Wyndham Clark will defend his title when the 124th US Open Championship takes place at Pinehurst from June 13-16.
Clark, who held off Rory McIlroy to win his first major at Los Angeles Country Club last year, was playing at Oklahoma State University the last time Pinehurst staged the US Open in 2014.
Here, the PA news agency picks out five players to watch in the year’s third major championship.
Scottie Scheffler
Rory McIlroy
Brooks Koepka
Xander Schauffele
I could not have done it without the support of my team, family and friends. Thank you to the @PGAChampionship and the fans of Louisville, Kentucky. I will never forget my first Major Victory! ?? pic.twitter.com/AROw3C9m6B
— Xander Schauffele (@XSchauffele) May 20, 2024
Seen in some circles as an underachiever, Schauffele answered questions about his ability to close out tournaments in the ideal fashion with a birdie on the 72nd hole to beat Bryson DeChambeau by a shot and win his first major in the US PGA Championship. He also finished eighth in the Masters and will be expected to contend in many more majors going forward.
Colin Prater
US Open qualifying is everything I love about competitive golf.
It’s the meritocracy that matters…and the opportunity to advance is available to everyone.
From Adam Scott to Colin Prater and everyone in between.
So many great stories.
— Chris Nickel (@GolfSpyC) June 4, 2024
One of the best stories to emerge from final qualifying, Prater is a science teacher at Cheyenne Mountain high school, who also coaches the golf team and played himself at university in Colorado. The 29-year-old amateur carded rounds of 68 and 73 to claim one of just two places on offer from the qualifying site in Oregon. “It’s been a dream of mine since being a kid to play in a major and to fulfil that dream is amazing,” Prater said.
