+ Banana
The 125th edition of the US Open is being held for the tenth time at Oakmont Country Club outside Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Ludvig Åberg's mentor Peter Hanson has called it "the toughest golf course in the world".
+ The Favourite
Scottie Scheffler has been world number one for 108 weeks in a row now – and he doesn't seem to be giving up the position anytime soon. After winning three of his last four tournaments, including the PGA Championship, Scheffler is completely in a class of his own on the ranking.
Can he follow up the PGA Championship with another major title? If so, it will be his fourth in his career.
+ The Challenger
Bryson DeChambeau is the defending champion. The American also won in 2020 and it's hardly a coincidence that the long-hitting 31-year-old has taken both his major titles in the US Open, which is always held in tough conditions.
DeChambeau's length will be a weapon even at Oakmont. The LIV golfer has also been sharp in this year's first two majors: fifth in the Masters and second in the PGA Championship.
+ The Question Mark
Rory McIlroy three-putted himself out of contention in the final holes last year and left the way open for DeChambeau. But in the Masters this year, McIlroy finally ended his almost 11-year major drought and completed his "career grand slam".
The question mark for the world number two is still very much justified. The Northern Irishman finished only 47th in the PGA Championship and in last week's warm-up, the Canadian Open, he was completely off the pace. McIlroy went eight over par in the second round and missed the cut.
+ The Swedes
Ludvig Åberg won the Genesis Invitational and finished seventh in the Masters, after a long battle for the win. But apart from those peaks, it has been unusually much mediocrity from the Eslöv native. The last two weeks, however, promise well: 16th in The Memorial and 13th in the Canadian Open suggest that Åberg can get a real breakthrough at any time.
Joakim Lagergren has qualified for his major debut and last week's second place in the European Tour event in the Netherlands promises well in terms of form.
+ Start Times
Åberg starts his first round at 13.18, Swedish time, on Thursday. Lagergren tees off at 14.46. Other notable times, 13.29: DeChambeau, 13.40: McIlroy, 19.25: Scheffler.
+ Broadcasts
Can be followed on Viaplay's platforms.
