US Open 2025: Favorites check - Duel of the giants & Straka's role

The US Open in golf, one of the four prestigious major tournaments, starts on Thursday, June 12. With its reputation as the toughest test on the golf circuit, it attracts the world's elite every year. This season, two players who have dominated the season so far stand out in particular, while an Austrian is regarded as the most exciting outsider. The favorites check ahead of the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club.

The dominators ahead of the US Open 2025

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy have the 2025 season firmly under control so far and go into the US Open as the top favorites. Scottie Scheffler, the current world number 1, has impressed with his incredible consistency. He has won three titles this season, including the PGA Championship, the Memorial Tournament and the CJ Cup Byron Nelson. With a total of over 14.5 million dollars in prize money and nine top 10 finishes in twelve starts (all cuts made), the 28-year-old proves his supremacy. His ability to play outstandingly over months and years makes him perhaps the hottest contender.

US Open 2025: Rory McIlroy vs. Scottie Scheffler

But Rory McIlroy is also in outstanding form, crowned by three victories. He secured the career Grand Slam at the Masters Tournament and previously won the Players Championship and the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am. With just under 14 million in prize money from nine starts, he is only just behind Scheffler's earnings. After a ten-year drought without a Major victory, the Northern Irishman is more mentally liberated after his triumph at Augusta National than he has been for ages.

Both players go into the tournament with an outstanding season record and fresh titles and are superior to most of their rivals in terms of form and mentality. Victory is only likely to go to one of the two leaders in the world rankings and the FedEx Cup rankings. Who can pose a threat to the duo?

Sepp Straka: The laughing third?

Even if he is not yet in the same league as Scheffler and McIlroy due to his lack of major victories, Sepp Straka has proven his class in the 2025 season with two wins and five top 10 finishes in 16 starts. He triumphed at the Truist Championship and the American Express, making him one of only four players to have notched up more than one win in the current season. With his top performance, the Viennese has already earned more than 9.5 million dollars this season.

Straka has shown that he can win at a high level and perform consistently. The US Open represents an enormous challenge, but Straka's recent successes give him the confidence he needs. Should the top favorites falter, Straka, who is ranked third in the PGA Tour season standings, could literally be the laughing stock.

What are the chances of the German participants at the US Open?

The German colors will only be represented by Stephan Jäger. The 35-year-old has played a consistent season, missing only two cuts in 16 starts and coming very close to his second victory on the PGA Tour with three top ten results. With around 2.4 million dollars in prize money, the season has also been quite lucrative for the Munich native. A win at the US Open would be a huge surprise, even though Jäger has been at the top of the leaderboard at least occasionally this year.

Of course, we must not forget a major specialist like Bryson DeChambeau. His sporting achievements (one win this season) on the LIV Tour are not quite as highly rated as those of Scheffler and McIlroy on the PGA Tour, and he has also been beaten by both of them in the two majors he has already played this year. However, the 31-year-old travels to Oakmont as the defending champion and is playing for his third victory at the US Open. He is not lacking in confidence anyway.