Scottie Scheffler Targets Grand Slam at U.S. Open

The world's top golfers are preparing for a stern examination at the historic Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, New York, as the 126th U.S. Open begins on Thursday, June 18. The notoriously demanding links-style course will host the national championship for the sixth time, providing a test of precision and resilience for a field packed with major champions and compelling narratives.

World number one Scottie Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion who also won last year's PGA Championship and British Open, enters the tournament with his first opportunity to complete the career Grand Slam. A victory would place him alongside legends Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Gary Player, Ben Hogan, Gene Sarazen, and Rory McIlroy as the only men to win all four modern majors. Scheffler, who turns 30 on Sunday, will be grouped with defending champion J.J. Spaun and U.S. Amateur champion Mason Howell for the first two rounds, starting from the first tee at 8:14 a.m. local time on Thursday.

Rory McIlroy arrives as another leading contender, fresh from defending his Masters title in April. Seeking his third U.S. Open crown and first since his dominant 2011 victory, McIlroy will begin his...