Inside this week's US Open at Shinnecock Hills GC

This week is the 3rd major of the 2026 season, the US Open at Shinnecock Hill GC. The course is the only venue to hold U.S. Opens in three centuries (1896, 1986, 1995, 2004, 2018 and now 2026).   Here are facts you might like to know.

It’s going to be a sport-crazed week for the whole of the New York metropolitan area, with golf’s national championship part of an unprecedented series of events. 

With New York a basketball-crazed town, the New York Knicks will celebrate their 2026 NBA Championship with a ticker-tape parade on Thursday. FIFA’s quadrennial World Cup is also in town Tuesday night, with France vs. Senegal at MetLife Stadium in the Meadowlands. And don’t forget New York Yankees home games the whole week against the White Sox and Reds. From one end of Long Island to the other across the 110-mile-wide region.

Scheffler and McIlroy chasing history

All eyes will be on World Number One Scott Scheffler as he makes his first attempt at completing the career Grand Slam. His win at last year's US PGA Championship and Open, added to his two Masters triumphs, put him on the cusp of joining golf's most exclusive club.

He has had three further PGA TOUR victories, a runner-up finish at the Masters and a worst result of 24th as he attempts to join the most recent member of that club.

That is Rory McIlroy who will be chasing more history in New York State. His win at the Masters took his Major tally to six and another would see him surpass Sir Nick Faldo as the European with the most Major wins in the four-event era.

100 up for Adam Scott

Adam Scott started his incredible run at the 2001 Open.

It was three days after Adam Scott's 21st birthday that the Australian teed it up in his second Major at the 2001 Open. He has not missed one since and this week makes it 100 consecutive starts in golf's four biggest events. 

In the near 25 years between those two starts he has won the Masters, had 19 other Major top tens and been World Number One, all the while possessing one of the most enviable swings in the game. 

He will certainly get plenty of attention this week but don't expect it to be a lap of honour for the 45-year-old who is still in and around the top 50 in the world - he will have the trophy on his mind.

Grateful nine make their debuts

The United States' national open and Shinnecock Hills Golf Club will provide a unique challenge and nine DP World Tour members are set to face it for the first time. 

Alex Fitzpatrick, Jayden Schaper, Nathan Kimsey, Adrien Saddier, Filippo Celli and Angel Hidalgo will all be playing the event for the first time. 

For Ugo Coussaud, Rocco Repetto Taylor and Hennie Du Plessis, it will be a first appearance at any Major. 

Six of those nine players came through the Qualifying process which when saw 10,201 players sign up for a chance to play.

All to play for

The results this week could have serious implications on the season-long Race to Dubai.

There are 10,000 Race to Dubai ranking points to be played for, with 1,665 going to the winner, meaning Rory McIlroy, Jayden Schaper and Aaron Rai could all overtake current leader Patrick Reed at the top of the standings. 

Also up for grabs are, alongside the trophy and Jack Nicklaus Medal, a U.S. Open exemption for the next ten years, an invitation to the next five Masters Tournaments, an exemption into the next five Open Championships, US PGA Championships and PLAYERS Championships and exempt status on the PGA TOUR for five years.

europeantour.com

Bryan Angus (edit)