SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — If the PGA Championship proved anything, it’s that in today’s star-studded golf landscape, virtually anyone can look like the best player in the world for one week. At Aronimink Golf Club, Aaron Rai did exactly that, breaking through at the season’s second major after competing in an alternate-field event opposite a signature tournament just one week earlier.
That same kind of surprise could unfold again at Shinnecock Hills, where the U.S. Open has a long history of producing champions who weren’t necessarily at the top of every contender list. Last year, J.J. Spaun stunned the golf world with a memorable birdie on the 72nd hole at Oakmont Country Club. Two years before that, Wyndham Clark held off popular contenders Rory McIlroy and Rickie Fowler at Los Angeles Country Club during a week defined by unusually low scoring.
Of course, the biggest names remain difficult to ignore. World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler appears poised to contend for the career Grand Slam on Sunday, which also happens to be the championship’s final round, Father’s Day and his 30th birthday. McIlroy has been in the mix at nearly every U.S. Open since his last appearance at Shinnecock in 2018, even if he hasn’t added another title. Xander Schauffele has never finished worse than 15th in this major, while Matt Fitzpatrick enters the week with more victories this season than anyone else in the field.
So while the usual headliners are expected to be in the thick of the action late Sunday, the U.S. Open rarely passes without at least one unexpected challenger. More often than not, those surprises don’t just hang around — they outperform both the projections and the field itself.
Below is a look at nine golfers who could be the one lifting the trophy at Shinnecock Hills on Sunday. You can also find a full set of U.S. Open picks and expert predictions from the CBS Sports staff before the tournament begins, along with a complete U.S. Open TV schedule and coverage guide for the week.
2026 U.S. Open predictions, favorites to win
Odds via FanDuel Sportsbook
Who will win the 2026 U.S. Open, and which longshots will stun the golfing world? Visit SportsLine now to see the projected leaderboard, all from the model that’s nailed 17 golf majors heading into the weekend, including the past five Masters, and find out.
