Five players who could win the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No.2 because of their amazing short games

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Now the PGA Championship has been and gone, attention will shift to the U.S. Open at the notorious Pinehurst No.2 in North Carolina.

The historic American course hosted three men’s U.S. Open Championships in 1999, 2005, and 2014.

Furthermore, the U.S. Women’s Open and U.S. Amateur have also taken place at Pinehurst. When it comes to the bastion of U.S. golf, look no further.

The world’s best will face a stern test during the third major of 2024, which gets underway on June 13. Valhalla’s lush and favourable conditions won’t be replicated at Pinehurst No.2.

Those with pinpoint approach play and an excellent short game will be rewarded, something the modern game has been crying out for.

With short game and scrambling skills in mind, The Golfing Gazette has taken a look at five players who could be well-suited to No.2’s testing conditions.

• READ MORE: What Tom Watson said about Pinehurst back in 1999, which could be very interesting at the U.S. Open

Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele, coming straight off of his PGA Championship triumph, will be well-fancied.

The American, tee-to-green, is impeccable, as demonstrated at Valhalla—however, another one of Schauffele’s strengths centres around his scrambling ability.

Per the PGA Tour’s official stats, only two players have a better scramble rate than Schauffele. At the moment, the American gets up and down for par 71% of the time.

With Pinehurst likely to see several shots trundle into difficult waste areas, the 30-year-old’s scrambling could prove crucial.

Alex Noren

Alex Noren’s 2024 form has very much gone under the radar. The Swede has two top-ten finishes to his name and placed T12 at the PGA Championship.

From his 222 missed greens in regulation this year, Noren has managed to make par 160 times.

As a result, he sits above Schauffele in the standings and could be well-suited to Pinehurst should he miss his approach shots.

Bryson DeChambeau

Bryson DeChambeau demonstrated a slightly different side to his game during the PGA Championship, which could help him in next month’s U.S. Open.

The 30-year-old is generally known for his big hitting and ability to turn the longest par-five into a short par-four.

However, at Valhalla, the American managed the best scrambling rate in the field.

It’s clearly an area he’s been working on, and if he can maintain the level of his work around the greens, there’s no reason why he won’t compete again next month.

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Hideki Matsuyama

Japanese star Hideki Matsuyama’s short game is arguably the most impressive on the PGA Tour.

The 32-year-old ranks first for strokes gained around the greens in 2024 and also has major pedigree after winning The 2021 Masters.

After placing T38 at Augusta and T35 at the PGA Championship, an improved performance is undoubtedly in the offing – and Pinehurst could suit him well.

Tommy Fleetwood

Perhaps an outsider, but someone who should be concerned is Tommy Fleetwood.

The Englishman finished T26 at the PGA Championship but did impress around the greens with a scramble rate of 74%.

Furthermore, in 2024, only eight players have a better scrambling rate on tour than the 33-year-old.

Could Pinehurst be the place where Fleetwood finally lands his first major championship?