The third major of 2024 takes place this week with the Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina hosting the 124th US Open.
World number one Scottie Scheffler is naturally the standout favourite to add yet another tournament to his collection, yet Sports Mole takes you through all the notable runners and riders ahead of this event.
US Open preview
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Scheffler may be doing something that the world of golf has seen before, yet that does not make it any less impressive, especially when considering he has had his first child and has been arrested since the start of May.
The American incredibly delivered an eighth-placed finish at the US PGA Championship and it represents his second-worst performance since February; Scheffler has also won five times in eight starts.
Last week's Memorial was the most recent triumph, Scheffler hanging onto his lead despite shooting a final-round 74, with the difficulty on the final day warming the 27-year-old up for this week.
Xander Schauffele - the victor at the US PGA - will be viewed as his biggest challenge, with his compatriot breaking his duck for a major and posting seven top-10 finishes in nine starts.
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Rory McIlroy has not been too shabby himself, winning at Wells Fargo and recording three more top-15s in succession, and the Northern Irishman will remain content with his form.
Former winner Jon Rahm had hoped to line up in the field, but having sustained a toe infection during a LIV Golf event in Houston last week, the Spaniard has been forced to withdraw.
Wyndham Clark is the defending champion, but two missed cuts in succession means that he enters this competition out of form, while Ludvig Aberg will be well backed having returned from a break to post fifth at Memorial.
Although the last edition took place 10 years ago, Rickie Fowler registered a tied second and the likes of Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, Jason Day and Keegan Bradley were in a share of fourth - that course knowledge may be used to their benefit this week.
Course guide:
Speaking at his pre-tournament press conference, Tiger Woods made a point of reiterating that Pinehurst will test every facet of a player's game, particularly around the greens where run-off areas are common place.
The event will be played on Pinehurst No.2 which measures at 7,550 yards. There are just two par-fives - at 588 and 617 yards respectively - while none of the par-threes are shorter than 184 yards.
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Martin Kaymer was the victor when this tournament was last held on these facilities, with the German incredibly winning by an eight-shot margin.
A mere one-under-par was enough for second place on that occasion, only three players in total scoring better than one-over.
The course was initially designed by Donald J. Ross, but the latest of two renovations came in 2010, headed by Bill Coore and Ben Crenshaw.
Prediction: Scottie Scheffler
We similarly cannot back anyone else but Scheffler. He is still to show that he can win a major away from the Masters, but surely that is only a matter of time.
Mental strength will be required in its droves around a course such as this one and if Scheffler is regularly finding fairways and greens, he will be difficult to beat.
Aberg, like he did at Augusta, could challenge, while Viktor Hovland is again trending in the right direction, yet Scheffler's consistency should prove too strong.
Darren Plant
