All of it adds up to poor form, poor course fit, and distractions.
At Shinnecock Hills on Long Island, the 2026 U.S. Open presents Scottie Scheffler with the rare and weighty opportunity to complete a career Grand Slam — the kind of achievement that transforms a great player into a permanent figure in the game's history. Oddsmakers and analysts alike have taken notice, installing him as the clear favorite in a field that includes formidable rivals and at least one former champion whose circumstances, by expert reckoning, have quietly unraveled. Golf, like most human endeavors, rewards not only talent but alignment — between form, course, and the quietness of mind that pressure demands.
- Scheffler enters the week carrying the particular tension of a man who has won nearly everything except the one title that would make his legacy complete.
- Shinnecock Hills — windswept, par-70, stretching nearly 7,500 yards — is the kind of course that does not flatter greatness so much as interrogate it.
- Handicapper Brady Kannon, whose track record includes six correctly called major winners last season, is sounding alarms around Bryson DeChambeau: missed cuts, poor course history, and the organizational turbulence of LIV Golf all converging at once.
- The broader field — McIlroy, Rahm, Schauffele, Fitzpatrick, Fleetwood — offers genuine depth, and Kannon hints that a high-value longshot lurks somewhere in the odds, not yet revealed.
- The tournament begins Thursday, and the question sharpening around Scheffler is no longer whether he is the best player in the world, but whether this particular week, on this particular ground, will finally answer for it.
Scottie Scheffler arrives at Shinnecock Hills this week as the betting favorite to claim the one major that has eluded him. The world's top-ranked golfer since March 2022 has collected two Masters titles, a PGA Championship, and The Open Championship — but the U.S. Open remains the missing piece of his career Grand Slam. FanDuel has him at +550, well ahead of Rory McIlroy at +1200 and Jon Rahm at +1300.
The course is no gentle stage. Shinnecock's par-70 layout stretches 7,440 yards across the windswept Southampton property, the kind of venue that has historically humbled even the game's finest. Whether Scheffler's considerable talent translates here is the central question of the week.
Brady Kannon, a golf betting handicapper with more than thirty years in the industry, has assembled his predictions ahead of Thursday's opening round. His credentials are substantial — six major winners correctly identified last season, including a 110-to-1 longshot, and a 44-39-5 head-to-head record at SportsLine. His most prominent call this week is a fade of Bryson DeChambeau, the two-time U.S. Open champion. DeChambeau has already missed two major cuts this season, carries a poor record at links-style courses, and remains surrounded by the noise of LIV Golf uncertainty and speculation about a PGA Tour return. Kannon is not merely avoiding him in outright bets — he is weighing a wager that DeChambeau misses the cut entirely.
Elsewhere on the board, Xander Schauffele sits at +1800, with Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood both at +2000. Defending champion J.J. Spaun has drifted to +5500, a familiar fate for major title holders returning the following year. Kannon has also identified a longshot he believes offers genuine value, though that name remains unpublished pending his full analysis. His method, as ever, is to find the player whose form, course fit, and mental circumstances align most cleanly with the demands of the moment — a standard that, by his reckoning, Scheffler meets and DeChambeau does not.
Scottie Scheffler arrives at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on Long Island this week as the betting world's favorite to finally claim the one major championship that has eluded him. The world's top-ranked golfer—a position he has held since March 2022—has won nearly everything else: two green jackets at Augusta, a Wanamaker Trophy at Valhalla, and the Claret Jug at Royal Liverpool. The U.S. Open remains the missing piece of his career Grand Slam. Oddsmakers at FanDuel have installed him at +550, making him the clear choice among a field that includes Rory McIlroy at +1200 and Jon Rahm at +1300.
The course itself is a stern test—a par-70 layout stretching 7,440 yards across the windswept Southampton property. It is the kind of venue that can humble even the game's best players, which is perhaps why Scheffler's pursuit of this particular title carries such weight. He has the game to win it. Whether he can is another matter entirely.
Brady Kannon, a golf betting handicapper with more than three decades in the industry, has spent the week before the tournament's Thursday start studying the field and assembling his predictions. His track record speaks for itself: six major championship winners called correctly last season, including a 110-to-1 longshot named Harris English at the Farmers Insurance Open. He also nailed Matt Fitzpatrick at 15-to-1 at the Valspar Championship in March. His head-to-head record since joining SportsLine stands at 44 wins, 39 losses, and 5 pushes.
Kannon's most notable fade this week is Bryson DeChambeau, the two-time U.S. Open champion who won the title in 2020 and again in 2024. Despite his pedigree in this event, Kannon sees red flags everywhere. DeChambeau has missed the cut in two major championships already this season. His record at The Open Championship is particularly poor—missed cuts at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and Royal Troon in 2024, with a 33rd-place finish at Royal St. George's in 2021. Beyond the numbers, Kannon points to the noise surrounding DeChambeau's career: the ongoing uncertainty with LIV Golf, speculation about a potential return to the PGA Tour, and the distraction that comes with such upheaval. "All of it adds up to poor form, poor course fit, and distractions," Kannon said. He is not only avoiding DeChambeau in outright bets but is considering a wager that DeChambeau misses the cut entirely on Long Island.
Other contenders populate the board at more modest odds. Xander Schauffele sits at +1800, while Matt Fitzpatrick and Tommy Fleetwood are both listed at +2000. Last year's champion, J.J. Spaun, carries odds of +5500—a dramatic fall from the previous week's expectations, as is often the case for defending champions in the majors.
Kannon has identified what he believes is an overlooked longshot whose odds offer genuine value, though he has kept that pick under wraps until his full analysis is published. The expert's approach to major championship betting has always been methodical: identify the favorites, understand their recent form, assess course fit, and look for the player whose circumstances align with the demands of the moment. Scheffler checks most of those boxes. DeChambeau, in Kannon's view, checks almost none of them.
Citas Notables
DeChambeau is 0-2 in cuts made at major championships so far this season and The Open Championship has never been his best fit with missed cuts at Royal Birkdale in 2017 and at Royal Troon in 2024.— Brady Kannon, golf betting expert
La Conversación del Hearth Otra perspectiva de la historia
Why does Scheffler's lack of a U.S. Open title matter so much when he's already won three other majors?
Because a Grand Slam—winning all four majors—is the ultimate measure of a golfer's complete mastery. Scheffler has proven he can win anywhere, but this one gap defines his legacy until he closes it.
Bryson DeChambeau has won this event twice. Why would Kannon fade a two-time champion?
Because form changes. DeChambeau is 0-for-2 in major cuts this season. He struggles at links courses, and he's dealing with the distraction of his LIV situation. Past success doesn't guarantee future performance.
What makes Shinnecock Hills different from other U.S. Open venues?
It's a brutally exposed course on Long Island. Wind is always a factor. It rewards precision and punishes mistakes. Some players thrive in that environment; others crumble.
How reliable is Kannon's track record really?
Six major winners called correctly in one year is exceptional. But he's also had misses. The 44-39 head-to-head record shows he's good, not infallible. That's why he studies form so carefully.
Is there a real chance someone outside the favorites wins this?
Always. That's why Kannon is hunting for a longshot with reasonable odds. The majors are unpredictable. The favorite doesn't always win.