One of the toughest tests in golf awaits the field for the 2026 U.S. Open.
Shinnecock Hills, the fabled course on Long Island’s East End, is often considered one of the toughest tracks in the country, and should put this field of elite players through the wringer all weekend.
It’s a links-style course with sand everywhere, and the poa annua greens are small and protected by bunkers.
The last time the U.S. Open was played at Shinnecock, it was won by Brooks Koepka at 1-over par, and it provided us with one of the most interesting leaderboards in major history.
Tommy Fleetwood finished second at 2-over par, Dustin Johnson was third at 3-over, Patrick Reed was fourth at 4-over, and Tony Finau was fifth at — you guessed it — 5-over.
Although that leaderboard was full of star power, the U.S. Open has a habit of producing surprising winners, most recently J.J. Spaun last year at 160/1, and these conditions should level the playing field quite a bit, opening the door for another sleeper to outrun his odds.
2026 U.S. Open long-shot picks
Alex Fitzpatrick (120/1, DraftKings)
It’s been over 110 years since a debutante won the U.S. Open, but Alex Fitzpatrick’s form makes him a pretty intriguing option at this price.
Fitzpatrick gained PGA Tour status a few months ago when he teamed up with his brother Matt, the 2022 U.S. Open champion, to win the Zurich Classic team event. He’s made the most of the opportunity.
The 27-year-old Englishman has carded three top-10 finishes in his first four PGA Tour events, and he’s coming off a T6 at the Memorial, which featured an elite field playing on a very challenging course.
In fact, Fitzpatrick has made it a feature of his profile to perform well in high-profile tournaments. Outside of the Zurich, his other three top-10 finishes all came in “Signature Events.”
It also won’t hurt that this links-style course will feel familiar to Europeans.
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Cameron Smith (160/1, DraftKings)
A rising star before he left for LIV, Cameron Smith has been in the wilderness for a few years now. That said, the Aussie has shown some signs of a comeback in recent weeks.
Smith carded a T7 at the PGA Championship in May, and he finished T5 in his most recent start at LIV Andalucia. The form is there.
Just as important is that this course should be right up Smith’s alley. A former Open Champion, Smith’s game is built for links-style tracks that require some magic around the greens. That’s Smith’s music.
Harry Hall (175/1, bet365)
Although his results in 2026 aren’t eye-popping, Harry Hall is turning himself into a presence on the PGA Tour.
The flat-cap-wearing Englishman has three top-10 finishes in 2026, with two of them coming at “Signature Events.”
Like Smith, Hall’s got all sorts of tricks up his sleeve around the green and should stand a good chance to get himself out of precarious positions at Shinnecock.
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Michael Leboff is a long-suffering Islanders fan, but a long-profiting sports bettor with 10 years of experience in the gambling industry. He loves using game theory to help punters win bracket pools, find long shots, and learn how to beat the market in mainstream and niche sports.