US Open Golf
US Open: Four Dark Horses to Watch at Shinnecock
We’re less than one day away from one of the toughest tests in Golf – the U.S. Open – and it’s difficultly amplified at Shinnecock Hills. Let’s take a look at some outsiders with William Hill News.
Here are four dark‑horse bets who could crash the leaderboard at this year’s U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, all at tempting prices.
Patrick Reed – 40/1
Shinnecock’s savage run‑offs and closely mown surrounds put an enormous premium on scrambling and imagination, and few players in the field are better around the greens than Patrick Reed.
He has every shot required to rescue par from impossible spots, and he relishes the kind of grind where level par is a good score and nerves are tested.
Reed’s reduced schedule has pushed him out of sight and out of mind for many, but the form sheet is quietly outstanding: he’s finished in the top-12 in both majors so far this year. At 40/1 with that profile, he absolutely deserves a place on any dark‑horse card.
Chris Gotterup – 40/1
Chris Gotterup brings both genuine win equity and major‑ready tools, which is exactly what you want in this price bracket. Born and bred in the Northeast, he is used to cool, brisk conditions and firm, fast setups.
Across his last four major starts he has gained more than 32 strokes on the field, showing a clear ability to raise his game when difficulty and stakes ramp up.
Shinnecock’s design is a world away from typical American “target golf” and has far more in common with creative European setups that reward shot‑shaping and wind management.
Gotterup is powerful enough to dominate when appropriate but happy to flight irons off the tee and play smart, positional golf when demanded. That blend of aggression and control makes 40/1 look very appealing.
Brooks Koepka – 40/1
Brooks Koepka might not look like a traditional dark horse, but in a field this deep, 40/1 about a two‑time U.S. Open champion still qualifies as serious value.
His iron play is trending back towards elite, with current numbers placing him inside the top five in Strokes Gained: Approach this season, a key stat for Shinnecock.
The concern is the flat stick and fitness. Koepka remains outside the top 100 in putting metrics and withdrew from the Canadian Open with a hand issue, so it pays to monitor practice reports as Thursday approaches.
If the injury proves minor and he can find even a lukewarm week on the greens, his major pedigree instantly makes him a genuine contender at a dark‑horse price.
Robert MacIntyre – 55/1
With wind in the forecast, there is real appeal in siding with players raised on exposed, gusty layouts – and Robert MacIntyre fits perfectly. The Scot has collected four wins in four different countries across the last four seasons, repeatedly proving he can travel his game and stand up to tough conditions.
He arrives off a T‑15 in Canada where he gained strokes in every department, suggesting things are trending in the right direction at exactly the right time.
A solo second at last year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont underlines his major ceiling, and Shinnecock’s added emphasis on short‑game guile should only accentuate one of his biggest strengths. At 55/1, he is a classic wind‑blown U.S. Open sleeper.
