 80-1 | -175 | +130 |
| Min Woo Lee | 110-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +350 | 100-1 | 66-1 | -170 | +125 |
| Akshay Bhatia | 110-1 | 18-1 | +750 | +350 | — | 66-1 | -170 | +125 |
| Maverick McNealy | 125-1 | 12-1 | +550 | +290 | 80-1 | 50-1 | — | — |
| Sungjae Im | 125-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +320 | 90-1 | 50-1 | — | — |
| Wyndham Clark | 125-1 | 22-1 | +900 | +425 | 100-1 | 50-1 | -125 | -105 |
| J.J. Spaun | 150-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +320 | 100-1 | 80-1 | — | — |
| Nick Taylor | 150-1 | 20-1 | +750 | +375 | 110-1 | 90-1 | -130 | +100 |
| Denny McCarthy | 175-1 | 15-1 | +700 | +320 | 110-1 | 90-1 | — | — |
| Andrew Novak | 175-1 | 18-1 | +750 | +375 | 110-1 | 100-1 | -160 | +120 |
| Adam Scott | 175-1 | 20-1 | +800 | +400 | 110-1 | 80-1 | -150 | +115 |
| Byeong Hun An | 175-1 | 30-1 | 11-1 | +475 | 150-1 | 100-1 | — | — |
| Dustin Johnson | 175-1 | 30-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 110-1 | 80-1 | -110 | -120 |
| Gary Woodland | 175-1 | 33-1 | 13-1 | +550 | 150-1 | 100-1 | -105 | -125 |
| Davis Thompson | 200-1 | 22-1 | +900 | +425 | 150-1 | 80-1 | — | — |
| Mackenzie Hughes | 200-1 | 25-1 | +900 | +450 | 150-1 | 125-1 | -130 | +100 |
| Rasmus Højgaard | 200-1 | 25-1 | 10-1 | +450 | 150-1 | 125-1 | -130 | +100 |
| Tom Kim | 200-1 | 25-1 | 11-1 | +450 | 150-1 | 80-1 | -110 | -120 |
| Lucas Glover | 200-1 | 30-1 | 11-1 | +475 | 150-1 | 100-1 | -110 | -120 |
| Phil Mickelson | 200-1 | 50-1 | 20-1 | +750 | 175-1 | 125-1 | +150 | -200 |
| J.T. Poston | 225-1 | 20-1 | +800 | +375 | 110-1 | 90-1 | — | — |
| Thorbjørn Olesen | 225-1 | 22-1 | +800 | +400 | 110-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Ryan Gerard | 225-1 | 22-1 | +900 | +425 | 150-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Michael Kim | 225-1 | 25-1 | +900 | +425 | 150-1 | 100-1 | — | — |
| Brian Harman | 225-1 | 25-1 | +900 | +425 | 110-1 | 80-1 | — | — |
| Bud Cauley | 225-1 | 25-1 | +900 | +425 | 150-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Max Greyserman | 225-1 | 25-1 | 10-1 | +450 | 150-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Thomas Detry | 225-1 | 25-1 | 11-1 | +475 | 150-1 | 125-1 | -120 | -110 |
| Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen | 250-1 | 25-1 | 10-1 | +450 | 150-1 | 150-1 | — | — |
| Stephan Jaeger | 250-1 | 30-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 200-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Cam Davis | 250-1 | 40-1 | 18-1 | +700 | 250-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Matt Wallace | 275-1 | 25-1 | 10-1 | +450 | 150-1 | 125-1 | — | — |
| Matt McCarty | 275-1 | 30-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 150-1 | 200-1 | — | — |
| Jordan Smith | 300-1 | 30-1 | 11-1 | +475 | 200-1 | 150-1 | — | — |
| Sam Stevens | 300-1 | 30-1 | 12-1 | +475 | 200-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Tom Hoge | 300-1 | 30-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 200-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Christiaan Bezuidenhout | 300-1 | 33-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 200-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Emiliano Grillo | 300-1 | 33-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 250-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Victor Perez | 300-1 | 40-1 | 15-1 | +550 | 300-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Davis Riley | 300-1 | 40-1 | 15-1 | +600 | 200-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Jhonattan Vegas | 300-1 | 40-1 | 15-1 | +600 | 250-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Niklas Norgaard Moller | 300-1 | 40-1 | 18-1 | +650 | 250-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Erik van Rooyen | 350-1 | 40-1 | 15-1 | +600 | 250-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Jacob Bridgeman | 400-1 | 40-1 | 15-1 | +550 | 250-1 | 150-1 | ||
| Chris Kirk | 400-1 | 40-1 | 18-1 | +650 | 250-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Nico Echavarria | 400-1 | 40-1 | 18-1 | +700 | 300-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Matthieu Pavon | 400-1 | 50-1 | 20-1 | +750 | 250-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Matthew Jordan | 400-1 | 60-1 | 25-1 | +900 | 400-1 | 250-1 | ||
| John Keefer | 500-1 | 33-1 | 13-1 | +550 | 200-1 | 200-1 | ||
| Laurie Canter | 500-1 | 50-1 | 20-1 | +700 | 350-1 | 250-1 | ||
| Joe Highsmith | 500-1 | 60-1 | 30-1 | +900 | 500-1 | 300-1 | ||
| Richard Bland | 600-1 | 40-1 | 18-1 | +650 | 300-1 | 250-1 | ||
| Justin Lower | 750-1 | 50-1 | 25-1 | +800 | 400-1 | 400-1 | ||
| Thriston Lawrence | 750-1 | 75-1 | 40-1 | 12-1 | 750-1 | 400-1 | ||
| Nick Dunlap | 750-1 | 100-1 | 50-1 | 22-1 | 600-1 | 400-1 | ||
| Jose Luis Ballester | 750-1 | — | — | — | — | 400-1 | ||
| Brian Campbell | 1000-1 | 66-1 | 33-1 | 11-1 | 600-1 | 500-1 | ||
| Guido Migliozzi | 1000-1 | 75-1 | 40-1 | 13-1 | 750-1 | 300-1 | ||
| Adam Schenk | 1500-1 | 100-1 | 50-1 | 20-1 | — | 400-1 | ||
| Justin Hastings | 1500-1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Evan Beck | 2000-1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Justin Hicks | 2500-1 | 250-1 | 250-1 | 100-1 | 750-1 | 2000-1 | ||
| Noah Kent | 2500-1 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| Eric Cole | — | 33-1 | 12-1 | +500 | 150-1 | — | ||
| Takumi Kanaya | — | 50-1 | 22-1 | +750 | 350-1 | — |