Every Wednesday, SI Golf will rank nine newsmakers from the golf world. Sometimes we'll cast a wide net. Tell us what you think on the SI Golf X account.
1. Rory McIlroy: At last week’s RBC Canadian Open, the world No. 2 missed his second cut since the 2023 Masters. Surprisingly, he met the media afterward and disclosed that his search for a new, comfortable driver is a concern heading into the U.S. Open. Then he met the media again Tuesday at Oakmont, revealing he has chosen a new driver, but declined to say what model it is. He also said he’s not sure what his motivation is after winning the Masters, and that he shot 81 in a practice round last week at Oakmont. A bevy of headlines for us scribes.
2. Ryan Fox: With less than a day until the U.S. Open tees off, it’s possible you forgot about the RBC Canadian Open, or weren’t part of the 2.3 million that tuned in on Sunday. But remember, this is a Wednesday-to-Wednesday column. The New Zealander captured his second Tour victory in as many months in a “pillow fight,” four-hole playoff with a 3-wood that he called the best shot he ever hit. Because of that shot, he’s teeing it up at Oakmont.
3. Phil Mickelson: It’s possible the six-time major winner, who holed an unreal flop shot on Sunday, could be higher on this list. Last week, the 54-year-old revealed that this U.S. Open could be his last, with his exemption running out. Of course, he needs to win a USO to complete the career Grand Slam, and has had several near-misses in the championship. For the majority of his career, it was expected that his swan song in our national championship would be a celebration, and/or the USGA would grant him a special exemption if he needed one, as was the case in 2021 before he won the PGA Championship. But with his move to LIV and comments regarding Saudi Arabia’s contentious human rights record leaving a major blemish on his legacy, many are glad to see him ride quietly into the night. He’ll still be at the Masters and PGA for life, though.
4. Sam Burns: He shot a final-round 62 in Canada to get into a playoff with Fox, but the five-time winner’s short game and putting were horrid (he missed a 5-footer for the win on the first playoff hole) in OT. He would likely have rather had a backdoor runner-up instead of waiting two hours to see if anyone forces a playoff, and then playing the 18th hole an extra four times, delaying his U.S. Open arrival.
5. Bryson DeChambeau: Asked about his expiring LIV deal Tuesday at Oakmont, the two-time U.S. Open winner said he’ll be heading to the negotiating table and hopes to “come to some sort of resolution” with LIV. He added that he believes the Saudi-backed circuit is here to stay, claiming “our team has been EBITDA positive for the past two years.” Did you have to Google what that means? You’re not alone.
6. Cam Crawford: You have no idea who this is, right? He’s in fact the RBC Canadian Open tournament director. And after two holes of the lackluster Fox-Burns playoff, they made a head-scratching, never-before-seen decision to change the hole location on TPC Toronto’s closing par-5. In the CBS broadcast booth on Sunday, Crawford said, “We want to provide a little dynamic to the players, to the audience.” However, it didn’t really spice anything up or shorten the playoff, but it caused a stir on social media. On top of that, there were reports of an atrocious parking situation, and Joel Dahmen said they ran out of food in player dining on Thursday. Not good.
7. Matt Vogt: He’s the U.S. Open’s Cinderella story, regardless of how he fares this week. A 34-year-old dentist who quit college golf and caddied at Oakmont growing up. We’ll spare you all the details in a short blurb; you can read more about his story here.
8. Cam Young: Arguably the best player on Tour without a victory, he needed a birdie on the 72nd hole to get into the playoff in Canada. Instead, he flew the green with a 3-wood from the fairway en route to a brutal bogey. Afterward, he spoke to the press in anger, despite being someone who usually seems apathetic towards the media. But he did what he had to do. Every player should take notes.
9. Jennifer Kupcho: After “completely” losing her swing and not knowing “where the ball was going,” just two months ago, the major champion won the ShopRite LPGA Classic with a birdie on the last for her fourth LPGA title and first since 2022. Golf is a strange game.
Also considered: Jon Rahm, Scottie Scheffler, Dustin Johnson, Joaquín Niemann, Ilhee Lee, Jason Day, Sam Flood
This article was originally published on www.si.com as Power Nine: Rory, Phil, Bryson and the Cinderella Story of This U.S. Open.
