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U.S. Open Champ’s Locker Room Vandalism

June 15, 2025 | Edition #153
👋 Hey Golf Fans,
Happy Father’s Day to all you dads out there! Scottie was celebrating it early and adorably—more on it below. Inside the ropes, moving Day at Oakmont was a tale of two halves. It took forever to get going. Only late bursts from Adam Scott, Viktor Hovland, and Tyrrell Hatton (after punching and rebuking his putter) made things more interesting.
So before Sunday’s shenanigans start, we have for you the storylines you need to follow, along with five moments you missed and more in today’s edition. Let’s tee off…


The Final Countdown

Two things to remember going into the final round: Firstly, 51 of the last 55 US Open champions were inside the top five heading into Sunday. Secondly, three of the last five winners at Oakmont came back from four or more strokes behind.
The first one limits the possible champions to five players. The second one keeps the door somewhat ajar for Tyrrell Hatton, Thriston Lawrence, and the likes.
Regardless of whoever leads the charge today, no one will have more crowd support than Adam Scott, though. The Aussie is less than a month shy of turning 45. And the man is on fire… albeit with his controversial putter and technique. Watch it here and tell us if it’s cheating.
Scott shot 3-under 67, the lowest round of moving day. If he wins, he won’t be the oldest U.S. Open winner; that will belong to Hale Irwin (45 years), but the 1-time major winner will hold the record of the longest gap between a player’s first and second major wins.
Sam Burns (1-under), on the other hand, is at the doorstep of his first major. He has been winless since the 2023 WGC Dell Technologies Match Play. Now, a major victory will catapult Burns to the place he very well deserves.
Viktor Hovland (E) is also on the same boat. Multiple PGA Tour wins but never a major. High time to break that streak. As for JJ Spaun (1-under), it will be nothing less than a Cinderella story.
Can’t wait for them all to tee off from 2 PM (EDT) onwards today.

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Miracle, Friendship, Vandalism, and More

You probably watched Scott’s heroic approach shot and Burns’s clutch putt, but did you see Wyndham Clark vandalizing the Oakmont locker room? Or who was in attendance at Scottie’s range session? Here are those and more in today’s moments you missed:
Tantrums: What’s the worst you can do after a missed cut? Break your club? Whack the turf? Wyndham Clark took things to a whole new level. He absolutely destroyed the hallowed locker room at Oakmont! Just look at the distressing (and anger-inducing) visuals here.
Coach: Scheffler was in the range after his round was over. And guess who his ‘instructor’ was. Not Randy Smith, no. He was practicing with an adorable 1-year-old, as you’ll see here.
Friends: Sam Burns and Philip Barbaree might be at opposite ends of the leaderboard. But Burns entered Oakmont early with his wife and kid to congratulate his childhood friend on making the cut. Watch the heartening moment below.
Recovery: Hovland was stuck on the cart path. A sure double bogey was staring him in the face. Then the Norwegian pulled off this miraculous recovery shot to save a stroke and stay in contention.
Mistaken: Brooks entered Oakmont yesterday, eying his sixth major. But the Internet caught him looking at something (or someone) else. Folks were quick to turn that into a meme, but look closely, he is NOT checking out what you think he is. Koepka, after all, is a father himself!
Oakmont is bringing out the worst in most. Rory finally spoke to the media. The Ulsterman sort of blamed them for his not wanting to take interviews. He also added that he just wants to finish the fourth round and leave. Likely, many are sharing the same sentiment.

Do You Think Clark Should Be Banned From the U.S. Open After the ‘Vandalism’? |

Debutant

Trever Cone wasn’t sure if he would enter Oakmont this week. He had the All-American honors in 2014 and an ACC championship in 2015 with Virginia Tech. But it didn’t pan out the way he thought it would. Cone plied his trade on the PGA Americas, PGA Canada, and Korn Ferry Tour. A stellar KFT season last year earned him the PGA Tour card.
But again, things went south. He made only three cuts from 13 events. Never broke inside the top-50.
He earned a spot at the U.S. Open via the final qualifying, and now he shares the same position as Jordan Spieth at T29. Yesterday, Cone made three birdies on the front nine, but the back nine derailed his plans (four bogeys). Nevertheless, in his first career major, Cone is making strides. Keep an eye out for the rookie to see where he ends up on Sunday!

Nelly Korda thought she ‘had to quit golf’ at 17. So, what kept her going? Hear it from the World No.1 herself.
John Daly’s reckless habits have caught up with him and forced him to ‘slow down’. Long-time friend Ernie Els spills the beans.
Phil Mickelson has missed three cuts in a row at the majors. Yet Lefty has taken home a boatload of money. And no, it’s got nothing to do with LIV!

Birthday Boy

The Meijer LPGA Classic is heating up. Six players are tied for the lead, including Lexi Thompson. But if the moving day was for someone, it was Megan Khang… Or, her caddie, David Taylor, to be precise! It was DT’s birthday. His gift was probably the 69 Khang shot to keep them in contention for Sunday (3 off the lead).
But it wasn’t his only present. At the 14th, the LPGA star led the loud ‘Happy Birthday’ singing along with the crowd to wish him. It figures. After all, Khang is one of the most jolly people on the LPGA Tour. Remember her rousing the crowd at the Solheim Cup? Or, singing at the top of her voice after the win?
Never change, Khang. Never change.

There’s something special about kicking back with a good cigar after a long round.
Whether you’re celebrating a birdie or just soaking up the atmosphere, these five lounges bring serious style, comfort, and top-shelf cigars to the table.
The Clayton (Chicago, Illinois): Modern, upscale, and even though members-only, it is every cigar lover's dream. Take a quick sneak peek inside here.
Corona Cigar Company (Tampa, Florida): A massive selection. Laid-back vibes. And a whiskey list to match!
Ashton Cigar Bar (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania): Sleek, moody lounge with premium cigars and 400+ whiskeys on hand. Check out the stunning vibe.
The Churchill Bar (Denver, Colorado): A refined, club-style setting with leather chairs and vintage sophistication.
Casa de Montecristo (Houston, Texas): Big, bold, and loaded with top brands. Texas cigar culture at its finest, especially with schemes like these.

Essentially Golf brings you handpicked, well-thought-out, and not-to-be-missed recommendations to make your weekend more fun:
📕 Read:
Abundance unveils how outdated rules choke progress and how choosing to build—housing, clean energy, science—can revive a politics of plenty.
🎥 Watch:
Ludvig Aberg mic’d up at Oakmont. Get inside the ropes and hear what it is like to tee off at the most difficult U.S. Open course.
🛍 Shop:
Lamkin Training Grip is engineered to build muscle memory, correct hand placement, and improve consistency that Sam Burns swears by.
👕 Wear:
Adidas Sport Polo: Breathable, sweat-wicking, and built for comfort on and off the course to make you sharp and your game sharper.
🤌 Unwind:
Ranglum is a modern Berlin classic—dark rum, overproof punch, velvet falernum, and zesty lime—crafted for adventurous sippers.

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