Our picks and all the leaderboards

Canoe Brook Country Club, Summit, N.J. - 4 spots

Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Andy Pope

Dark horse: Jim Renner

The reasoning: Pope has the best U.S. Open qualifying record of anyone I know, and Renner is an old friend. If the golf gods have any sense of justice, Renner will get one more chance in the sun.

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Caleb Surratt

Dark horse: Justin Warren

The reasoning: Surratt is an absolute stud. He dominated during his freshman year at Tennessee and already has some successful KFT Monday Qs under his belt. Warren hits it a mile and has some serious game

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/3979887

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Lambton Golf and Country Club, Toronto - 3 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Harry Hall

Dark horse: Callum Tarren

The reasoning: Hall has a big-time game and a high golf IQ. Tarren topped the leaderboard through two rounds at last year’s U.S. Open and this year’s PGA Championship.

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Ludvig Aberg

Dark horse: Michael Block

The reasoning: Aberg just locked up his PGA Tour card by finishing first in the PGA Tour U rankings. With his status secure, it would be no surprise to see him roll into the U.S. Open. Block has had himself quite a three weeks, from media darling to villain; I hope he plays well after getting a week off to catch his breath. 

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/9398543110742526326

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‍Woodmont Country Club, Rockville, Md. - 4 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Ben Kohles

Dark horse: Joseph Bramlett

The reasoning: Kohles has two wins on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. It’s his time. Bramlett has a remarkable focus, intelligence and poise that will serve him well over 36 holes.

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Marc Leishman

Dark horse: David Kocher

The reasoning: Leishman hasn’t been heard from much on LIV, but he recently was one of the top 20 players in the world. Kocher jump-started his career at a Monday Q on PGA Tour China. He is also from Maryland, so a homecoming is an advantage

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/8967421212091255374

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‍Old Chatham Golf Club, Durham, N.C. - 5 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Harold Varner III

Dark horse: Rico Hoey

The reasoning: Varner is not short on confidence, having just won on LIV. Hoey has gone from playing state opens in the last year to all but locking up a PGA Tour card with a win on Korn Ferry Tour last week. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Rico Hoey

Dark horse: Frankie Capan

The reasoning: Hoey is having an outstanding KFT season, capped by a win just two weeks ago. He will be on the PGA Tour next season. Capan has played solidly all season on the KFT after an amazing run through all stages of Q school. 

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/3985027

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‍Hawk’s Ridge Golf Club, Ball Ground, Ga. - 3 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite:  Gordon Sargent

Dark horse: Christo Lamprecht

The reasoning: Sargent is the top-ranked college player in the country. Lamprecht is a stud at Georgia Tech and has felt some serious heat recently playing in the final match of the NCAA national championship. He’s also a towering presence at 6-foot-8. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Andy Olgetree

Dark horse: J.J. Grey

The reasoning: This time last year, Olgetree was out of money and accepted one start on the LIV tour, finishing dead last. Since then he has won twice on the Asian Tour, leads the order of merit on that tour, and finished fifth in the last LIV event. Grey is one of the better guys in golf; he lost a close friend to suicide. The friend's parents now help fund his career. I am always pulling for J.J.

Leaderboard:  https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/3918063

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‍Pine Tree Golf Club, Boynton Beach, Fla. - 3 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Carlos Ortiz

Dark horse: Austen Truslow

The reasoning: Look, I’m a Carlos Ortiz fan. Ever since he popped a tee shot straight in the air on the 1st tee of a Korn Ferry Tour event and laughed at himself, I’ve been a fan. Truslow is back from golf purgatory, and I want to see him chip one-handed in the Open. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Truslow

Dark horse: Michael Buttacavoli

The reasoning: Truslow has played solidly in Monday Qs despite not getting through any of late. Buttacavoli won four times on the LatinoAmerican Tour before retiring after some knee injuries. He could surprise some people. 

Leaderboard: https://www.fsga.org/Tournament/PairingInfo/36301

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‍Hillcrest Country Club, Los Angeles - 5 spots

‍Breakdown 

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: T.J. Vogel

Dark horse: Norman Xiong

The reasoning: Vogel has the best Monday Q record in recent history. I’ll bet on him in any qualifier. Norman Xiong is 24, but an old 24. He just finished second on the Korn Ferry Tour. His time for a breakout has arrived. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: T.J. Vogel

Dark horse: Jeffery Kang

The reasoning: It’s a qualifier and T.J. Vogel is in it; of course he’s the favorite. I heard from a member that Kang has practiced at the course numerous times over the last couple of weeks. Because it’s a new qualifying site, that could be a huge advantage, especially on an exclusive private course that not many of the players have seen. 

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4005261

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‍Tacoma Country and Golf Club, Lakewood, Wash. - 2 spots

Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Zihao Jin

Dark horse: Andres Gonzalez

The reasoning: To be honest, these are two of the only players I know in the field! Jin gave me a beatdown at last year’s California State Open at Bear Creek in hot, windy conditions. He’s got game. Gonzalez is in the commentary booth now, but once half-man-half-amazing, always half-man-half-amazing! 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Joe Highsmith

Dark horse: George Markham

The reasoning: Highsmith is from Washington and having a solid season on the Korn Ferry Tour. With not a lot of big names in the field, he is the clear favorite. Markham has PGA Tour Canada status and has played well in numerous mini-tour events this season. 

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4225519

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‍Springfield (Ohio) Country Club - 5 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Taylor Pendrith

Dark horse: Dylan Wu

The reasoning: Pendrith is going to win on a big stage soon. He’s an exceptional talent and one of the best guys I know in the game. Wu is quietly having one hell of a season. He has been working his tail off, and it’s showing in his results. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Brian Stuard

Dark horse: PJ Maybank

The reasoning: Wait, Mark didn’t pick Stuard? There is only one choice of favorites when it comes to this site and it’s Brian Stuard, who has gotten through here seven times. Seven! Maybank is a high schooler from Northern Michigan who has a serious game. He shot 2 under in 35-degree rain in locals and is headed to play at Oklahoma in the fall. 

Leaderboard: https://www.miamivalleygolf.org/events/event-pages/usga/us-open-final/scoring/scores-7848.html

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‍Lakes Golf and Country Club/Brookside Golf and Country Club, Columbus, Ohio -11 spots

‍Breakdown

‍Mark’s picks

Favorite: Matt Wallace

Dark horse: Adam Schenk

The reasoning: Wallace has four wins on the DP World Tour and one on the PGA Tour. He’s a strong under-the-radar pick. Schenk has two runner-ups on the PGA Tour this year. He made the cut at Jack’s place this week and moved up the board on Saturday with one of the best rounds of the day. 

‍Ryan’s picks

Favorite: Chris Gotterup

Dark horse: Stephen Stallings

The reasoning: I know there are a million bigger names than Gotterup, but he is just too good. This field is so loaded it’s nearly impossible to pick one player. As far as a dark horse, I decided to pick from the non-tour members. Stallings has Monday Q’d multiple times for Tour events and made cuts; he has the talent to surprise here. 

Leaderboard: https://www.golfgenius.com/pages/4221937