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Adam Scott is hungry to right the wrongs from a missed cut at the 2007 US Open at Oakmont which he concedes was “the worst I’ve ever played in a major.”
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A fresh-faced 27-year-old Scott carded an opening 76 on the brutal, par-70 Pittsburgh course famed for its church pews bunkers before a disastrous 12-over 82. He missed the cut by a Pennsylvania mile.
Although the Queenslander atoned with a very respectable T-18 when the US Open returned to Pittsburgh in 2016, he remembers Oakmont’s 2007 wrath vividly. Oakmont also claimed fellow Australian Aaron Baddeley, who was 54-hole leader by two shots over final group partner Tiger Woods, only to shoot 80 on the final day as Angel Cabrera won.
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“Well, I mean, my memories of ’07 was it was the worst I think I’ve ever played, maybe, in a major, which was really a bit of a shock, because I’d finished second the week before in Memphis, and I was, at the time, fairly highly ranked and just had an absolute nightmare that week,” Scott told Australian Golf Digest. “Then in 2016, I was playing well that year [having won twice early in the PGA Tour season], and my memory was I played really solid, but didn’t putt great.”
Now almost 45 years of age and with a wealth of experience – and a Masters victory in 2013 – under his belt, Scott is eager to get into contention in his 96th consecutive appearance at the majors. He hasn’t missed a major since starting his incredible streak at the 2001 British Open. Scott is one of six Australians in the field at the 125th US Open, including fellow major winners Jason Day and Cameron Smith, as well as Marc Leishman, Min Woo Lee and Cameron Davis.
“Coming here this year, I don’t know whether it’s another nine years experience of golf, but I feel like I’m coming here and it’s less overwhelming, Oakmont,” Scott said. “Maybe it’s just my third trip around the US Open here and I know what to expect and I know the course better. I feel fairly calm about the challenge this week, even though it’s extreme.”
Scott is also a remarkably better putter these days, having finished 27th in strokes gained: putting on the PGA Tour last season among the world’s best on the greens.
“Everything in my game, certainly the last month has improved,” Scott said of his recent uptick in form having started with below-average results on the PGA Tour in 2025. “It’s just my iron play has been lagging behind, and that’s really held me back this year. But the last month, I’ve been really close to good results without getting them.”
When it counted, Scott was in the mix – three shots behind eventual winner Scottie Scheffler – at the PGA Championship with seven holes remaining on the final day at Quail Hollow. His T-19 result after a disastrous last few holes doesn’t reflect how close he was midway through the final day. Scott firmly believes he still has what it takes to win a second career major title.
“I was right there at the end of the PGA; I feel like my game is in a good spot and Oakmont this year is a good setup for me, if there ever is one for a US Open,” he said. “But I was three back with seven holes to play at the PGA and it didn’t go my way. It didn’t go John Rahm’s way. It went Scottie Scheffler’s way, so to put myself in the mix, there’s confidence to be taken from that, for sure. Maybe that’s adding to my kind of calmness about this week.”
When asked by your correspondent, Scott briefly allowed himself to soak up the accomplishment of 96 straight majors, which is guaranteed to become 98 with his confirmed spot in the Open Championship next month and a lifetime invitation to the Masters. Although, Scott is not content with his strike rate.
“Well, it’s something,” Scott said of his longevity. “I don’t know what to make of it. I’ve played at a high level, let’s call it basically, top 50 in the world, for 25 years. Now, I’ve had a couple of moments. I’ve had to do the qualifier twice for the US Open in that time. It’s not that easy to stay qualified for these things, especially only winning one. The fields are deep, and over a 25 year period, I would guess that even the best players have two or maybe three dips in form, and I think they get harder to recover from, to be perfectly honest. The other thing that I would credit my longevity to is my health. Just to not be injured and be physically capable to go every time is one of the things I’ve done best in my career.”
GROUPINGS
Perth-raised Lee, who won the PGA Tour’s Houston Open this year, has been placed in a star grouping alongside Justin Thomas and Brooks Koepka beginning on Thursday night, Australian time.
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Scott will lead off the Australian tilt paired with Swedish star Ludvig Åberg and 2021 Masters winner Hideki Matsuyama. Scott will begin at 7.18am local time (9.18pm AEST Thursday).
Sydneysider Davis will tee off at 8.02am (10.02pm AEST Thursday) with Davis Thompson and Thomas Detry. Getting his US Open underway at the same time from the 10th hole is Smith and his fellow former Open Championship winners Brian Harman and Phil Mickelson.
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New Zealander Ryan Fox, who won last week’s Canadian Open to get into the US Open field via the world rankings, gets underway at 12.41pm (2.41am Friday AEST) with Byeong Hun An and Joe Highsmith.
Former world No.1 Day begins his US Open hopes at 1.36pm local (3.36am Friday AEST) with Corey Conners and Patrick Reed.
Leishman, who advanced through 36-hole final qualifying and a two-hole playoff, tees off at 1.58pm local 3.58am (Friday AEST) with Aaron Rai and Nick Dunlap.
AUSSIE/KIWI TEE-TIMES AT THE 125TH US Open
Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
9.18pm* Adam Scott
10.02pm Cam Davis
10.02pm* Cameron Smith
2.41am Ryan Fox (NZ)
3.03am Min Woo Lee
3.36am Jason Day
3.58am* Marc Leishman
GUIDE TO THE US OPEN [COURTESY OF AUSTRALIAN GOLF MEDIA]
There will be a total of 45 hours of live tournament coverage on Fox Sports and Kayo, starting at 8:30pm AEST Thursday night.
US Open
Oakmont Country Club, Oakmont, Pennsylvania
Recent champion: Bryson DeChambeau
Past Aussie winners: David Graham (1981), Geoff Ogilvy (2006)
TV times: Live 8:30pm-10am Thursday, Friday; Live 12am-10am Sunday; Live 1am-9am Monday on Fox Sports 503 and Kayo.
Australasians in the field
Cam Davis
Age: 30
US Open appearances: 2
Best US Open finish: MC (2023, 2024)
Best finish in a major: T4, 2023 PGA Championship
PGA TOUR wins: 2
How he qualified: Top 5 players in the 2025 FedExCup standings, not otherwise exempt, as of May 19
Jason Day
Age: 37
US Open appearances: 12
Best US Open finish: 2nd (2011, 2013)
Best finish in a major: Won, 2015 PGA Championship
PGA TOUR wins: 13
How he qualified: Top 60 points leaders and ties from Official World Golf Ranking, as of May 19
Ryan Fox (NZ)
Age: 38
US Open appearances: 6
Best US Open finish: T41st (2018)
Best finish in a major: T16, 2019 Open Championship
PGA TOUR wins: 2
How he qualified: From the current Official World Golf Rankings, the top 60 points leaders and ties as of June 9, 2025
Min Woo Lee
Age: 26
US Open appearances: 3
Best US Open finish: T5 (2023)
Best finish in a major: T5, 2023 US Open
PGA TOUR wins: 1
How he qualified: Top 60 points leaders and ties in the Official World Golf Ranking, as of May 19
Marc Leishman
Age: 41
US Open appearances: 11
Best US Open finish: T14 (2022)
Best finish in a major: T2, 2015 Open Championship
PGA TOUR wins: 6
How he qualified: Shot 70-69—139 at Final Qualifying at Woodmont Country Club (North Course) in Maryland on June 2
Adam Scott
Age: 44
US Open appearances: 23
Best US Open finish: T4 (2015)
Best finish in a major: Won, 2013 Masters
PGA TOUR wins: 14
How he qualified: Players who qualified and were eligible for the season-ending 2024 Tour Championship
Cameron Smith
Age: 31
US Open appearances: 9
Best US Open finish: 4th (2023)
Best finish in a major: Won, 2022 Open Championship
PGA TOUR wins: 6
How he qualified: Winner of 2022 Open Championship
