With the U.S. Open, the third major championship of the golfing season, just a week away, many leading players from both the PGA Tour and the LIV Golf League are actively preparing. They are fine-tuning their skills in upcoming tournaments before converging on Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh next week.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is set to return to action on the PGA Tour at the RBC Canadian Open, while reigning U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau will participate in the LIV Golf League event in Gainesville, Virginia.
DeChambeau commented on his ambitions, stating, “We`re all working towards achievements that haven`t been seen in a long time. Winning back-to-back would be fantastic, and three in a row would be an even greater accomplishment, so that`s certainly on my mind.”
What`s Happening on the PGA Tour
RBC Canadian Open
Schedule: Thursday-Sunday
Location: TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course), Caledon, Ontario
Current Champion: Robert MacIntyre
Prize Fund: $9.8 million
Rory`s Return
After not playing in last week`s Memorial Tournament, a designated event, Rory McIlroy is back north of the border. Following victories at the Canadian Open in 2019 and 2022, McIlroy is aiming to become only the fourth player to win the tournament three times, joining golf legends Tommy Armour, Sam Snead, and Lee Trevino.
McIlroy expressed his approval of the PGA Tour`s decision to move the Canadian Open to an earlier slot in the schedule.
He noted, “I genuinely appreciate the date change. I really like that it`s scheduled for the week before the U.S. Open. I`ve mentioned this before, but prior to playing this event in 2016, 2017, and 2018, I missed the cut three times consecutively at the U.S. Open. Since I started playing the Canadian Open the week prior, I`ve had six top-10 finishes in a row, so there seems to be a correlation.”
Having achieved the career Grand Slam with his Masters victory, McIlroy admitted that “spending three or four hours practicing on the range daily might be a bit more challenging than it used to be.”
“When you`ve worked towards a significant life goal and achieve it, sometimes finding the motivation to get back to work and push forward can be difficult,” McIlroy stated. “I believe the past two weeks have been beneficial for me as a chance to reset, to evaluate my mindset, what I want to pursue, and where I want to compete. Yes, it was about setting some new goals.”
Scheffler Secures Ryder Cup Spot
Although the Ryder Cup is still over three months away, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has become the first player to automatically qualify for the U.S. team. The team will face Europe at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28.
The PGA of America confirmed on Wednesday that Scheffler accumulated enough Ryder Cup points, totaling 25,918.25, which is more than double the points of any other player. Xander Schauffele is currently second with 11,905.84 points.
U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley commented, “Scottie consistently demonstrates why he is the world`s top player, showing remarkable consistency and dominance week after week. He is the ultimate team player, and I am confident he will be prepared and motivated come September. I couldn`t be more thrilled to have him as a member of the U.S. Team.”
The top six eligible players following the BMW Championship on August 17, 2025, will make the team automatically. Captain Bradley will then select six additional players.
This will mark Scheffler`s third appearance in the Ryder Cup. He had a record of 0-2-2 in the U.S. team`s 16½-11½ defeat at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club near Rome in 2023, and a record of 2-0-1 as a rookie during the 19-9 victory in 2021 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
Scheffler shared his perspective: “Representing the United States at the Ryder Cup has been among the highest honors of my career, and I eagerly anticipate doing so for the third time this September. I am committed to doing whatever is necessary to help our team reclaim the Cup and am excited to compete in front of the enthusiastic New York fans at Bethpage Black.”
Clanton Makes Professional Debut
Three players in the field at the RBC Canadian Open, Luke Clanton, Gordon Sargent, and David Ford, are beginning their professional careers this week.
High expectations surround Clanton, a standout former Florida State player, who achieved runner-up finishes twice on the PGA Tour last year as an amateur, tying for second at the John Deere Classic and the RSM Classic. He was the first amateur since Jack Nicklaus in 1961 to record three or more top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in a single season.
Earlier this year, Clanton tied for 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open and for 18th at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
“It`s been amazing,” Clanton told reporters in Canada. “As I said, it`s something you constantly dream of. To finally be here and call myself a professional feels a little bit strange at first, honestly, because I`ve always been an amateur.”
“It`s incredible. I`m simply eager to come out here and compete. It`s not about the finances or the fame. It`s about competing alongside these guys on tour. It`s something I`ve pursued my entire life, and particularly my family.”
Clanton was ranked the No. 1 amateur globally before turning professional this week. He also received the Ben Hogan Award as the top collegiate golfer, having won four times for FSU this spring.
In the initial two rounds, Clanton is paired with Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Åberg.
On Tuesday, Clanton expressed gratitude towards his mother, Rhonda, who recently retired after more than four decades as a Delta flight attendant, and his father, David, who ran two businesses to support his son`s private education and golf pursuits.
“What they did, not just for me, but also for my two older sisters, to see us through everything, was extraordinary,” Clanton said. “Again, my mom and dad are incredibly hard-working people, and they will never take credit for it, which honestly frustrates me sometimes because they truly gave everything they could.”
Clanton is known for hitting the ball long off the tee (his average of 312.4 yards would place him 14th on tour if he met the criteria for enough rounds), and he considers his “strong mentality” one of his key strengths.
When asked if the LIV Golf League attempted to recruit him, he responded, “I want to play the PGA Tour, it`s quite simple. I want to compete against the best players in the world, I want to participate in the major championships, and that`s my focus. Simple as that.”
Gordon Sargent was the NCAA individual champion as a freshman at Vanderbilt in 2022 and the low amateur at the U.S. Open in 2023. He earned a PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program in October 2023 but chose to defer turning professional to return to Vanderbilt.
David Ford, who won five times for North Carolina this past season, secured his PGA Tour card by finishing No. 1 in the PGA Tour University Rankings. This spring, he was awarded the Jack Nicklaus Award and the Fred Haskins Award.
All three golfers are guaranteed status on the PGA Tour through the 2026 season.
What`s Next in the LIV Golf League
LIV Golf Virginia
Schedule: Friday-Sunday
Location: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia
Current Champion: Harold Varner III
Prize Fund: $25 million
Bryson`s Eventful Month
In addition to tying for second place at the PGA Championship and defending his U.S. Open title, Bryson DeChambeau has been busy elsewhere, hitting tee shots at places like Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mountain range, the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and even the White House.
It`s been a typical month for golf`s “content king,” who boasts over 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
When asked how he manages his time, DeChambeau replied, “How do I find time to sleep? I actually sleep quite well. It involves a lot of preparation. We plan, strategize, and execute our plans accordingly, coordinating with other people`s schedules when necessary.”
DeChambeau mentioned experiencing a couple of 180 mph laps as a passenger at the famous Indiana oval and joked about now using salt from Utah in his cooking.
Regarding hitting golf balls on the White House lawn, DeChambeau was initially hesitant until President Donald Trump encouraged him.
“I never imagined I would ever get the chance to do that in my life, but the President himself said, `Go on out there and hit some shots,` ” DeChambeau recalled. “I responded, `Okay, yes, sir.` It was quite an experience. It was a 105-yard shot, and I hit several good shots that landed within a few feet, nearly making a couple of them.”
The reigning U.S. Open champion emphasized that his main objective remains winning tournaments.
“Do I want to win every event I enter? Absolutely, 100 percent,” DeChambeau stated. “From my perspective, I will always be the most competitive player out there. But these activities have also allowed me to pursue other meaningful endeavors.”
“Creating my YouTube channel was something I`ve always wanted to do, having seen what creators like MrBeast and Dude Perfect achieved in the mid-2010s,” he added. “I thought, `Why can`t I do that too?` I believe there`s an opportunity to be as influential as I am now, and this is just the beginning. I think there`s much more to come.”
Turning a Corner
Joaquín Niemann, captain of Torque GC, feels he has turned a corner after tying for eighth place at the PGA Championship. This marked his first top-10 finish in 24 major championship starts. His total score of 4-under 143 put him seven strokes behind the winner, Scottie Scheffler.
Niemann reflected, “I didn`t feel like I played my absolute best golf. I felt there was potential for a much better performance at that time. I knew I could have achieved a significantly better result. But I think we can focus on the positives and progress step by step. It is my first top-10 in a major, so that`s a positive takeaway.”
Winning within the LIV Golf League has not been an issue for Niemann, who has claimed five victories since February 2024, including three this season. His success on the circuit, financed by Saudi Arabia, led Phil Mickelson to controversially label him the best golfer in the world.
Mickelson defended his statement, saying, “I think because LIV is relatively new, people don`t fully appreciate the quality and strength of the field. The players you compete against are consistently the same top-tier golfers. Joaco is winning while playing against Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, and Dustin Johnson week after week. He faces that caliber of competition constantly, and it`s challenging for people to truly grasp how impressive that is because it`s a new circuit.”
Preparing for Oakmont
Phil Mickelson, Joaquín Niemann, and other LIV Golf players believe that the course setup for this week`s event at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, which has hosted four Presidents Cups and the 2024 Solheim Cup, provides excellent preparation for next week`s U.S. Open.
“The greens here are rolling at speeds of 14 to 15 on the stimpmeter, mirroring the conditions we expect next week,” Mickelson stated. “We have similar contours and undulations. Short game skills, touch, chipping around the greens, rough, green speed, and putting speed drills are all crucial here, just as they will be next week. It`s an ideal location to get ready.”
The last time the U.S. Open was held at Oakmont in 2016, Dustin Johnson won with a score of 4-under 276. Only four players managed to finish under par.
“It`s going to be difficult,” Niemann commented. “I know it will be a significant challenge. The greens will be very fast, so I don`t anticipate many short five or six-foot putts for birdie. I believe it will often come down to positioning your ball effectively, perhaps to have an uphill putt, which will be easier.”
“They aim for the winning score to be over par, so ultimately, I feel the key isn`t who makes the most birdies, but rather who makes the fewest bogeys and the fewest mistakes,” he concluded.
