OK, you know the featured groups at this week’s U.S. Open. But what about the more underrated trios for Rounds 1-2 at Pinehurst No. 2?
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Here are eight of my favorite non-featured groupings (Thursday/Friday; all times ET):
Gordon Sargent (a), Jake Knapp, Cameron Young, 1:47 p.m./8:02 a.m.
If you like high ball speed, this group is for you. The only miss is maybe not subbing Cam Young for Charlie Reiter, who hit 199 ball speed on the range Monday.
Nicolas Echavarria, Robert Rock, Neal Shipley (a), 8:24 a.m./2:09 p.m.
Echavarria starred at Arkansas and has won on the PGA Tour. Bob Rock is a European legend. And Shipley just wrapped up his Ohio State career and is fresh off earning low-amateur honors at the Masters. But the thing that stands out with this trio is they all have aspirational locks.
Takumi Kanaya, Stewart Hagestad (a), Mac Meissner, 8:35 a.m./2:20 p.m.
Have you seen Hagestad and Meissner in the same room before? Could be brothers – and were Walker Cup teammates in 2021 when Meissner became the first alternate to earn a point in match history. Meissner also one of my favorite sleeper plays this week.
Thomas Detry, Brian Campbell, Jackson Buchanan (a), 2:20 p.m./8:35 a.m.
Illinois fans and Illini head coach Mike Small will be tuning into this one.
Ben Kohles, Denny McCarthy, Ben James (a), 2:09 p.m./8:24 a.m.
The second all-college group of the week, this one from Virginia. James is currently a Cav and a top-10 amateur in the world.
Bob MacIntyre, Nick Taylor, Mac Hughes, 1:03 p.m./7:18 a.m.
This is kind of the “Oh, Canada” group. Taylor and Hughes hail from up north while Big Shot Bob just won the country’s national open two weeks ago. Hopefully his hangover has worn off after returning home to Scotland to celebrate last week.
Michael McGowan, Carter Jenkins, Logan McAllister, 6:45 a.m./12:30 p.m.
Two local guys, McGowan from Pinehurst and Jenkins from Raleigh, will be more comfortable than most for this first tee time off the first tee. McGowan will hit the opening tee shot (Rico Hoey has the first off No. 10). McAllister played his college golf at Oklahoma, is currently on the Korn Ferry Tour and has Joe LaCava Jr. on his bag.
Frankie Capan III, Andrew Svoboda, Luke Clanton (a), 2:20 p.m./8:35 a.m.
A club pro and two future stars. Capan shot 58 a few weeks ago on the KFT while Clanton won the North and South Amateur at Pinehurst in 2022. Clanton also wrapped up his sophomore year at Florida State as college golf’s top-ranked player and was a shot shy of forcing a playoff at the NCAA Championship.
