– Neal Shipley claimed the medal for the highest ranked amateur player at the US Open this Sunday, the same recognition that Jon Rahm received at Oakmont in 2016. Well, Shipley has become the tenth amateur player to win this award in the same year at the US Open and the Masters. The other nine were: Viktor Hovland (2019), Matt Kuchar (1998), Phil Mickelson (1991), Sam Randolph (1986), Rick Fehr (1984), Jack Nicklaus (1960), Ken Venturi (1956), Harvie Ward (1955) and Billy Joe Patton (1954).
– The last six Majors, since the PGA Championship, have been consecutively won by American players: Brooks Koepka, Wyndham Clark, Brian Harman, Scottie Scheffler and Xander Schauffele. It’s the longest streak since the early 80s. Do you know who was the one to break that sequence? A gentleman from Pedreña named Seve Ballesteros. Friends of good omens, you can start rubbing your hands thinking about Royal Troon. Why not repeat history?
– We have to go back to the 2010 US Open to find the last time a champion was crowned by signing a round over par on Sunday. Then it was Graeme McDowell and he scored 74 strokes, three over par. Bryson DeChambeau did one over par.
– The last time the first and second place of the US Open were former champions of the tournament was in 1998 with Lee Janzen and Payne Stewart. This has only happened seven times in history.
– Bryson DeChambeau is the player who has made the most birdies at Pinehurst this week, even though he finally made the cut with three consecutive pars. He made 15, the same as Martin Kaymer in 2014. Scottie Scheffler stayed at four and Brian Campbell, making the cut, has only made two all week.
– Tony Finau has matched his best ever result in a Major. He finished third at Pinehurst. The other time he finished in this position was at the Open Championship at Royal Portrush in 2019. Meanwhile, at the US Open his best result so far had been a fifth place at Shinnecock Hills 2018. Interestingly, his best positions have come in the two toughest US Opens in recent history.
– Xander Schauffele, seventh at Pinehurst, has managed to extend his impressive streak at the US Open. He now has eight consecutive editions finishing in the top 15 of the ranking. Since 1920, the only players with an equal or better sequence are Jack Nicklaus (12, 1971-82), Ben Hogan (12, 1940-1956), Bobby Jones (11, 1920-1930) and Sam Snead (9, 1947-1955). Almost nothing.
– Rory McIlroy is the fifth player in history to chain two second places in the US Open. The others were Bobby Jones (1924, 1925), Ben Hogan (1955, 1956), Arnold Palmer (1962, 1963, 1966, 1967) and Jim Furyk (2006, 2007).
– Hideki Matsuyama extends the active streak of most consecutive cuts in Majors. At the US Open he added his 17th Major. Jon Rahm stayed at 18 when he missed the weekend at Valhalla.
