10 Best Bets To Become a First-Time Major Winner at U.S. Open

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Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, and Xander Schauffele
Patrick Cantlay, Jon Rahm, and Xander Schauffele are the three best players in the world without a major. (Getty Images - PGA Graphics)

Four of the past five U.S. Open winners, including defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, had not previously won a major championship.

With varying levels of uncertainty surrounding a number of the game’s best players, Torrey Pines could very well become the site of the next first-time major winner.

Here’s our list of the top majorless notables:

Jon Rahm

Jon Rahm plays from a bunker during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 14, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)

Rahm is undeniably the best player in the world to not yet win a major, something he is the odds-on favorite to accomplish this week. If he shows the form he had at Muirfield Village, Torrey Pines could become a rout, but it is far from certain that he gets back there so quickly is one of three players to finish in the top ten of the first two 2021 majors… He finished T5 at The Masters, despite the distractions arising from his first child being born just days earlier, which he followed up with a strong Sunday at Kiawah Island that allowed him to finish T8 at the PGA Championship… In five U.S. Open starts, his best finish was a T3 at the 2019 edition won by Brooks Koepka.

World Rank: 3
Odds To Win: 10/1


Xander Schauffele

Xander Schauffele
Xander Schauffele drinks water on the 6th tee during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 15, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Harry How via Getty Images)

The World No. 6 was born in La Jolla and starred at San Diego State University. It feels like a safe assumption that he is well-versed on Torrey Pines. Even if the U.S. Open wasn’t happening in his backyard, Xander would be among the favorites given that he has finished T6 or better in all four of his tournament starts… He was solo-fifth in September at Winged Foot, finding Sunday to be especially difficult.

World Rank: 6
Odds To Win: 18/1


Patrick Cantlay

Patrick Cantlay
Patrick Cantlay tees off on the 6th during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 15, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Harry How via Getty Images)

The World No. 7 was in miserable form when he became the chief beneficiary of Jon Rahm’s controversial withdraw from The Memorial Tournament, the second time Cantlay has won at Jack’s Place… Despite missed cuts at The Masters, THE PLAYERS, and a pedestrian T23 at the PGA Championship, the 29-year-old leads the FedExCup standings… His best U.S. Open result was a T21 as a 19-year-old amateur in 2011… He matched that T21 as a pro in 2019.

World Rank: 7
Odds To Win: 25/1


Tyrrell Hatton

Tyrrell Hatton
Tyrrell Hatton on the 17th green during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 15, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Harry How via Getty Images)

The amiable Englishman is coming into Torrey Pines with much-needed momentum, snapping out of a recent funk with a T2 at last week’s Palmetto Championship at Congaree… He re-entered the top 10 of the OWGR in the process… He is very streaky, and even against a mediocre field, that runner-up could be huge.

World Rank: 10
Odds To Win: 45/1


Viktor Hovland

Viktor Hovland
Viktor Hovland plays his shot from the 7th tee during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 14, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)

The 23-year-old from Norway broke Jack Nicklaus’ amateur record two years ago at Pebble Beach, finishing the week at 4-under and a T12… He has run very hot-and-cold this past year, although he figures to consistently contend in these majors.

World Rank: 13
Odds To Win: 25/1


Tony Finau

Tony Finau
Tony Finau plays his shot from the 15th tee during a practice round prior to the start of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines GC on June 15, 2021 in San Diego, CA. (Photo by Ezra Shaw via Getty Images)

The 31-year-old finished runner-up in three straight events worldwide earlier this year, but has seen a decline in his results since… He has finished in the top 10 of four straight major championships.

World Rank: 14
Odds To Win: 25/1


Scottie Scheffler

Scottie Scheffler watches his shot from the fourth tee during the final round of The Northern Trust at TPC Boston on Aug 23, 2020 in Norton, Mass. Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images

Overdue for his first career Tour victory, the 24-year-old Texan fell just short in his most recent start, finishing solo-third at The Memorial, where he co-led the field in birdies… All six of his 2021 top 20s have come since February, and he should be extra motivated at this year’s U.S. Open, given that he was forced out of the last one after testing positive for COVID shortly before… Scheffler could become the first player to notch his first Tour win at the U.S. Open since Graeme McDowell accomplished that feat at Pebble Beach in 2010.

World Rank: 17
Odds To Win: 45/1


Will Zalatoris

Will Zalatoris

The 24-year-old American has posted three straight top 10s in majors, while having only made four career major starts… The runner-up to Hideki Matsuyama at The Masters figures to snag his first PGA Tour win in the very near future… He was T6 at Winged Foot in September.

World Rank: 29
Odds To Win: 40/1


Matthew Wolff

Matthew Wolff Shriners Open TPC Summerlin Las Vegas
Matthew Wolff hits his tee shot on the 7th hole during the final round of the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open at TPC Summerlin on October 11, 2020 in Las Vegas, Nevada. (Photo by Matthew Stockman/Getty Images)

It cannot be forgotten that in DeChambeau’s September rout at Winged Foot, it was actually the then 21-year-old Wolff who held a two-stroke 54-hole lead… The world No. 32 also finished runner-up in his next start, at the Shriners Hospitals For Children Open, but has been an absolute mess since… He was disqualified from The Masters, signing an incorrect scorecard after missing the cut.

World Rank: 32
Odds To Win: 150/1


Garrick Higgo

Garrick Higgo Wins Canary Islands Championship at Golf Costa Adeje
Garrick Higgo acknowledges the crowd as he walks down the 18th fairway during the final round of the Canary Islands Championship at Golf Costa Adeje on May 09, 2021 in Tenerife, Spain. (Photo by Andrew Redington via Getty Images)

The 24-year-old South African won last week’s Palmetto Championship At Congaree, in what was just his second career PGA Tour start… He now has three wins in his last five starts worldwide, making him arguably the hottest player in the field.

World Rank: 39
Odds To Win: 66/1

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