Justin Thomas Prepares US Open Challenge at Oakmont

The 2025 U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club presents a formidable challenge, with thick rough and slick greens that have players and analysts predicting very high scores for amateur golfers. Justin Thomas, a two-time PGA Championship winner and World No. 5, is aiming to add his first U.S. Open title at this notoriously difficult course, which tests even the best players’ skill and endurance. Thomas fondly recalls a strong performance at Oakmont in 2016, where he shot a 69 despite hitting only four fairways, and he remains confident about his chances this year. He has proposed allowing amateur golfers with various handicaps to play Oakmont under U.S. Open conditions after the tournament to truly gauge its difficulty for everyday players. Fellow professionals like Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau have acknowledged the brutal challenge, with some estimating that 18-handicap players could shoot around 100 to 150 strokes. Thomas hopes the course’s tough reputation will mentally affect his competitors, giving him an edge as he prepares strategically and mentally for the tournament.