Scottie Scheffler held off playing partner Collin Morikawa to complete a dominant PGA Tour season with a FedEx Cup victory at the Tour Championship.

Scheffler, who started the season finale with a five-shot lead over Morikawa, shot a four-under 67 to win on 30 under and collect $25million (£19m) of the $100m prize fund.

The world number one mixed an eagle and five birdies with three bogeys to finish four ahead of Morikawa, while a final-round 64 saw Sahith Theegala claim third place.

He also became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to win seven events in a PGA Tour season as his dominance continues. 

"I try not to think too much about the past or think too much about the future, but two years ago was pretty tough, having a good lead going into the last round and not playing my best and then losing," Scheffler said.

"Then last year, I just had a pretty off week so it was fairly disappointing. So to come in with a lead for the third time and be able to finish it off is definitely pretty sweet.

"I feel like I've lived almost a full lifetime in this one year."

For Morikawa, it was an impressive display but not good enough.

That is despite Morikawa going within two shots of the lead after taking advantage of Scheffler's successive bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes. 

But Scheffler responded with three birdies in a row to surge four clear, and despite Morikawa responding with a birdie on the 13th, the American knocked home a 15-foot eagle putt to re-establish his five-shot advantage. 

"Nothing fazes him," said Morikawa.

"Whether I was gaining some ground or he was gaining ground, it didn't change how he walked or how he played or how he went through every shot.

"That's something to learn. His mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people know."

Scottie Scheffler held off playing partner Collin Morikawa to complete a dominant PGA Tour season with a FedEx Cup victory at the Tour Championship.

Scheffler, who started the season finale with a five-shot lead over Morikawa, shot a four-under 67 to win on 30 under and collect $25million (£19m) of the $100m prize fund.

The world number one mixed an eagle and five birdies with three bogeys to finish four ahead of Morikawa, while a final-round 64 saw Sahith Theegala claim third place.

He also became the first player since Tiger Woods in 2007 to win seven events in a PGA Tour season as his dominance continues. 

"I try not to think too much about the past or think too much about the future, but two years ago was pretty tough, having a good lead going into the last round and not playing my best and then losing," Scheffler said.

"Then last year, I just had a pretty off week so it was fairly disappointing. So to come in with a lead for the third time and be able to finish it off is definitely pretty sweet.

"I feel like I've lived almost a full lifetime in this one year."

For Morikawa, it was an impressive display but not good enough.

That is despite Morikawa going within two shots of the lead after taking advantage of Scheffler's successive bogeys on the seventh and eighth holes. 

But Scheffler responded with three birdies in a row to surge four clear, and despite Morikawa responding with a birdie on the 13th, the American knocked home a 15-foot eagle putt to re-establish his five-shot advantage. 

"Nothing fazes him," said Morikawa.

"Whether I was gaining some ground or he was gaining ground, it didn't change how he walked or how he played or how he went through every shot.

"That's something to learn. His mental game is a lot stronger than a lot of people know."

Scottie Scheffler is in the driving seat as he targets a first FedEx Cup title, taking a five-shot lead into the final day at the Tour Championship.

The world number one made a slow start on Saturday but recovered to finish strongly with four birdies on the final five holes to maintain his lead, as he carded 66, moving his total to 26-under.

Scheffler is aiming to win his seventh PGA Tour event of the season at East Lake, with Collin Morikawa closest to him in second having carded a 67 in the third round.

"I've had my chances here to win some tournaments, and I'll have no better opportunity than Sunday," said Scheffler.

"I've been mentally at my best this year, and I'm looking forward to doing more of that in the last round."

Morikawa played himself into contention on Friday and was able to keep the pace with birdies on three of the last four holes on Saturday, while Xander Schaffuele slipped down to fourth, 10 shots off the top, with Sahith Theegala above him on 17-under.

After Morikawa's strong finish on Saturday, he remains hopeful that he will get a stroke of luck on Sunday to pip his compatriot to the title.

"It's going to be very hard, but I believe in myself that I can do it," Morikawa said.

"Five shots is a lot, but two-shot swings happen. I think I've seen a couple over the past few days.

"I've just got to play my game. I've got to go low. I've got 18 holes left in the season - I'm going to put everything I have into these next 24 hours."

Scottie Scheffler insists his swing is "in a good spot" despite seeing his lead at the top of the Tour Championship standings cut to four shots on the second day.

Scheffler, who is aiming to win his first FedEx Cup title, carded 65 in his opening round and entered the second round with a 10-shot lead.

However, the world number one saw American duo Collin Morikawa and Xander Schauffele close the gap during a weather-disrupted second round on Friday.

Scheffler carded a round of 66 to take himself to 21 under par, aided by two birdies in the final three holes to keep the chasing back at bay. 

"I feel like my swing is in a good spot, and I've hit it nice the last couple of days," he said. "A lot of quality stuff out there, and in a good spot going into the weekend."

Morikawa is four shots off the pace after producing a superb eight-under 63, which was the best round of the day, and has surged up the standings to second place.

In an impressive round, he dropped just one shot on the 11th hole, but made amends on the back nine before closing with back-to-back birdies. 

"He's going to continue to make birdies," Morikawa said about the possibility of catching Scheffler. "He's driving it really, really well here, and you're giving yourself enough wedges to make some scoring opportunities out there.

"For me, it's just about bringing energy and just staying alive out there."

Schauffele is in third, one shot behind compatriot Morikawa, after shooting an impressive second-round 64 to remain in the hunt for the $25million prize money. 

There is then a four-shot gap until a group of three players, including Adam Scott, are tied for fourth place at 12 under, while Rory McIlroy is tied for 10th place on eight under.

Scottie Scheffler is in prime position to win his first FedEx Cup title after storming into a seven-shot lead at the Tour Championship.

The world number one, who started on 10 under due to the FedEx Cup's staggered structure, carded a superb 65 in the first round of the PGA Tour's season-ending tournament, after recovering from an early bogey at East Lake.

Scheffler's haul included seven birdies, with five of those coming from his last seven holes, as he bids to win a seventh PGA Tour event of the season.

His main FedEx Cup challenger Xander Schauffele is tied for second on nine under par, along with Collin Morikawa, while Rory McIlroy is three shots back in T10.

However, the Northern Irishman has not given up hope of applying pressure to Scheffler as the tournament goes on.

"I'm happy with how I hung in there and had a good finish," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"When I saw Scottie had gotten to 14, I was like, 'Oh, got to try to just hang on to the coattails a little bit'.

"Still feel like I've got a chance, and it was nice to finish the way I did."

Scheffler, also speaking to Sky Sports, said: "Yeah, I'm pleased with the day.

"I tried not to think about any sort of lead or anything like that, my job was to go out there and execute and I felt like I did a really good job of that. I felt like I was doing some good stuff to start the day.

"I had the bogey on one but after that I felt like I played some really good golf."

An emotional Scottie Scheffler says he will remember his gold medal win "for a long time" having come from behind with a record-equalling final round to win at the Olympics.

The American started four strokes behind co-leaders Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele on Sunday but produced a superb nine-under 62 to pip Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood to the top of the leaderboard by one stroke as he finished on 19 under at Le Golf National.

It has been a banner year for the world number one, who won his second Masters title in April before claiming a first-ever medal at the Olympics.

Scheffler was emotional on the podium and expressed his pride at being able to add another gold medal to the United States' medal tally at the Paris Games.

"I get emotional in general. Usually, I have a bit more time after a tournament to kind of reflect and compose myself, but with this one, you kind of go from one thing to the next," Scheffler told NBC.

"You don't really reflect until you're standing up there on the podium. That was a pretty special moment I'll remember for a long time: standing up there on the podium with the gold medal around my neck.

"It's been a long week. It's been a challenging week. I played some great golf today, and I'm proud to be going home with a medal."

Despite his impressive score, it did not always look like Scheffler would have a chance of finishing on the podium, with Rahm pulling ahead, only to suffer a collapse on the back nine to slip out of contention.

The 28-year-old made six birdies on the back nine, including four in a row after a slightly slow start on the first half of the course.

"I felt good most of the day," Scheffler added. "I felt like I was doing a lot of good things, and the front nine, I hit a bit of a cold stretch on 4 through 9 where I wasn't able to make any birdies; and I felt like I had what was a lot of good putts and felt like what I felt was good putts and didn't go in.

"[Caddie] Teddy [Scott] did a really good job of helping me stay patient out there, and did a good job of reading the greens, as well, and we were able to get hot there on the back nine and move our way up the leaderboard."

Tommy Fleetwood put disappointment to one side after achieving an Olympics dream with a silver medal in Paris.

Great Britain's Fleetwood finished 18-under at the Games, one shot short of Scottie Scheffler, who secured the United States' second straight gold in this event.

Fleetwood fell out of the lead with a bogey from the rough on the 17th but got up and down for par on the final hole for a 66 to seal second place, ahead of Japan's bronze medallist Hideki Matsuyama.

"There's part of me that's disappointed, of course, but at the same time I never dreamt I would be an Olympic medallist," Fleetwood said after the conclusion on Sunday.

"I haven't been in the mix that much recently and being back there, playing well and feeling how that felt again, I enjoyed it so much and I'm unbelievably proud to be an Olympic medallist.

"It feels unbelievably special and I know I didn't win gold, a very good golfer did, but standing on that podium with a medal was one of the most amazing moments I've had as a golfer.

"I'll remember those times for the rest of my life."

Jon Rahm had led for large parts, with four shots over Fleetwood when he stepped up to the tee on the 11th, only for the Spaniard to collapse in remarkable fashion.

Scheffler charged to the front with four straight birdies down the stretch, making an 18-foot birdie putt to take the lead for the first time all day with just one hole remaining.

In doing so, victorious world number one Scheffler set an Olympic record for 72 holes with his 19-under 265 at Le Golf National.

Scottie Scheffler carded a record-tying nine-under 62 to win gold at the Paris Olympics, earning the United States' second consecutive golf title.

Scheffler, who started four shots behind co-leaders Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele heading into the final round, shot 29 on the back nine to confirm the triumph. 

But the world number one was pushed all the way by Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 66 to finish one shot behind to claim a silver medal at Le Golf National. 

Fleetwood had the opportunity to force a play-off heading into the 18th but drifted his approach long and left, sending his chip close to save par under pressure. 

Hideki Matsuyama had been at the top of the leaderboard for much of the weekend and took home the bronze medal.

Matsuyama made amends for his play-off defeat at his home Games in Tokyo three years ago, shooting 65 to finish 17 under and claim the final podium place. 

Scottie Scheffler brings home the gold

The United States is victorious once again @OlympicGolf! pic.twitter.com/hLIq0D13Xr

Home favourite Victor Perez shot an inspired eight-under 63 to finish a shot outside the top three, while Rahm bogeyed the last to finish 15 under, dropping out of contention after struggling on the back nine.

Rory McIlroy finished joint-fifth alongside the Spaniard, with Schauffele dropping to joint-ninth after enduring a difficult round, shooting two over. 

Scottie Scheffler carded a record-tying nine-under 62 to win gold at the Paris Olympics, earning the United States' second consecutive golf title.

Scheffler, who started four shots behind co-leaders Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele heading into the final round, shot 29 on the back nine to confirm the triumph. 

But the world number one was pushed all the way by Great Britain's Tommy Fleetwood, who shot 66 to finish one shot behind to claim a silver medal at Le Golf National. 

Fleetwood had the opportunity to force a play-off heading into the 18th but drifted his approach long and left, sending his chip close to save par under pressure. 

Hideki Matsuyama had been at the top of the leaderboard for much of the weekend and took home the bronze medal.

Matsuyama made amends for his play-off defeat at his home Games in Tokyo three years ago, shooting 65 to finish 17 under and claim the final podium place. 

Scottie Scheffler brings home the gold

The United States is victorious once again @OlympicGolf! pic.twitter.com/hLIq0D13Xr

Home favourite Victor Perez shot an inspired eight-under 63 to finish a shot outside the top three, while Rahm bogeyed the last to finish 15 under, dropping out of contention after struggling on the back nine.

Rory McIlroy finished joint-fifth alongside the Spaniard, with Schauffele dropping to joint-ninth after enduring a difficult round, shooting two over. 

Japan's Hideki Matsuyama has set the pace on the opening day of the Olympics, carding an impressive bogey-free eight-under 63.

On a day interrupted by threats of lightning that saw play suspended multiple times, Xander Schauffele had the chance to close in on the lead, but instead finished two strokes behind him on 65.

And it gets tight behind him on the leaderboard in a three-way tie for third between Chile's Joaquin Niemann, Argentina's Emiliano Grillo and South Korea's Tom Kim after rounds of 66.

After solid opening rounds, world number one Scottie Scheffler, Tommy Fleetwood and Jon Rahm were among the nine tied for sixth on four-under.

Meanwhile, it was an up-and-down day for Rory McIlroy, who finished one stroke further back in joint-15th after he carded five birdies and an eagle as well as four bogeys to card a three-under 68.

His Ireland team-mate Shane Lowry finished on an even 72, sitting in tied-47th.

The fourth and final major of 2024 is here, as Royal Troon hosts the 152nd edition of The Open Championship.

Following his remarkable near-miss at the U.S. Open, the event offers Rory McIlroy one last chance to stop his major drought from stretching into an 11th year.

Bryson DeChambeau edged McIlroy out at Pinehurst and should again be among the contenders, while world number one Scottie Scheffler is targeting an improvement after a disappointing showing on home soil.

Ludvig Aberg, Xander Schauffele and Collin Morikawa – who won the 149th Open three years ago – are also eyeing glory, while Tiger Woods will play his first Open at Troon in 20 years.

Here, we run through the best Opta stats and storylines surrounding the main contenders.

Can McIlroy bounce back?

McIlroy won his third major title at The Open in 2014, beating Rickie Fowler and Sergio Garcia by six shots at Royal Liverpool Golf Club. One month later, he made it four by winning the PGA Championship at Valhalla. 

Who would have thought that 10 years on, the Northern Irishman would still be yet to add another major title to his glittering trophy cabinet?

Perhaps his most gutting near-miss to date came at last month's U.S. Open. Neck-and-neck with DeChambeau at the top of the leaderboard as the final round drew to a close, McIlroy missed two putts from within four yards in the final three holes.

The world number two took three weeks off after that disappointment before struggling on the greens again at last week's Scottish Open, finishing tied for fourth as Robert MacIntyre triumphed on home ground.

McIlroy has had five top-10 finishes in his last seven Open Championship appearances, though, including finishing in the top five on each of his last three Open outings on Scottish soil.

He also finished in a share of fifth at his only previous Open at Troon in 2016, and produced his best Open performance of the last decade when the event was last held in Scotland, finishing third and two shots adrift of Cameron Smith at St. Andrews in 2022.

With 21 top-10 finishes in 37 majors since his 2014 PGA Championship win, McIlroy has generally put himself in contention on the big stage – an improvement he referenced at Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference.

The key, as he earlier told reporters after the Scottish Open, will be getting his putter to "cooperate" when it matters most.

Double bubble for Bryson?

Not since Woods completed his memorable 'Tiger Slam' has any player won the U.S. Open and The Open Championship in the same year.

Woods, of course, captured both titles as he won three straight majors to round off 2000, then kick-started 2001 by triumphing at The Masters.

Tom Watson (1982), Lee Trevino (1971), Ben Hogan (1953), Gene Sarazen (1932) and Bobby Jones (1926 and 1930) are the other players to have won both in the same year.

DeChambeau will attempt to write his name into the history books this week, though his record at The Open leaves plenty to be desired. 

Only in 2022 (T8) has he finished higher than 33rd at the event, a placing he managed in both 2017 and 2021. Across his six participations, he has also missed the cut twice and finished in a share of 60th last year.

The American has really turned up at the majors this year, however, finishing T6 at The Masters and second at the PGA Championship before claiming his second U.S. Open title.

PGA Championship victor Schauffele is the only other player to finish inside the top 10 at each of this year's three majors to date.

Indeed, DeChambeau is 28 under par across this year's opening three majors (-2 at The Masters, -20 PGA Championship, -6 U.S. Open), a better aggregate score than any other player. Write him off at your peril.

Scheffler to stay on top?

Victory at Augusta seemed to be paving the way for a dominant year in the majors for world number one Scheffler, though that has not quite been the case, even if he is enjoying a fantastic season nevertheless.

His arrest on the eve of the PGA Championship was far from ideal preparation for that tournament, and it was followed by a disappointing showing at the U.S. Open.

Will he get back to form at Royal Troon, and become the ninth player to win both The Masters and The Open in the same year, and the first since Woods in 2005?

Scheffler's best finish at The Open was a tie for eighth in 2021. But he has won six of his last 10 tournaments this year (Arnold Palmer Invitational, Players Championship, Masters, Heritage, Memorial and Travelers).

That marks the most wins on the PGA Tour in a calendar year since Woods in 2009.

The last six major tournaments have been won by American players. It is the USA's longest streak of major wins since 1982, and Scheffler is the very best of the bunch.

Can Harman hold onto the title? The other contenders and Woods is back

Four golfers have finished inside the top 10 at each of the last two editions of The Open: McIlroy, Cameron Young, Tommy Fleetwood and Brian Harman, who won the Claret Jug last year.

Harman comes into The Open as the world number 13, though it is worth noting he has only finished in the top 10 in three majors (U.S. Open 2017, The Open 2022 and The Open 2023).

Scottish Open champion MacIntyre is one of only three multiple winners on the PGA Tour this year (he won the Canadian Open in June), along with Scheffler and McIlroy.

Home favourite MacIntyre is aiming to become the first Scottish winner of a major since Paul Lawrie in 1999.

In his three Open Championship appearances so far, Morikawa has either won (2021) or missed the cut (2022, 2023). He is one of two players to win The Open at the first attempt this century, alongside Ben Curtis in 2003.

What about Schauffele? He finally ended his wait for a major title at the PGA Championship earlier this year. Since the 2022 edition of that tournament, the world number three has played in 10 major tournaments and has never finished outside the top 20.

And, finally, Troon will welcome back Woods after a two-decade absence.

The 15-time major champion bit back at a suggestion he should be considering retirement, and will be out to prove his doubters wrong. 

That being said, the last time he made the cut at The Open was in 2018, at Carnoustie (T-6th), and he failed to make the weekend at both the U.S. Open and PGA Championship this year.

Having also finished last of any player to make the cut at this year's Masters, Woods may be up against it at Royal Troon, though is firing on all fronts after Colin Montgomerie's retirement comments.

The course

Royal Troon is hosting The Open Championship for the 10th time. It will become the eighth course to welcome the tournament on 10 or more occasions and only the fourth venue in Scotland to play host that many times, after St. Andrews (30), Prestwick (24) and Muirfield (16). 

The first Open at Troon took place 101 years ago, in 1923, and the course has welcomed the tournament at least once in every decade since the 1950s.

The most recent Open to be held at the venue saw Henrik Stenson edge out Phil Mickelson by three strokes back in 2016. 

At that edition of the tournament, Stenson set records both for the lowest final score at a 72-hole Open (264) and the lowest score to par (20 under), with Smith matching that latter achievement two years ago. 

Does more history await this year?

Scottie Scheffler is aiming for Open Championship success at Royal Troon but had no idea about the potential of matching Arnold Palmer's piece of history this week.

The world number one has won six times on the PGA Tour this year, with the last player to do so by this stage being Palmer, way back in 1962.

Palmer coincidentally secured his seventh title of that year at the same Troon course in South Ayrshire, with Scheffler out to match that feat when starting on Thursday.

Scheffler will play in all-American three-ball with 2017 champion Jordan Spieth and 2022 runner-up Cameron Young, though admitted that Palmer's history had slipped his mind.

"That would be great [to match Palmer]," the 28-year-old said at Tuesday's pre-tournament press conference.

"No [I wasn't aware]. I try to stay off the internet as much as possible. I like to, when I'm at home, be at home and be present.

"I love the history of the game, and there's certain things that I know and certain things that I don't.

"That was something that for some reason I just never stumbled across, so I had no idea that that was a thing."

Scheffler has two major honours to his name so far, both at The Masters in 2022 and 2024, but finished all four rounds over par at last month's U.S. Open.

The 152nd Open in Scotland will pose a different challenge, yet one which Scheffler is relishing.

"I'm excited for the week. I think the golf course is great," the two-time major winner added.

"I feel like you have to be more creative here [with links golf] and I love that part of it. I feel this is really how golf was intended to be played.

"There's a lot more opportunity for shot-making and being creative around the greens. It really is fun to come over here and play."

Scottie Scheffler became the first player since Arnold Palmer in 1962 to win six times before July on the PGA Tour following his triumph at the Travelers Championship on Sunday.

The world number one beat Tom Kim in a dramatic finish at TPC River Highlands, having gone into the final round a shot behind his playing partner. 

Scheffler would make five birdies in a bogey-free round to shoot 65, taking his total to 22 under alongside the South Korean, who was the overnight leader. 

Kim would force a play-off on the final hole after sinking a 10-foot birdie, only for play to be halted soon after when multiple protestors ran onto the 18th green. 

However, Scheffler would remain composed and made the par-winning putt after his opponent was unable to get up and down from the sand. 

The American's latest triumph follows wins at the Arnold Palmer Invitational, The Players, The Masters, RBC Heritage, and Memorial Tournament already this season. 

Scheffler also strengthened his position at the top of the world with another 66 points in the Official World Golf Rankings. 

The latest points for Scheffler mean he has now beaten Tiger Woods' long-standing record of 532 in the first six months of the year, something he set in 2000, a season he would go on to win nine times. 

Scheffler has now amassed 583 points in the first six months of 2024 and was pleased to pick up another PGA Tour title. 

"It has been a great season," Scheffler said. "I've been fortunate to come away with some wins, and it has been a lot of fun.

"Tom played his heart out today. He's a great player, great champion and it was fun battling with him today."

The PGA Tour heads to Michigan next for the Rocket Mortgage Classic, where Rickie Fowler returns as defending champion at the Detroit Golf Club. 

Scottie Scheffler was left to rue "another frustrating day" at the US Open on Saturday, when Collin Morikawa found form on moving day at Pinehurst.

World number one Scheffler struggled once again in North Carolina, carding a one-over 71 to drop down to six-over par after the third day.

The two-time Masters champion has now shot four consecutive rounds over par for the first time in his professional career and catching the likes of Matthieu Pavon, Bryson Dechambeau and Tony Finau appears unlikely.

"Another frustrating day," Scheffler said on Sky Sports after his putter went cold once more. "Today was a day where I thought I played a lot better than my score.

"I'm having a lot of trouble reading these greens. I had a lot of putts today where I felt like I hit it really good. I looked up and they were not going the way I thought they were going to go."

Morikawa, in stark contrast, went on a hot streak with his putter and finished with a four-under 66 to move back to level par, sneaking within touching distance of the top 10.

The two-time major champion still has serious ground to make up to catch the leading trio on Sunday, with Ludvig Aberg, Patrick Cantlay, Corey Conners and Tyrrell Hatton all chasing at the top as well.

"If I play the way I did today, who knows what could happen," Morikawa said. "This course is only going to get tougher. 

"I know it's not going to be easy. Today was not easy by any means. I just put it in the right spot, kept the ball in front of me, really just played very simple golf."

Rory McIlroy remains in with the contending pack, aiming to end a 10-year wait for major success, but may be concerned if countryman Shane Lowry's words are anything to go by.

Lowry stayed on five-over for the tournament after battling through "torture" from the Pinehurst No.2 course, offering a warning to all competing this weekend.

"It's torture out there, honestly it's absolute mental torture," Lowry said. "That's the best level par I've ever shot in my life.

"Every single shot you have, even when you hit a good shot the putts you have, it's brutally difficult. It's not much crack out there, to be honest.

"The wind's in a different direction so some of the par fours are really long. You really just have to manage your way well around there and I did a great job today."

The third major of the year is upon us, and one man in particular will be hoping it goes more smoothly than the second.

World number one Scottie Scheffler saw his bid for a first PGA Championship crown unravel at Valhalla Golf Course, with Xander Schauffele ultimately edging out Bryson DeChambeau and Viktor Hovland for his first major crown.

Many expect the duo – currently the top two in golf's world rankings – to battle it out for glory on Course No. 2 at Pinehurst Resort this week, as the U.S. Open heads back to North Carolina. 

Rory McIlroy could have something to say about that, with last year's second-place finish at the U.S. Open the closest he has come to ending his decade-long major drought.

Ahead of the 124th edition of the tournament, which features the largest purse of any major at $20million, we run through the likely contenders, the storylines to keep an eye on and what to expect from the course.

The course

Pinehurst No. 2 is hosting the U.S. Open for the fourth time, having previously been used for the 1999, 2005 and 2014 editions. 

Since it first welcomed the event, the course has been home to the tournament more times than any other venue.

The course, which was renovated in 2011, is known for rewarding putting accuracy over driving excellence, and it has not always favoured home players in the past.

While Pinehurst No. 2's first staging of the U.S. Open produced a United States-born victor in Payne Stewart, New Zealand's Michael Campbell triumphed in 2005 and Germany's Martin Kaymer won by eight strokes in 2014. 

That was the second-largest margin of victory recorded at the U.S. Open since the World War II after Tiger Woods triumphed by 15 shots at Pebble Beach in 2000.

Expect four gruelling days. Indeed, across the previous four editions of the U.S. Open to be played at Pinehurst No. 2, only Kaymer in 2014 (-9) finished with a score better than one under par for the week.

The contenders 

Fresh off the back of his first major success, Schauffele will expect to be in the running again. He is one of four players to finish inside the top 10 at both of this year's majors to date, having ranked eighth at the Masters. The others to do so are Scheffler, DeChambeau and Collin Morikawa.

Five players have previous won both the PGA Championship and the U.S. Open in the same year – Gene Sarazen (1922), Ben Hogan (1948), Jack Nicklaus (1980), Woods (2000) and Brooks Koepka (2018).

The clear favourite once again, though, is Scheffler. 

He was arrested and charged with second-degree assault of a police officer, third-degree criminal mischief, reckless driving and disregarding traffic signals from an officer after attempting to pass an incident outside Valhalla ahead of his second round last month.

He finished the tournament in a share of eighth – an admirable effort, given the disruption – and saw his charges dismissed just 12 days after his arrest.

The incident has not done much to affect his form. Scheffler claimed his fifth title of the year at the PGA Tour's Memorial Tournament last week, becoming just the second player – alongside Woods – to win the Players Championship, Masters and Memorial in the same year.

He has won five of his eight tournaments on the PGA Tour since March, finishing T2 twice and T8 once in the other three. 

Reflecting on the way he responded to his arrest at Valhalla, Scheffler said: "I call it compartmentalising parts of my life.

"So I have my off-course life and then I have my on-course life, when I'm out here practicing and playing tournaments. I don't show up to these tournaments just to play. I'm here to do my best and compete."

Besides Scheffler and Schauffele, McIlroy will be hoping to go one better after finishing one stroke behind champion Wyndham Clark at last year's U.S. Open.

Having fallen short at the year's first two majors, the Northern Irishman hopes the firm conditions expected in North Carolina will play into his hands. 

"After the Open Championship in 2019 I'd had a disappointing run in the majors, and I tried to change my mindset," he told The Telegraph.

"Since then I've come to love it when it is fast and firm. If you look at my results in the U.S. Open and some of the toughest tests from 2019 until now, I would say the U.S. Open has arguably been my best major in the last few years."

Morikawa should also be there or thereabouts, having been narrowly edged out by Scheffler on his most recent outing at the Memorial.

Alongside Ludvig Aberg, he has the most top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour this year without a victory (six). Might his luck turn this week?

The legends

The U.S. Open will also feature a couple of players attempting to recapture past glories, with Woods the one most fans are looking forward to seeing.

He missed the cut at the PGA Championship after carding scores of 72 and 77, subsequently admitting improvements are needed in all areas if he is to fare better on his first U.S. Open appearance since 2020.

"I need to clean up my rounds," Woods said after the PGA Championship. "Physically, yes, I am better than I was a month ago.

"I still have more ways to go, lots of improvement to do physically, and hopefully my team and I can get that done pre-Pinehurst."

Only four players – Willie Anderson, Bobby Jones, Hogan and Nicklaus (four apiece) – have bettered Woods' three U.S. Open triumphs, and his most recent victory at the event was the last to be decided by a playoff, seeing off Rocco Mediate in 2008.

While Woods has enjoyed plenty of success at the U.S. Open, the same cannot be said for Phil Mickelson.

It is the only major he has not won in his 32 attempts, 30 as a professional and two as an amateur, and his six second-place finishes at the U.S. Open are more than any other player.

The first of those came 25 years ago, at Pinehurst No. 2.

The history 

For all the big names on show, the U.S. Open does have a tendency to throw up surprise victors.

Indeed, since Woods triumphed at Torrey Pines in 2018, 12 of the next 15 U.S. Opens have produced a first-time major champion. That includes the last five editions, with Gary Woodland, DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Matt Fitzpatrick triumphing before Clark.

Clark could become just the fourth player since World War II to retain the U.S. Open title, after Hogan (1950 and 1951), Curtis Strange (1988 and 1989) and Koepka (2017 and 2018). 

Last year's victory at Los Angeles Country Club remains his only top-30 finish at a major – he missed the cut at this year's Masters and PGA Championship.

The U.S. Open was formerly known as a real test of endurance, but things have changed somewhat in recent years.

From 2005 to 2013, six of nine editions produced an even/over-par winning score, but nine of the last 10 have been won with an under-par score, the exception being Koepka's 2018 victory at Shinnecock Hills (+1).

What kind of score will be required this time out? If Scheffler maintains his outstanding form, he will take some beating.