The 126th U.S. Open is underway at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in eastern Long Island, hosting the tournament for the sixth time in its history and the fifth time in the modern era. Known for its challenging, wind-swept links-style layout, Shinnecock Hills has long been regarded as one of the sternest major championship tests in golf.

Historically, this venue has presented difficult scoring conditions. Across five previous U.S. Opens held at Shinnecock (1896, 1986, 1995, 2004 and 2018), only three players have broken par for the 72-hole tournament. Champions such as Raymond Floyd (1986), Retief Goosen (2004), and Brooks Koepka (2018) navigated the demanding course to victory, with Koepka’s 2018 win marking back-to-back U.S. Open titles, a feat not accomplished since Curtis Strange in the late 1980s. The course’s difficulty was on full display in 2004 when tournament officials had to halt play to water the rock-hard seventh green, and again in 2018 when Phil Mickelson famously putted his own moving ball on the 13th green in protest of the USGA’s setup.

This week’s field features many of golf’s top-ranked players, including World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, who is pursuing his first U.S. Open title to complete the career Grand Slam following his British Open victory last year. World No. 2 Rory McIlroy, recently crowned Masters champion for the second consecutive year, is also among the favorites. Defending champion J.J. Spaun, who secured a dramatic win at Oakmont in 2025 with a long birdie putt, returns to defend his title. Other notable competitors include 2026 PGA Champion Aaron Rai, two-time U.S. Open winner Bryson DeChambeau, and Jon Rahm, a former Open champion now competing after joining LIV Golf. Local interest is represented by Westchester’s Cam Young, ranked third in the world and winner of the Players Championship this year, and Jersey Shore native Chris Gotterup, ranked eleventh globally with three wins over the past two years.

Tournament officials from the United States Golf Association (USGA) stressed their commitment to learning from past challenges at Shinnecock. This year’s course setup is planned to progressively escalate in difficulty as the week unfolds, rather than presenting the maximum challenge from the outset, with fairways broader than in 2018 and anticipated green speeds slightly slower to balance firmness with playability. Water management and adapting to the coastal winds remain critical components of the course’s maintenance, given its sandy soil and exposure to weather from nearby bodies of water including Peconic Bay and the Atlantic Ocean.

Players have expressed respect and admiration for Shinnecock. Many appreciate its natural beauty and strategic demands, emphasizing precision and patience over brute force. Rory McIlroy described the course as “one of the best championship tests” if set up correctly, while Adam Scott and Keegan Bradley cautioned against overcomplicating the layout, urging the USGA to preserve the course’s intrinsic challenge rather than “tricking it up.”

Among the contenders praised for their ability to handle Shinnecock’s demands are Tommy Fleetwood, a runner-up at the 2018 U.S. Open there, Tyrrell Hatton, who has consistently performed well in majors, and Jason Day, known for his short game and steady play in U.S. Open conditions. Patrick Reed is also noted as a potential top-10 finisher given his history of strong finishes in major championships and skill on courses favoring precision.

As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on how players manage the evolving conditions and whether Shinnecock Hills once again lives up to its reputation as a venue that rigorously tests the world’s best golfers.