The 2025 U.S. Open is finally here, and all eyes are on Oakmont Country Club, where golf’s best will face one of the most brutal tests the sport can offer. From June 12 to 15, the historic Pittsburgh venue will challenge players with its infamous rough, terrifying bunkers, and lightning-fast greens. And no one put it quite as colorfully as Paige Spiranac. Now, remember earlier in the year when McIlroy won? Spiranac was all support. “One of the most exciting Masters. Wow! Congratulations Rory! Thank you for making today one of the most electric rounds of golf I’ve ever seen!” Spiranac had bet on him to win early on. And going into the US Open, most fans expected her to pick McIlroy as her favorite. Let’s take a look at her picks.
“Oakmont is well-bunkered, with firm fast greens, and thick rough—thicker than a bowl of oatmeal,” Spiranac said in her latest Instagram Story and X video preview. “It is going to be a true test from start to finish, every single shot.” Spiranac, a former pro and now one of golf’s most influential voices online, acknowledged that the clear frontrunners are world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, even though he has yet to land a U.S. Open win, and two-time U.S. Open champ Bryson DeChambeau. But she also tipped her cap to two surprising names. “If we’re looking at some dark horses, I’m liking Harris English and Ben Griffin,” she revealed.
But perhaps the most talked-about part of Spiranac’s preview wasn’t who she included—it was who she didn’t. Despite being one of Rory McIlroy’s loudest supporters all season, Spiranac left the newly crowned Masters champion off her Oakmont shortlist entirely. McIlroy has won the U.S. Open title once before in 2011, with several close calls since then. Spiranac even defended him after his crushing U.S. Open loss in 2024.
And yet, he surprisingly did not make it on her list this year. That’s a bold move, especially considering McIlroy’s rollercoaster 2025 season. He stormed out of the gates with wins at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am and The Players Championship, then made history in April by winning the Masters to complete the career Grand Slam. But since Augusta, McIlroy has cooled off, finishing T47 at the PGA Championship and missing the cut in Canada.
While Spiranac’s picks may raise eyebrows, she’s not wrong in predicting chaos. At Oakmont, dark horses often have their day—and the carnage might just crown a champion nobody saw coming. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy recently called for a “mental reset” and has been fine-tuning his game ahead of this week’s test.
After a whirlwind start to 2025—including wins at Pebble Beach, The Players, and finally completing the career Grand Slam at Augusta—Rory McIlroy finds himself at a surprising crossroads. A tie for 47th at the PGA Championship and a missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open halted his momentum. And now, with the notoriously punishing Oakmont Country Club looming for the U.S. Open, McIlroy has taken a step back to recalibrate.
“I just needed a mental reset,” McIlroy admitted in a press conference days before the tournament. “After the Masters, I probably underestimated how hard it would be to stay sharp.” The emotional and physical toll of conquering Augusta has lingered longer than expected, and Oakmont—with its slick greens and punishing rough—is no place to show up anything less than fully engaged. McIlroy even shot an 81 during an early practice round, joking that he hoped for some “short-term memory loss” before the tournament starts. But beyond the humor is a serious intent: getting back to basics. He’s made subtle equipment tweaks, adjusted his pre-round routine, and re-centered his mindset. “The focus now is not on chasing momentum, but on sticking to the process,” he explained.
As he tees it up this week, fans will be watching closely—not just to see if McIlroy can contend, but whether this reset was the right move at the right time.
