The post Tour Confidential: Unpacking Wyndham Clark’s wire-to-wire U.S. Open win at Shinnecock appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: Unpacking Wyndham Clark’s wire-to-wire U.S. Open win at Shinnecock appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Wyndham Clark’s U.S. Open win, the week at Shinnecock and more.

Wyndham Clark won the 126th U.S. Open, taking a commanding six-stroke lead into the final round and ultimately besting Sam Burns by one stroke at Shinnecock Hills. How did Wyndham run away from the field so easily the first three days and then hang on, even when it looked grim, on Sunday?

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Clark’s putting was deadly all week. But in those opening rounds, he himself said that the driver was key, that when the big stick is going well, he’s tough to beat. It probably helped that Shinnecock, like Los Angeles CC before it, was set up with wide fairways. Clark found a lot of short grass in those opening rounds. And then, when his tee-to-green game got sloppy in the closing rounds, his putter remained en fuego. 

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): He had a red-hot putter, got some fortunate breaks when he hit it astray, and hit some seriously impressive shots when things got tight. Winning wire-to-wire is always impressive, but to do it in U.S. Open conditions at Shinnecock is on another level. 

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): He took advantage of the good end of the wind draw on Thursday, and did the same late Saturday when it died down. He built his lead that way and then leaned on a ridiculously clutch putter to bail him out when needed. To win a U.S. Open, especially wire-to-wire at Shinnecock, you’re going to need everything working in your favor; that includes making a number of par and bogey saves. Wyndham did just enough to keep the train on the tracks on Sunday and get it in the house. 

Due to some past unsavory headlines — a rules controversy, club-throwing incident and damaging an Oakmont locker — Clark has had to work to reshape his image. Although some argue lots of golfers have tempers. Do you think the criticism of Clark is fair? And will this help turn it around?

Sens: It’s one thing to have a temper. It’s another to trash someone else’s property. Clark earned his reputation. He acted like a toddler on more than one occasion. But this week, he said and did all the right things, and he was gritty as all get out when it mattered. Sports fans like that, and I’m sure Clark earned some admirers along the way. Whether he’s actually changed, who knows? But since when has the American public ever demanded that its celebrities/athletes actually be the people they present themselves to be?

Melton: The criticisms after locker-gate are definitely fair, especially considering his lack of accountability and passive apologies. But in the world of sports, winning cures everything, and adding another trophy to his resume won’t hurt.

Schrock: How do we define fair? Sports and sports fans, by and large, are not rational or fair. Golf has lacked villains since most of them left for LIV, and if Clark can somewhat fill that void, then that’s good for the sport. It wasn’t just about him smashing a locker or almost hitting a volunteer with a driver at the PGA or mashing the grass down behind the ball at the API. It’s all of it. The fans went a little overboard cheering against him Sunday. But fans don’t like runaway winners, for the most part. They either want drama or a massive win from a superstar. Add in Clark’s transgressions, and you get a guy who isn’t exactly a fan favorite and a New York crowd that will try and will a train wreck into existence. Will a wire-to-wire win at Shinnecock help change that? Does it really matter? Probably not. 

Scottie Scheffler, who turned 30 on Sunday, came up short in his first attempt at the career Grand Slam. What gives you optimism he won’t have to wait long to complete the slam, and what gives you pause?

Sens: The only thing that gives me pause is that it’s very hard to win majors. Beyond that, nothing. He’s the best player in the world. He’s healthy. And unlike some other generational talents, he does not seem prone to sabotaging himself on or off the course. If it’s not next year, it will be soon enough.

Melton: He’s got the highest floor of any player in the game, and even when he’s got his C+ game (like he did this week), he keeps himself in contention. It’s only a matter of time before he knocks one off.

Schrock: He’s just always around the top of the leaderboard. He hasn’t had his A game all year and is always in the mix on Sunday. As long as he continues to have the highest floor in golf, he’ll have more chances to get this done. But while we can all sit here and say that Scheffler should have many more chances to win the career Grand Slam, sometimes things aren’t that neat. We don’t know what the future holds, where his game will be at each time this tournament comes around, whether or not he’ll get the bad side of a draw here or an unlucky bounce there. These opportunities actually don’t happen all the time. It felt like Sunday was a big missed opportunity. 

Joaquin Niemann received a two-shot penalty for throwing a golf club during his first round at Shinnecock Hills. No video has surfaced, although The Athletic reported Niemann was angry he didn’t get free relief from fire ants after hitting two balls out of bounds, kicked a flag used to mark his ball and some nearby sand before throwing his club approximately 50 yards. The penalty falls under a new code of conduct policy to police such things. But without any video, do you think the penalty was too severe? Why not just a warning?

Sens: Let’s not fall into the Instagram-era trap of thinking that if it wasn’t captured on video, it didn’t happen. Clearly, there were witnesses, and Niemann didn’t deny what he did. If anything, he should be happy the rules didn’t call for him to be booted from the tournament.

Melton: The act must have been particularly egregious to warrant a penalty without prior warnings. Unfortunately, without any video evidence, we’ll never know exactly what happened. 

Schrock: I don’t have a problem with the penalty as much as I do with the arbitrary nature in which it’s given out. Niemann didn’t deny any of the reported parts of the incident. On Sunday, he joked it was a pretty good throw while also saying he felt the USGA was being intentionally harsh on him. Frustration happens, but there has to be a line. The problem is that we don’t have a clear idea of where that line is and what constitutes crossing it. Jon Rahm drop-kicked his driver down the fairway without penalty. Niemann threw his club away from people and got dinged two strokes. I think the way punishments are given out and the lack of transparency about why they are or aren’t given is a bigger issue than Niemann’s individual incident. 

Features

How the heir to a U.S. Open dynasty found his legacy on a Sony camcorder

By: James Colgan

What was your most memorable takeaway from the 126th U.S. Open?

Sens: That as tough as Shinnecock is to play, it might be even tougher to set up. A lot of agony and effort went into getting this one right, both in maintenance practices and in public communications about the conditions. No one wanted the course to become the story. But to some extent, it became anyway. To the point where I heard a superintendent say that if it takes so much sweat and stress to get the course right, it might not be a suitable modern U.S. Open venue.

Melton: That even when Shinnecock is “easy,” it’s still damn hard. With all the complaining we saw on social media, you’d think the winning score was 30 under! Despite being gettable, only three players finished the week in the red. What a test that place presents. 

Schrock: Going to go off the wall here. With Wyndham putting the tournament in a chokehold from basically Thursday evening on, my biggest takeaway is what a bad time it was for LIV to have a dud of a week. As the league pitches outside investors to get money to exist in 2027, its two biggest stars completely no-showed from the good side of the draw. The 78 Jon Rahm shot on Friday was shocking and Bryson DeChambeau quickly exited the proceedings on Friday morning. Bad time to have a bad week. 

Who won the week without winning the week?

Sens: Tom Kim. He qualified his way in, then guaranteed himself a spot in next year’s U.S. Open. Not bad for a guy who’d all but vanished from the radar.

Melton: Keith Mitchell. He opened the tournament with a 41 on his opening nine, bounced back with a 29 coming home, and then turned in three more rounds of level-par play. Pretty solid week, I’d say.

Schrock: Jackson Koivun and Miles Russell. The future of U.S. golf both made the cut and played the weekend together for both rounds. Koivun, who will now turn pro, tied for low amateur, and Russell, who is 17 (!), acquitted himself much better than a number of golf’s big names. The future is bright. Put them out first at Adare Manor, Furyk. 

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The post Will Scheffler (or anyone) catch Wyndham Clark on U.S. Open Sunday? appeared first on Golf.

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Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock, we’ll hit one key topic each night.

Wyndham Clark leads by six with 18 holes to play at Shinnecock Hills. Scottie Scheffler, Tom Kim, Sahith Theegala and Sam Stevens are all tied for second at one under. Clark and Scheffler make up Sunday’s final pairing. But will Scottie — or anyone — catch Wyndham come Sunday?

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I’d love to say that Scottie or someone else can go low on Sunday and Clark will stumble to give us some Father’s Day drama, but everything points to this being more 2014 U.S. Open than 1996 Masters. Anything can happen on a Sunday at Shinnecock. A 73 from Clark and a 67 from Scheffler gets us to a playoff. On paper, that’s doable. But I don’t think it’ll be reality. Despite some shaky iron play on Saturday, Wyndham Clark is playing the best golf. He has taken advantage of the times the wind has been down and wiggled his way out of almost every jam he has found himself in. Maybe he gets hit in the face early Sunday and collapses, but I don’t think that’s going to be the story of the 2026 U.S. Open. Clark wins by 4.

Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): My brother texted me this morning looking for some, ahem, gaming advice for the weekend rounds at Shinny. “Hard not like to Wyndo,” I typed. “Lights out last 4 starts. Going to be v hard to catch in these conditions. Could win by 7 tbh.”

“That ain’t happening,” he replied. 

He was right: Clark could win by 10. It’s oh-vah.

Nick Pastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Someone could. But they won’t. I picked Clark at the start of the week. I’m sticking with it. He’s been in good form for a while now, and this week, he’s been excellent across the bag. Sunday, he shoots a 72 and wins by three.  

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): A bogey/birdie exchange on the opening hole trims the lead to four. By the turn, Scheffler is two down. And by day’s end, he’s celebrating his birthday by completing the career Grand Slam. Probably not. But that would be wild. For that reason, I’m sticking with it. Plus, who wants to read a roundtable where everyone agrees? 

The post Will Scheffler (or anyone) catch Wyndham Clark on U.S. Open Sunday? appeared first on Golf.

The post What’s the biggest U.S. Open surprise after 36 holes at Shinnecock? appeared first on Golf.

The post What’s the biggest U.S. Open surprise after 36 holes at Shinnecock? appeared first on Golf.

Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock, we’ll hit one key topic each night.

After Day 2 of the U.S. Open, Wyndham Clark remains atop the leaderboard, racing out to a four-stroke lead through 36 holes, while major winners like Matt Fitzpatrick, Xander Schauffele, Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas are firmly in the hunt. At the opposite end of the leaderboard, stars such as Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau and Brooks Koepka all failed to survive the four-over cut. As we head into the weekend, what has surprised you most at Shinnecock thus far?

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): I’ll take the low-hanging fruit here. I did not expect Wyndham Clark to hold a four-shot lead at the 36-hole mark. But maybe I should have given him more credit! He is, after all, a recent champion, after winning the 2023 edition in Los Angeles. And he’s been trending of late, with a win, a solo third and a T11 in his last three starts. So given those stats, his lead really shouldn’t be all that surprising — but Wyndham doesn’t strike me as a player who will consistently contend on the biggest stages. If he notches another U.S. Open win this weekend though, that will make a huge statement.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Harry Higgs, but not so much for his play, though it is surprising considering his recent form (six PGA Tour starts this season and six missed cuts, and four missed cuts in nine starts on the Korn Ferry Tour). I’m not sure I’ve heard a more honest and open press conference afterward. He talked about being confident. He talked about quitting. He talked about forgetting his pants. Do yourself a favor and listen to it.  

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): Watching someone take it that deep into red at Shinnecock – where only three players have ever finished under par in a U.S. Open — was unexpected for sure. But maybe more surprising was watching Jon Rahm implode on Friday. I did not have him ballooning to a 78 on my bingo card, especially after he played his opening round a full 10 shots better.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): This may sound silly to say about someone who is leading a tournament by four at the halfway point, but I think Wyndham’s score is slightly better than his actual play has been. He got a couple of good breaks with some wayward drives (it seems the bigger misses are less penalized than the thick rough right off the fairway) and he drained some long putts. That said, you gotta put the ball in the hole. And he’s done it the best so far. Another surprise? Besides Tom Kim having his best week of his season out of nowhere (he’s T2) it has to be Jon Rahm missing the cut. I heard lots of buzz surrounding him this week and now he’s leaving early after shooting 10 shots higher on Friday.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): How about the fact that 10(!) players are under par through two rounds? In the four previous U.S. Opens at Shinnecock, only three players total broke par. I expect the course to firm up and play tougher over the weekend, but I don’t know that anyone thought we’d see this much red on the board at the halfway point.

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The post Which stars stick around at the U.S. Open? And which fade? appeared first on Golf.

The post Which stars stick around at the U.S. Open? And which fade? appeared first on Golf.

Check in to GOLF’s Tour Confidential every Sunday night for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock, we’ll hit one key topic each night.

A ton of stars are atop the leaderboard after one day at the U.S. Open, although 50 players still have some holes remaining to complete their first round. Wyndham Clark leads at six under (thru 16), while marquee names like Matt Fitzpatrick, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland and Jon Rahm are all two under, and Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg at one under. Who are you most confident sticks around (among these players or others), and who do you think doesn’t?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh Berhow): Matt Fitzpatrick started slowly but isn’t going anywhere. He’s hit a bunch of greens so far (12 of 16) and is putting well, and he’s a guy who is favored under tough, U.S. Open conditions. On the other hand, I don’t think DJ will stick around. He made a messy double bogey on his last hole before the horn blew, and he just hasn’t contended in a major in a while. It would make for a much better tournament if he were in the mix, but recent results haven’t given me much optimism.

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): People may not love to hear it, but the last time Wyndham Clark’s form was this good was … the summer of 2023, when he won the U.S. Open. I think he’ll ball-strike his way around Shinny and stay in contention. It’s just a matter of how hot that putter can stay when these green speeds increase across the weekend.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Clark. He’s found something — win last month at the Byron Nelson, third earlier this month at the Memorial, a tie for 11th last week at the Canadian Open. Six-under here is seriously good golf, and I don’t see that disappearing. As for who fades, I imagine everyone will say Ryder Cowan, the 21-year-old amateur — but I like dude’s personality, and I hope we see a bit more.   

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): I see all of those players sticking around other than DJ, who will fade when he remembers that he’d rather be sunbathing on his yacht. I like Henley to stay around as well—straight hitter, great putter — and it’s not going out on a limb to say that Scheffler will put himself in the mix.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): As much as I would love to see DJ stick around, I just don’t see him sustaining this pace over four rounds. He hasn’t top-10’d in a major since 2023, and he hasn’t won on LIV in over two years. As for who sticks around: I don’t think Rory, Rahm or Fitz are going anywhere. Even if the conditions get tough, those guys are battle-tested enough to stay in the mix.

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The post Tour Confidential: U.S. Open favorites, storylines, Scottie vs. Rory and more appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: U.S. Open favorites, storylines, Scottie vs. Rory and more appeared first on Golf.

Welcome to U.S. Open week, where we’re heading to Shinnecock Hills on Long Island for the sixth time in the history of golf’s national championship. What’s your biggest U.S. Open storyline you can’t wait to see unfold?

James Colgan, news and features editor (@jamescolgan26): I love Shinnecock, and I love that the U.S. Open goes there even though it makes no earthly sense, logistically speaking. I can’t wait to learn from the best golfers alive why it is so different from the rest of the golf courses they play every year. Normally, I’m not a course guy, but here I am.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): Can Scottie Scheffler complete the career grand slam? It would be quite the achievement if he can get it done before turning 30. I can’t wait to see him tackle Shinnecock.

Jack Hirsh, associate equipment editor (@JR_HIRSHey): I’m with Zephyr on this one. Scottie Scheffler’s first crack at the career grand slam trumps all. But we were given a U.S. Open eve surprise Sunday morning with the WD of Brooks Koepka in Canada. We wish Brooks a speedy recovery, and we’re awaiting news on what it means for his U.S. Open availability. But he was a big storyline before the injury news arose, coming into Shinnecock with trending form and holding the belt as the 2018 U.S. Open winner at Shinnecock.

The top-ranked players in the world, Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy, haven’t finished outside the top 20 in a tournament since March (both at the Players). How does Shinnecock Hills set up for them? And who are you picking to have the better week?

Colgan: I’d think it sets up very well for both of them, particularly considering Scheffler and McIlroy are two of the best iron players alive. Shinnecock has been altered since its last U.S. Open — it is wider and more forgiving off the tee now — but it is no less difficult to shoot a good score. It seems these changes will make Shinnecock even more of a second-shot golf course than it was already, which is to say it will benefit those like Scheffler and McIlroy above the more pedestrian ball-strikers. If I were picking one of them, I’d lean toward Scheffler, just because he’s more accurate with the driver, and even a rare missed fairway this week could make the difference.

Melton: I’ll lean slightly toward Scottie on this one. As the best iron player in the world, the test Shinnecock presents should set up perfectly for his skillset. He seems to like the USGA setups for this championship, too, having finished inside the top 10 in all but one U.S. Open since he’s been out on Tour.

Hirsh: I think Scheffler is going to have the better week just because, as silly as it sounds, he’s due. He’s a machine in U.S. Opens even though he hasn’t recorded a win. What better place to do it than one of the most historic venues of the sport. He’s also been a top-5 machine this season but has just one win in his first start of the year.

For those unfamiliar with Shinneock Hills, why is it known as such a quality U.S. Open test? What does it demand from players and what are you watching for as soon as the tournament gets underway?

Colgan: As someone who played there in nonstop 35 mph winds a few weeks ago, I can answer this question from memory. What makes Shinnecock great is that there is nowhere to miss. The greens and fairways might be large, but the actual spaces that allow you to safely advance your ball are minuscule. When the course is playing firm and fast (which it will be), spin control and land movement will be at a premium. In other words, it’s freaking impossible in the best of conditions … and only a player with an otherworldly sense of accuracy and confidence will be able to survive a U.S. Open.

Melton: Having never stepped on property, I can’t give a very nuanced breakdown on why Shinnecock is great, but from the stories I’ve heard I can say this: It’s damn hard. Perfect for a U.S. Open.

Hirsh: James you played? How rude of you not to invite Zephyr and I.

The last time the tournament was played here, in 2018, Brooks Koepka beat Tommy Fleetwood by one to win his second straight U.S. Open. The leaderboard that year was stacked, too — guys like DJ, Reed, Finau, Hatton, Xander and Rose all finished in the top 10. Any learnings we can take from that tournament as we head into this week?

Colgan: Yeah, the lesson is that there probably won’t be a fluke winner here. Only the biggest of big dawgs will be in contention.

Melton: Famous last words, Jimmy. I hope you are correct! And for what we can expect? I’ll say it again: It’s gonna play hard.

Hirsh: My learning is that, amazing, all but two of those guys are legit contenders. Fleetwood is now a PGA Tour winner, Reed is in good form, albeit he’s played only the PGA since the Masters. Rose is having one of the best seasons of his career. Hatton and Schauffele need no explanation. The only question marks would be DJ and Koepka with his injury.

LIV Golf star Bryson DeChambeau hasn’t made a major cut this season. Does that change this week? Where does Bryson finish, and who are you picking for low LIV player?

Colgan: I don’t love how DeChambeau’s bomb-and-gauge strategy sets up for Shinnecock, especially after McIlroy and Scheffler indicated the wider-than-usual fairways have set up to make it extra penal on those who miss the fairway. I think Bryson is a shoe-in to make the cut, but I’m more skeptical on his odds at a third U.S. Open victory here given the setup.

Melton: I think he makes the cut, but I don’t think he’ll be a serious contender on the weekend. You’ve got to be firing on all cylinders to compete at a U.S. Open, and this year he just hasn’t been in that sort of form. 

Hirsh: I don’t think he makes the cut. I think he’s in his own head. I expect Jon Rahm to play well and finish as the low LIV player.

Bud Cauley won the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, although big-name players like Matt Fitzpatrick, Viktor Hovland, Tommy Fleetwood and Wyndham Clark all had solid weeks. How much U.S. Open stock are you putting in players trending in the proper direction right now, and who is the hottest player entering the week?

Colgan: Putting some stock in it! It’s funny how recent form can help avoid a Big Mistake at a major championship. And the U.S. Open feels like a place you’d like to avoid a Big Mistake.

Melton: Form is always nice, and no one has more of it right now than Wyndham Clark with a win, a top-three and another solid showing in Canada over the last several weeks. I’d keep an eye on him as we head to Shinnecock. 

Hirsh: Definitely putting stock in it. Speaking of Clark, he won the month before his breakthrough at the 2023 U.S. Open. Clark is hot again this year, but god it feels like Tommy Fleetwood could contend and get it done this week. Knocking on the door the last two weeks after a putter change — and clinging to one of the great major championship rounds we’ve seen anywhere in the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock. That would be an awesome win.

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The post Tour Confidential: What we learned from Nelly Korda’s breakthrough U.S. Women’s Open win appeared first on Golf.

The post Tour Confidential: What we learned from Nelly Korda’s breakthrough U.S. Women’s Open win appeared first on Golf.

Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, our writers unpack everything from Nelly Korda’s U.S. Women’s Open win at Riviera.

1. Nelly Korda continued her dominant 2026, winning the U.S. Women’s Open at Riviera for her fourth win of the season, fourth major title and, most importantly, first U.S. Women’s Open title. What did you learn about Nelly as she outlasted the field during a thrilling Sunday in LA?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): She’s continuing to do what is one of the hardest things to do in any sport, which is to win when everyone expects you to win. She’s now finished first or second in seven of her eight starts this season and has kept one really fun storyline — the season-long grand slam — alive for another few weeks. It’s just really impressive how she continued to plug along Sunday, kept hitting fairways and didn’t make any mistakes. That puts a ton of pressure on the people playing around you, as they know they have to make a move because it’s unlikely Nelly Korda will mess up. And it’s really difficult to make a lot of birdies in U.S. Opens.

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): I guess this isn’t “learned,” but maybe more confirmed — that she’s willing to reassess. In her press conference on Saturday night, Korda talked about a recent “mindset shift,” saying that “instead of saying, you know, I’m screwed in this position, oh, here we go again, I’m just going to embrace the challenges and I’m not going to walk off the golf course; I’m just going to figure it out.” It’s maybe a smaller thing, but clearly something has clicked, and the fact that she did the work here is impressive. 

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@Schrock_And_Awe): I don’t know if I learned anything new about Nelly Korda, but watching her navigate what was undoubtedly the scariest round of her life on Sunday showed me that she is exactly who a lot of us thought and hoped she’d be. Her talent was always undeniable, but winning Chevrons and KPMGs is different than winning a U.S. Women’s Open on a course like Riviera. Everything always pointed to this being her destiny, but even she admitted she had doubts it would ever arrive. There’s something rewarding about watching someone reach their destiny, and now we get to find out where it leads her.

2. Charley Hull put together a record-breaking weekend at Riviera, Gaby Lopez got hot late on Sunday and In Gee Chun hung around to keep the pressure on the contenders. What played a bigger part in making this one of the most memorable U.S. Women’s Opens in years: Some of the game’s biggest stars fighting down the stretch, or the famous stage that hosted the event? And how can women’s professional golf replicate it?

Berhow: You can have one and not the other and still produce good golf tournaments, but when they both come together it makes it must-watch TV, which is the goal for every major golf tournament. Korda and Hull are arguably the two most famous players in the women’s game, and I love how different they are. Charley is twitchy and aggressive with that fast-swing tempo while Nelly is just so smooth and methodical. It’s a great, friendly rivalry if we could see them atop leaderboards together more often, but what I really enjoyed was seeing how the women played Riviera versus what we see when the PGA Tour stops there. It’s a fabulous private course, but viewers at home can relate to it and appreciate it much better watching how the women play it.

Piastowski: I think they work hand in hand — great courses bring out great play, and subpar courses, well, you know the rest. This week also “felt” big, didn’t it? Prime time! L.A.! Riv! There’s history there. There are challenges. Hell, places like Riv just look cool. And when given a proper spotlight, more folks care — though we do have to talk about how the broadcast was just three hours on Sunday. I think this is the LPGA’s next step — secure more regular-season events at big-name courses. And yes, the majors should continue the recent trend of doing that. And, yes, somehow, someway, the women should be playing at Augusta National. 

Schrock: You need both, but I think Michelle Wie West nailed it pre-tourney when talking about the importance of the women playing the same courses as the men. It adds context and elevates everything. What really works is when we have the same venue host the men’s and women’s U.S. Open in the same year, like when Wie won at Pinehurst in 2014 after Martin Kaymer did. It’s incredibly important for the women to get to create their own moments on iconic holes and at golf’s cathedrals. The cream also tends to rise to the top at the cathedrals as it did this week and at St. Andrews in 2024. Venues matter. 

3. What’s your final takeaway from U.S. Women’s Open week?

Berhow: Nelly is really good and will dominate the conversation later this month at the KPMG Women’s PGA — as she tries to make it three in a row — but another storyline is starting to emerge as well: Charley Hull now has five runner-up major finishes without a win. Her last three: T2, T10, T2. She’s gotta break through at some point.

Schrock: We’re entering the summer of Nelly. She’ll dominate KPMG week but also will arrive at the Evian with a chance to win the LPGA Grand Slam (four of five) and also have a chance to do so at the AIG Women’s Open. If she wins both, she gets what Lydia Ko, and other ball knowers, would call the real career Grand Slam. And she’s about to kick down the door to the Hall of Fame. It’s all Nelly, but the biggest question is: Can the LPGA capitalize on a moment that feels much bigger than Nelly’s run in 2024?

Piastowski: That we’re watching a historic run. And, as Schrock said, above, the LPGA powers-that-be must capitalize on it. 

4. With the Saudi PIF no longer funding LIV Golf beyond this season, the league is in search of investors. A couple of weeks ago, Bryson DeChambeau said he’s “giving all I can to make it happen” in terms of potential investments but admitted his role as a player might be limited. Meanwhile, Jon Rahm said this past week he knows little about the business side of things and his “job is to play golf.” Should LIV’s stars feel obligated to help keep LIV afloat? Do they hold much power?

Berhow: Noooo. I mean, yes, if they have wealthy investors in their Rolodex, sure, reach out to them. But Rahm should not be scrutinized for his comments — he’s right. His job is to play. I’m sure promises were made to him when he joined the league, and I would assume one was never to help them find future funding in a few years. That’s why they pay the execs the big bucks.

Schrock: No. If you really, really want to help keep the league alive because you believe in team golf or want some place to play that isn’t the PGA Tour, then by all means, go for it. But I think Rahm has the right idea. Play golf and see what happens when the dust settles.

Piastowski: Maybe. If DeChambeau and Rahm tell whomever that they’ll be playing LIV Golf for the next decade and that they’ll work on bringing in other stars in, that’s a pretty good pitch. But yes, at the end of the day, the product is golf, so the golfers should play compelling golf. 

5. We had all sorts of good golf over the weekend (in Spain, California, Ohio and elsewhere), but who won the weekend without winning on Sunday?

Berhow: Hmmmm. J.T. Poston, Memorial winner, can now skip U.S. Open Final Qualifying on Monday so he has to be psyched, but that doesn’t answer the question. How about Kiara Romero? A 20-year-old amateur just tied for sixth at the biggest professional women’s golf tournament on the planet. That’s pretty good! (Oh, and honorable mention: Maria José Marin, another amateur, tied for 8th.)

Schrock: Four amateurs — Romero, Marin, Asterisk Talley and Aphrodite Deng — all acquitted themselves well at Riviera. Talley made U.S. Women’s Open history with her Saturday 66, and Romero took home low-am honors (Go Ducks!). The future of women’s golf is in great hands.

Piastowski: We all did, right? What a weekend. Here’s your pass to take off on Monday.

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, our writers look ahead to the U.S. Women’s Open and discuss the most important parts of the PGA Tour’s long-term schedule.

The 81st U.S. Women’s Open kicks off Thursday at Riviera with lots of intrigue surrounding the championship. It’s the first time the tournament has been held at the historic Los Angeles course, and the top player, Nelly Korda, enters playing some of the best golf of her career. Is this the best chance she’s ever had to win a U.S. Women’s Open?

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): She might have had more pressure on her at the 2024 U.S. Women’s Open, since she entered it coming off a victory that was a part of a stretch that included six wins in seven starts. But she somehow shot 80 and missed the cut — and then missed cuts in her next two tournaments. Although this season is starting to look a lot like that dominance we saw two years ago, where she won seven times in 16 starts. In seven events this year she’s won three and finished as the runner-up three other times. Her last start she tied for 8th, which is her worst of the season! She’s more consistent this season, and plus, that 2024 U.S. Women’s Open disaster can now be chalked up to a learning experience. That could help her this week. I also think Riviera suits her game well.

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): It’s pretty wild that Nelly doesn’t have a USWO title to her name at this point in her career. With her length and ball-striking prowess, the sorts of setups the USGA likes to present should play right into her hands. She’ll certainly be the favorite to hoist the trophy Sunday night, but the mental battle will be as difficult as the physical one. With how she’s playing this year, it would be surprising if she isn’t the winner, but as we saw at Lancaster in 2024, anything can happen.

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Alan Bastable, executive editor (@alan_bastable): Thing is, she has been so much more dominant this year than in 2024. Her strokes gained in ’24: 2.86. This year through seven starts: 4.03! A nearly 1.2-shot differential! Stunning stuff. She’s also 10 yards longer off the tee than she was two years ago. Her only bugaboo, relatively speaking, is her putting. If she can find a way to get hot on the greens at Riv, this thing could be over in a hurry.

While Korda’s quest for her fourth major title will be the big talker, there are plenty of other good storylines at the U.S. Women’s Open. What’s one of your favorites?

Berhow: Whether it’s top-ranked Kiara Romero, defending Augusta National Women’s Amateur champ Maria Jose Marin or Stanford’s Paula Martin Sampedro, who just helped her team win a NCAA title last week, there’s a ton of really good amateurs who have promising pro careers teeing it up this week. I’m curious to see if any can contend on the weekend.

Melton: Seeing if Jeeno Thitikul can finally rid herself of the best-player-without-a-major moniker. She’s been close many times before, but winning the first one is always the hardest. She’s in fine form with a win at the Mizuho earlier this month, but major championship golf is a whole different animal.

Bastable: Yes, Jeeno Watch always fully on in these big weeks. I’m also intrigued by Julia Lopez Ramirez, the second-year player from Spain who is the LPGA’s longest hitter (291-yard driving average) and 10th in greens in reg, and who finished top 20 at the USWO as a rookie last year. I don’t see her contending — her short game and putting just isn’t there — but if you’re lucky enough to be on-site, she’d be great fun to follow.

What’s the more likely scenario come Sunday — Korda lifts the U.S. Women’s Open trophy for the first time, or Scottie Scheffler three-peats as champion at the Memorial? (The last time someone won the same event three years in a row, by the way, was when Steve Stricker won the John Deere in 2009, 2010 and 2011.)

Berhow: This actually is a tough one. Scottie Scheffler is definitely due — third or better in four of his last five starts — and besides his two wins at Muirfield Village he’s also finished third twice. But I really like Nelly Korda to pick up the biggest win of her LPGA career this week.

Melton: I’ll go with Scottie. He’s been close too many times this season to be stuck on one win. I like him to get it done at Jack’s place.

Bastable: Scottie who? Our guy hasn’t won in — gasp! — 10 starts. Gimme Korda, for all the reasons we laid out above. I truly believe if she can find a rhythm with her putting, this could be a transcendent week for her on one of golf’s greatest stages.  

Scheffler will have stiff competition at the Memorial, which includes Rory McIlroy. Oddly enough, this will be the first Signature Event Scheffler and McIlroy have both played since the Arnold Palmer Invitational three months ago. Forget bigger fields and bigger markets and relegation highlighting a potential two-track PGA Tour schedule coming in 2028, is this the best example of why the Tour schedule might need a major overhaul?

Berhow: Yes, but I also think the Tour knows that. There is too much golf. And even with the two-track system, there will still be too much golf. But if we can have the very best players compete in the same events 20 times a year or so — and have them actually all show up — it’s a win. But more importantly, it has to stick. The Tour schedule needs stability for people to know what’s coming instead of the constant tweaks. Is this a Signature Event? A Florida Swing shakeup? The playoffs format changing again? When it comes to the schedule, the PGA Tour’s continued evolution, while at times necessary, has also been somewhat of an own-goal. It’s hard to keep up.

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By: Maddi MacClurg

Melton: I agree with all points raised by Josh. We need to see the stars together more often, but we also can’t oversaturate. It sounds like Brian Rolapp knows this — but crafting a schedule that toes that line correctly won’t be easy.

Bastable: Of greater concern to me than having every star in every marquee event is reinstituting cuts in all of them (so we get some mid-tourney drama) and expanding the fields (so we get some more underdog stories). I like the idea of relegation, but if the A flight is too exclusive, it could start to feel stale.   

The Stanford women’s golf team won its third NCAA title in five years last week, and now it’s the men’s teams’ turn at the NCAA Championship at Omni La Costa, which is taking place now and finishes next week. One name to watch is Jackson Koivun, the Auburn junior who has won six of his last nine starts and could turn pro this summer. For those uninformed, what makes Koivun one of the best pro prospects we’ve seen in years?

Berhow: Koivun seems to be the real deal. Six wins in nine starts?! That’s hard to do at any level. Plus he’s already flashed in PGA Tour starts. His coach raves about him, and lofty expectations like that wouldn’t be put on someone if they couldn’t handle them. He’s already in the U.S. Open (but has to remain amateur to keep his spot) but he could turn pro after that. He’s a name golf fans should know.

Melton: I can’t say that I watch a ton of collegiate golf, but it seems like Koivun has that “it” factor. However, dominating the pros and dominating in college are two different things. We’ve seen plenty of “can’t-miss” prospects this decade that have faltered early on (Gordon Sargent, Luke Clanton, etc.), so for now, I’m in wait-and-see mode.

Bastable: Wait and see?! We already have seen, Melton! In seven PGA Tour starts last year, Koivun racked up four top-11 finishes, and in his last three of those starts went T6-T5-T4. Then he went back to little old Auburn, where all he did was post a 67.9 (!) scoring average this season. I’d say the kid is destined for big things.   

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, our writers discuss news on the distance debate and try to make sense of Scottie Scheffler’s 2026 season.

One topic we never discussed in this space after the PGA Championship was that Cameron Young was playing with a ball that would reportedly conform under the new rollback guidelines set to take place in 2028. Our Sean Zak recently wrote how the rollback debate lines up to become golf’s next civil war. For those not into the weeds on this topic, why did the golf ball news at the PGA create such a stir and what’s at stake going forward?

Jessica Marksbury, senior editor (@jess_marksbury): The fact that this ball would reportedly be conforming, is currently in-play by one of the game’s biggest stars and can still be absolutely crushed by said star is … really interesting! I think many of us felt that the rollback would equal significant distance loss. So who knows? I guess it’s still early days. What will pro golf look like if, say, the PGA Tour rejects the rollback, and we have the four majors and USGA championships played with rolled-back balls, but no other tournaments? Is that even a possibility? Time will tell. And as Sean mentioned in his story, the coming months will likely reveal more.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): The news was enough to give pause to those on either side of the debate. For those opposed to a rollback, it seemed like evidence that any hand-wringing was much ado about nothing — because Young, after all, is still murdering the ball and seeing plenty of success. For those in favor of a rollback, it seemed to suggest that the proposed changes probably aren’t going far enough — because Young, after all, is still murdering the ball and seeing plenty of success. What’s at stake going forward? Profits more than performance is my guess. 

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): Sens nailed it. The news about Young’s ball made waves because he has been hitting the ball a mile and racking up wins. So, if the ball Young is using would conform to the rollback standards, it’s clearly not doing enough for those who want rollback and shows those opposed to the idea that this whole endeavor is kind of farcical. It’s not a secret that the ball needs to be rolled back, and probably in a bigger way than is already being proposed. But will the five families find a way to get to the place the game needs to be?

About a week after the Young story dropped, GOLF reported the PGA Tour sent a 13-question survey to PGA Tour and Korn Ferry Tour members on the issue of distance in golf and if the proposed USGA and R&A rollback is necessary. How much influence do you think the pros have on this topic going forward? And will it be enough to shape the future of the game?

Marksbury: I don’t know. On the surface, it seems like they have a lot of power, but if they want to compete, they will ultimately be subject to whatever the governing bodies decide to do.

Sens: I’m sure they have some influence, but far less than the manufacturers. And then there’s Augusta National, which will do whatever it wishes and possibly sooner than the rest of the game.

Schrock: They have influence over how the rules are enacted on their tour, but their say is minimal when it comes to the USGA, R&A and Augusta National. As Sens pointed out, I expect Fred Ridley, especially after his presser ahead of this year’s Masters, to set the pace.

In the days after Garrick Higgo was late for his PGA Championship tee time, penalized two strokes and missed the cut by one, Higgo and caddie Austin Gaugert parted ways. Gaugert took to social media to say, “as a caddie, you try to do everything you can to prepare your player for competition and I fell short of that.” While we don’t know all the details behind this incident, who should the blame typically fall on for these types of mistakes: caddie or player?

Marksbury: This is kind of tough. On one hand, a Tour caddie’s sole purpose is to support his player to the best of his abilities. On the other, showing up on time at the 1st tee is the most basic thing the game asks of you. So, without knowing the general dynamic between these two, I say it’s 70 percent Higgo’s fault, 30 percent Gaugert’s. I mean, Gaugert was on the tee at the right time. Higgo wasn’t.

Sens: If Gaugert had taken Higgo hostage and prevented him from getting to the 1st tee, I might be inclined to hold him responsible. Otherwise, I’d say this one is on the player.

Schrock: It’s a major. Be on the tee early. 

The PGA of America, one week after holding its biggest annual event of the year, announced its president, Don Rea, has been replaced as president by Nathan Charnes, who will serve as acting president. In a statement, the PGA of America said the move “followed a series of issues over time that, taken together, were determined to be detrimental to the Association.” Rea made headlines for some comments he made during the 2025 Ryder Cup, although given that was several months ago. Are you surprised he’s gone, or surprised the PGA waited this long?

Marksbury: I’m not surprised on either front. I’m sure there were protocols and investigations to get through, so the PGA opted to take its time in ultimately making the call.

Sens: My guess is that this was decided some time ago but acted on slowly partly for HR reasons and partly for optics — to avoid the appearance of acting rashly in response to public outcry. 

Schrock: Not surprised. His press conference at last year’s PGA was a disaster. Then came the Ryder Cup. They pushed him to the background and made the announcement the week after the PGA so they didn’t have to answer questions about it at the press conference. 

Wyndham Clark won the CJ Cup Byron Nelson on Sunday, and Scottie Scheffler, who started the day two off the lead, finished in third. While Scheffler won his first start of the season and has compiled six top 10s since, he still hasn’t won for a second time. How do we start differentiating between a bunch of stacked up missed opportunities vs. simply playing good-but-not-winning golf?

Marksbury: It’s so hard to win, and certainly even harder to win consistently over the course of several years, as Scottie has done. I think we’re seeing a bit of the Tiger effect with him — our expectations are so high, we’re surprised every time he gets within striking distance and doesn’t collect a W. So, am I worried about Scottie? No. I can only imagine that every finish that falls short is fuel to his fire for the next one. 

Sens: Both Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods had winless droughts of more than two years in their primes. Scheffler is going to be just fine. But it would definitely help his cause if his putter heated up.

Schrock: He won a ton in 2023 and then cooled off in 2024 while still playing great golf. He racked up a ton of wins last year, and this year his putter has been a little cooler and his iron game not as precise. He’s still a poor Friday at Augusta from probably winning the Masters, and I think he should’ve won the PGA if his putter had been neutral. The game ebbs and flows, and he’s still the best player in the world. He’ll probably win Memorial in two weeks.

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Check in every week for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport, and join the conversation by tweeting us at @golf_com. This week, we discuss Aaron Rai’s PGA Championship victory, grade Aronimink as a venue and more.

Aaron Rai emerged from a crowded field to win the PGA Championship at Aronimink Golf Club on Sunday, claiming the first major title of his career. How did Rai, who won by three, run away from the field so easily when others couldn’t?

Zephyr Melton, associate game-improvement editor (@zephyrmelton): When you look at the strokes-gained stats, you can see Rai made his hay in two areas: approach play and on the greens. For the week, he ranked second in the field in SG: Approach and fifth in SG: Putting. With the way Aronimink played all week, dominating in those two categories turned out to be the recipe for success. He may not have been one of the longest players in the field (66th for the week), but when you are hitting it close and making putts, you can afford to give away a little distance. As a fellow short hitter, I respect the hell out of it. 

Josh Sens, senior writer, (@joshsens): He was also *checks stats* fourth in fairways hit, which was crucial this week, what with the juicy rough and those feisty greens and not-to-mess with hole locations. Distance control was crucial. That’s hard to do when you’re playing approaches from the spinach. Rai was mostly in the short grass off the tee.

Josh Schrock, associate news editor (@schrock_and_awe): All those stats are nice but what will stick with me from a Sunday where Aaron Rai did what Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and others couldn’t, are three shots. First, the bunker shot on No. 13. I watched all day as guys went into that bunker and left the shot out of the sand short as they tried to run it up the slope. Rai flew it onto the back shelf and stopped it. Made par. Next came the 15th hole when he pulled 3 wood off the tee, knowing he’d have a long second shot in. He stuck to his game plan that hit a tight draw into that green. On the 16th hole, he worked the ball the other way to set up a two-putt birdie. He had total control of his ball and, outside of Justin Thomas, was probably the only one on Sunday.

Alex Smalley held the 54-hole lead, while five players were two back and 21 total started Sunday within four shots of the lead. Does this type of final-round setup make for a better major Sunday? Or would you prefer something like a couple of stars — or another option — dueling in the final pairing?

Melton: It probably makes for a more compelling Sunday for the casual fan with so many names in the mix, but it’s not necessarily the best way to determine a champion. When there is separation at the top of the leaderboard, it’s usually an indicator that great shots are being rewarded and bad ones punished. The type of setup we saw this week at Aronimink made some golf purists pull their hair out, but for the casual fan, it made for a compelling board heading into the final round. To each their own.

Sens: Early in the week, lots of comparisons were made to the U.S. Open, with the firm conditions and the big bounces and the challenges around the greens. But by Sunday we had something that felt closer to an Open Championship, with a bunch of unexpected names on the leaderboard on a setup that didn’t necessarily favor bombers. The ending was anticlimactic, but for a good part of the day, it was an entertaining change of pace. It’s not often we get that deep into a major with so many guys — a mix of big stars and lesser lights — still having a legitimate chance to win.

Schrock: It makes for a good TV product. Does it always identify the best player? No. Did it this week? I think so. Perhaps that can be the PGA’s identity going forward. A chaos-car crash major. 

PGA Championship host Aronimink Golf Club received some flak early in the week — “strategy off the tee is pretty nonexistent; it’s basically bash driver down there and then figure it out from there,” Rory McIlroy said pre-tournament — but the course and conditions proved to be a difficult test. Was the course unfairly judged? How would you grade Aronimink as a PGA venue?

Melton: I’ll give it a solid B. It wasn’t as good as some PGA hosts in recent history (Southern Hills, Kiawah), but it was much better than some others (Valhallah, Quail Hollow).

Sens: In the era before grade inflation, B meant good, which seems about right. It was a good venue. McIlroy might have felt like there was no strategy off the tee, but he sure cost himself some opportunities by not finding the fairway, and I’m sure he’d love to have that errant tee shot on the short par-4 13th back as well. If there was anything to harrumph about, some of the hole locations seemed borderline. That’s where I’d knock off a couple of points.

Schrock:  I really liked it. I loved the greens and thought the setup for three of the four days was tough but fair. It’s not Kiawah but it’s better than most and will probably be better than next year’s in Frisco. 

Who won the 2026 PGA Championship without winning the PGA Championship?

Melton: Gimme Cam Smith. He’s been MIA in majors recently with six straight missed cuts coming into the week, but his performance at Aronimink showed he’s still got plenty of game. A T7 is a nice sign that he’s still got plenty of game and can compete on the biggest stages. It was fun seeing him in the mix again. 

Sens: Good call on Smith. A bit farther down the leaderboard, it was fun to see 54-year-old Padriag Harrington shake off an opening 74 and put together a tidy weekend to finish inside the Top 20. That’s pretty much a win for the over-50 set.

Schrock: I agree with Zephyr. Smith was at the top of the golf world when he left for LIV in 2022. He played well in 2023 but has been in the wilderness ever since. He’s chaotic good in golfing form. Honorable mention to JT, who has been non-existent in majors since he won at Southern Hills. Golf is better when he’s in contention on the big stage.

Which means the biggest loser of Sunday was who or what?

Melton: I know Jon Rahm was only bested by the eventual champ, but I’ll give him the nod here. On a day when none of the biggest stars made a huge move, the Wanamaker seemed to be his for the taking. Unfortunately for him, he simply couldn’t find enough birdies and remains stuck on two major titles.

Sens: And there’s Rory, who woulda, coulda, shoulda but failed to get anything out of the par 5s all week.

Schrock: I struggle with this one. Rory clearly was battling the driver all week. Two rounds it worked. Two, it didn’t. He could’ve stolen one this week but I don’t think he leaves Aronimink kicking himself. To me, it’s Scottie. Scottie played great golf in tough conditions on Thursday and Friday and then missed all sorts of putts from inside five feet on the weekend. 

An action-packed week featured a Bryson DeChambeau missed cut, Cam Smith resurgence, a rare penalty and lots of relative unknowns flying up the leaderboard and contending at a major championship. What did you learn during PGA week?

Melton: Pre-tournament narratives should not be taken as gospel. Aronimink was supposed to get torn apart. Instead, we had a U.S. Open break out. Golf can be a funny game that way.

Schrock: That there might be nothing cooler than Patrick Reed’s schedule going Masters, PGA, U.S. Open with nothing in between. And he’s probably going to contend in all three! 

Sens: That guys with iron covers and plastic tees can be serious golfers, too. And that no matter what kind of form he’s in, Xander Schauffele continues to be a major-championship machine. This is his 10th top 10 in his last 14 tries, two of which were wins.

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Read GOLF’s Tour Confidential for the unfiltered opinions of our writers and editors as they break down the hottest topics in the sport. This week, with the PGA Championship at Aronimink, we’ll hit one key topic every night.

Bryson DeChambeau shot 76-71 at the PGA Championship and missed the cut, making it the first time in his career he missed the weekend at both the Masters and PGA in the same season. What’s going on with Bryson? And any reason to think the uncertainty of his current league, LIV Golf, played into this latest performance?

Sean Zak, senior writer (@sean_zak): It really is puzzling, especially when you consider his form from March, winning consecutive LIV events. I think what I see from Bryson at this point is increased volatility. When he’s on, he’s ON. But when he’s off, he’s WAY off — mostly at majors, where the pressure is greater and the tests are more difficult. I think back to the Open Championship last summer at Portrush, where he played his worst golf in the toughest wind of the week and shot 78. Then, as the conditions eased up, he was the best golfer in the tournament, shooting 65-68-64. I think LIV’s uncertainty has added a lot to his mental plate, but I don’t really expect that to linger for too long. I think this particular eight-week stretch of a disappointing Masters, some wildly unexpected LIV news, additional off-course drama and very difficult golf courses has him not-so-centered. In one month, he’ll find a firm, fast, brutal U.S. Open test, and that has seemed to really pull something out of his golfing ability over the years.

Josh Sens, senior writer (@joshsens): There’s not much going right with DeChambeau’s game of late. Inconsistent driving. Poor distance control on approaches. Indifferent play around the greens. It was surprising at the Masters, especially given how well he had been performing in majors and the form he showed on LIV earlier in the year. But less shocking this week, as he was clearly searching in his pre-tournament range sessions. Hard to put up a good score on a major-championship setup when you’re out of sync throughout your bag. LIV uncertainty? The recent tumult can’t have helped his mindset. Of course, it’s also tempting to ask whether all the energy he’s been devoting to YouTube golf is great for his tournament game. Then again, to Sean’s point, it wouldn’t be a shock to see him find his form again in time for Shinnecock.

Josh Berhow, managing editor (@Josh_Berhow): Golf is unpredictable and I think Sean’s right when he says that when things go wrong for Bryson they can snowball. You can see it in his demeanor. It was a tough couple of days for most of the field, so while it’s easy to say he’s lost after this missed cut, he’s really just three shots off from making the weekend, putting together a decent couple of rounds and not having this become a discussion at all. I do think he puts added pressure on himself to play well these weeks and positively represent LIV. And in a way, he could become somewhat of the ultimate free agent this offseason. Maybe he’s putting too much pressure on himself to prove it. Although doesn’t everyone put more pressure on themselves during major weeks?

Nick Piastowski, senior editor (@nickpia): Oh, I definitely think the happenings around LIV had a good deal to do with DeChambeau’s play. But golf is also weird. Good one week, not good the next. I think he’ll contend at the U.S. Open. There may be some injury issues at play too. At last week’s LIV event, DeChambeau said this after his first round: “[The body is] struggling a bit unfortunately. The wrist is feeling better. I’ve had some shoulder stuff since, shoot, the Ryder Cup. I don’t know what happened. It’s been trained. It’s been treated. We’ve worked on it. We’ve done a bunch of stuff, MRIs. It’s all been fine. It’s been eking at me for quite a while. When I won those two events [on LIV], I was waking up every day, uh-oh, is it going to hurt today? It’s a little bit of overuse. I’m grinding to figure it out.”

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