Guernsey Press

5 players to watch in the 124th US Open Championship

Clark was playing at Oklahoma State University the last time Pinehurst staged the US Open in 2014.

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Wyndham Clark will defend his title when the 124th US Open Championship takes place at Pinehurst from June 13-16.

Clark, who held off Rory McIlroy to win his first major at Los Angeles Country Club last year, was playing at Oklahoma State University the last time Pinehurst staged the US Open in 2014.

Here, the PA news agency picks out five players to watch in the year’s third major championship.

Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler
World number one Scottie Scheffler was detained by police for reportedly attempting to get around a traffic jam caused by a fatal accident near Valhalla (Louisville Metropolitan Department of Corrections handout/PA)

Rory McIlroy

Rory McIlroy
Rory McIlroy watched his tee shot on the fourth hole during the final round of the RBC Canadian Open (Nathan Denette/The Canadian Press via AP)

Brooks Koepka

Brooks Koepka
Brooks Koepka usually raises his game for the majors (Jeff Roberson/AP)

Xander Schauffele

Seen in some circles as an underachiever, Schauffele answered questions about his ability to close out tournaments in the ideal fashion with a birdie on the 72nd hole to beat Bryson DeChambeau by a shot and win his first major in the US PGA Championship. He also finished eighth in the Masters and will be expected to contend in many more majors going forward.

Colin Prater

One of the best stories to emerge from final qualifying, Prater is a science teacher at Cheyenne Mountain high school, who also coaches the golf team and played himself at university in Colorado. The 29-year-old amateur carded rounds of 68 and 73 to claim one of just two places on offer from the qualifying site in Oregon. “It’s been a dream of mine since being a kid to play in a major and to fulfil that dream is amazing,” Prater said.

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