Tour Confidential: Experts Predict Who Will Contend at the U.S. Open

Weekly Insights from Daily News Lite’s Tour Confidential

Every Sunday night, readers of Daily News Lite can tune in to the “Tour Confidential” segment for unfiltered opinions from our writers and editors as they break down the most talked-about topics in the world of sports. This week, with the U.S. Open at Shinnecock, we’re focusing on one key topic each night.

A significant number of top golfers are currently leading the leaderboard after the first day of play, although 50 players still have some holes left to complete their first round. Wyndham Clark is leading at six under (through 16), while marquee names such as Matt Fitzpatrick, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland, and Jon Rahm are all at two under. Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Aberg are at one under. The question remains: which of these players do you think will stick around, and who do you believe will fade?

Perspectives from the Experts

Josh Berhow, Managing Editor

Josh Berhow believes that Matt Fitzpatrick, despite a slow start, is unlikely to fall out of contention. He has hit a lot of greens so far (12 out of 16) and is performing well on the putting green. Berhow notes that Fitzpatrick is a player who thrives under tough, U.S. Open conditions. On the other hand, he doesn’t see Dustin Johnson (DJ) staying in the mix. DJ made a messy double bogey on his final hole before the horn blew, and Berhow points out that DJ hasn’t contended in a major for a while. While it would be great to see him in the mix, recent results don’t give much optimism.

Sean Zak, Senior Writer

Sean Zak acknowledges that many may not want to hear it, but the last time Wyndham Clark showed this level of form was during the summer of 2023 when he won the U.S. Open. Zak believes Clark will continue to perform well at Shinnecock, relying on his ball-striking skills. However, he questions whether Clark’s putter can maintain its performance as green speeds increase over the weekend.

Nick Piastowski, Senior Editor

Nick Piastowski is confident in Wyndham Clark’s ability to stay in contention. He highlights Clark’s recent success, including a win at the Byron Nelson, a third-place finish at the Memorial, and a tie for 11th at the Canadian Open. Piastowski believes that Clark’s current performance is seriously good and sees no reason for it to disappear. As for those who might fade, he mentions Ryder Cowan, the 21-year-old amateur, but adds that he likes Cowan’s personality and hopes to see more of him.

Josh Sens, Senior Writer

Josh Sens believes that all of the mentioned players will remain in the mix except for DJ, who he expects to fade when he remembers that he’d rather be sunbathing on his yacht. He also expresses confidence in Henley, a straight hitter with a strong putting game. Sens adds that it’s not a stretch to say that Scheffler will put himself in the mix.

Zephyr Melton, Associate Game-Improvement Editor

Zephyr Melton admits that she would love to see DJ stick around, but she doesn’t see him sustaining this pace over four rounds. She notes that DJ hasn’t finished in the top 10 in a major since 2023 and hasn’t won on LIV in over two years. As for those who will stick around, she believes that Rory, Rahm, and Fitzpatrick are unlikely to drop out. Even if the conditions get tougher, she thinks these players are battle-tested enough to remain in contention.