Dan Rapaport names the two golfers he thinks are now more likely to win the US Open than Scottie Scheffler

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The US Open is now underway, with Scottie Scheffler among the players to have struggled in round one at Oakmont.

Rick Shiels thinks Scheffler will win the US Open, but Peter Finch favours Bryson DeChambeau for US Open glory over the world number one.

The pair have made identical starts to the major championship, with Scheffler and DeChambeau in T49 after shooting three-over 73s on Thursday.

J.J. Spaun sits top of the pile at Oakmont after round one, having carded a four-under 66 despite the challenging course.

He is one shot ahead of Thriston Lawrence in second, with Si Woo Kim, Sungjae Im and Brooks Koepka in T3 on two-under after round one of the US Open.

Dan Rapaport names two golfers more likely to win the US Open than Scottie Scheffler

And it is the five-time major champion who Dan Rapaport now thinks is one of two players capable of winning the US Open this week.

He said on Dan on Golf: “I just think Brooks, and a motivated Brooks, I am just not ready to believe that he is done or anywhere close to being done.

READ MORE: Veteran caddies on the PGA Tour agree over whether Oakmont is harder this year or in 2007 or 2016

“When I first started covering golf was when Brooks Koepka was winning majors and I was like I will not forget the feeling of how inevitable it felt and how solidly he closed them out.

“I don’t think that goes away. If I had to re-draft to pick a winner, I would probably pick Jon Rahm, but my second pick would be Brooks Koepka.”

Dan Rapaport makes confident Jon Rahm claim after US Open first round

Koepka carded a two-under 68 on Thursday, with his fellow LIV Golf player Rahm just one shot behind in T6.

The former boasts a superb record at the major championship, having won the US Open in 2017 and 2018.

READ MORE: The complaint Jack Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and Gary Player all once had about Oakmont

Koepka also won the PGA Championship in 2018, 2019 and 2023, with a sixth title now being eyed at Oakmont.

Rahm is also a former US Open champion, clinching the title in 2021 before triumphing at The Masters in 2023.

Explaining his reasoning for backing the Spaniard after his opening round, Rapaport said: “Rahm shot 69 today and this is a wild statistic. He shot 69 in the first round of the last six US Opens that he has played in.

“He didn’t play last year at Pinehurst, he had some toe injury. But that stat stopped me in my tracks. I am absolutely ready to proclaim that he is back.”

Koepka meanwhile finds himself in a strong position heading into Friday, with his latest round certain to give him plenty of confidence going forward.

He has not enjoyed the same success Rahm has on LIV Golf this season, sitting 14th in the individual standings compared to third, but he also has a very impressive US Open track record on his side.