The 122nd U.S. Open, the third men’s Major Championship of the 2022 DP World Tour season, returns to The Country Club in Brookline this week for the first time in 34 years. Here are your five things to know.
Rahm defends
Jon Rahm produced a birdie-birdie finish to record a final-round 67 and claim his first Major victory at Torrey Pines last year.
He became the first Spaniard to win the U.S. Open in the process and fourth player from his country to win one of golf’s four Majors after the late great Seve Ballesteros, José María Olazábal and Sergio Garcia.
Seven players have successfully defended the U.S. Open title in the competition’s history, while Ben Hogan, Curtis Strange and Brooks Koepka are the only three players to have done so since World War II.
Rahm won the 14th professional title of his career at the Mexico Open on the PGA TOUR at the start of May and recorded a top ten finish at the Memorial Tournament in the 27-year-old’s only appearance since last month’s US PGA Championship.
Familiar ground for Fitzpatrick
Matt Fitzpatrick arrives at Brookline seeking his first Major full of confidence after maintaining his fine recent form with a top ten finish at last week’s Canadian Open on the PGA TOUR.
The Country Club holds fond memories for Fitzpatrick, who became the first Englishman to win the U.S. Amateur Championship since 1911 when he beat Australia’s Oliver Goss in a 36-hole play-off at The Country Club in 2013.
Fitzpatrick, now 27 years old, has secured seven DP World Tour titles which has seen him win on the same course on two occasions – at the Omega European Masters and DP World Tour Championship.
After being in contention for a Major breakthrough at the US PGA Championship, when he played in the final pairing on the last day before finishing in a share of fifth, could this be the moment for Fitzpatrick to land the biggest win of his career?
History suggests a play-off beckons
The Country Club is remembered for being the host venue of the 1999 Ryder Cup, otherwise known as the ‘Battle of Brookline’, when Team USA overturned a four-point deficit going into the singles to regain the trophy.
This week is the fourth occasion the U.S. Open will be staged at the Massachusetts course, having previously staged the second oldest of the men’s Major golf tournaments in 1913, 1963 and 1988.
On each of those previous three occasions, the winner has been decided by a play-off.
American Francis Ouimet beat British duo Harry Vardon and Ted Ray in an 18-hole play-off to become the first amateur to win the event in 1913. Julius Boros later won his second U.S. Open title after overcoming Arnold Palmer and Jacky Cupit, while Strange beat Nick Faldo to win the first of his back-to-back titles in 1988.
Will youth trump experience on Major scene again?
Justin Thomas continued a trend of Major Championship winners being aged under 30 with his play-off victory over fellow American Will Zalatoris at the US PGA Championship.
The last four Majors have all been won by players in their 20s, dating back to Rahm’s triumph last year, while seven of the last nine champions since Shane Lowry won the 2019 Open Championship at Royal Portrush have all been in that age range.
Of the current top ten in the Official World Golf Rankings, only four-time Major champion Rory McIlroy, who successfully defended the Canadian Open title he won in 2019 on Sunday, is aged above 30.
It remains to be seen whether youth triumphs once again or if experience prevails this time around.
Debuts abound
Eight DP World Tour members will make their first U.S. Open appearance on the Open Course this week after earning their exemptions via various routes.
Kalle Samooja, who won his maiden Tour title at the Porsche European Open earlier this month, Wil Besseling, Yannik Paul, Richard Mansell and Marcel Schneider all secured their spots in the 156-player field by finishing in the top 10 aggregate point earners, not otherwise exempt, in the four-event 2022 European Qualifying Series.
The quintet of players are joined by Seamus Power and Min Woo Lee, who are making their first appearance at a Major Championship for the third time this year after earning their places in the field by virtue of being among inside the top 60 in the Official World Golf Ranking as of May 23.
Also set for a debut is former Challenge Tour graduate Sean Crocker after the 25-year-old American earned his first U.S. Open start by posting 11-under in final qualifying at River Oaks and Lakewood country clubs in Dallas, Texas.
