With the U.S. Open, the third major golf championship of the season, just one week away, top players from both the PGA Tour and LIV Golf League are actively honing their skills.
World No. 2 Rory McIlroy is set to compete in the RBC Canadian Open on the PGA Tour, while defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau will play in the LIV Golf event held in Gainesville, Virginia.
“We are all aiming to achieve feats that haven`t been accomplished in a long time, and winning back-to-back would be fantastic,” commented DeChambeau. “Achieving three wins in a row would be an even greater accomplishment, so that thought is definitely in the back of my mind.”
What`s Happening on the PGA Tour
RBC Canadian Open
Dates: Thursday-Sunday
Location: TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley (North Course), Caledon, Ontario
Current Champion: Robert MacIntyre
Prize Money: $9.8 million
Rory McIlroy`s Comeback
Following a week off, bypassing the Memorial Tournament, Rory McIlroy is back in action in Canada. Having won the Canadian Open in both 2019 and 2022, McIlroy aims to become only the fourth player to win the event three times.
McIlroy expressed satisfaction with the PGA Tour`s decision to move the Canadian Open to a date a month earlier in the schedule.
“I genuinely appreciate the schedule change,” McIlroy stated. “I like that it`s the week before the U.S. Open. I`ve mentioned this before, but prior to playing this event in 2016, 2017, and 2018, I missed the cut in three consecutive U.S. Opens. Since playing the Canadian Open the week prior, I`ve achieved six consecutive top-10 finishes in the U.S. Open, so there seems to be a benefit.”
After achieving the career Grand Slam with his Masters victory, McIlroy acknowledged that “spending three or four hours practicing intensely on the range every day is perhaps a bit more challenging than it used to be.”
“When you have a significant life goal you`ve worked towards, and it happens, it can sometimes be difficult to regain the motivation and continue,” McIlroy said. “I believe the past two weeks have been beneficial for me as a chance to reset, to re-evaluate my mental state, my objectives, and where I want to compete. Yes, it helped me reset some goals.”
Scheffler Secures Ryder Cup Position
Although the Ryder Cup is still over three months away, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler has become the first player to secure a spot on the U.S. team that will face Europe at Bethpage Black Course in Farmingdale, New York, from September 26-28.
The PGA of America announced on Wednesday that Scheffler has accumulated sufficient Ryder Cup points, amassing 25,918.25, which is double the points of any other player. Xander Schauffele holds the second position with 11,905.84 points.
“Scottie consistently demonstrates why he is the world`s top player, exhibiting incredible consistency and dominance week after week,” stated U.S. team captain Keegan Bradley. “He is the ultimate team player, and I am confident he will be prepared and motivated come September. I couldn`t be more thrilled to have him as a member of the U.S. Team.”
The top six eligible golfers following the BMW Championship on August 17, 2025, will automatically qualify for the squad. Bradley will then select six additional players as captain`s picks.
This will mark Scheffler`s third appearance in the Ryder Cup. He posted a 0-2-2 record in the U.S. team`s 16½-11½ defeat at Marco Simone Golf & Country Club near Rome in 2023, and a 2-0-1 record as a rookie during the 19-9 victory in 2021 at Whistling Straits in Wisconsin.
“Representing the United States at the Ryder Cup has been among the greatest honors of my career, and I eagerly anticipate doing so for a third time this September,” Scheffler commented. “I will do everything necessary to help our team reclaim the Cup and am very excited to play in front of the enthusiastic New York spectators at Bethpage Black.”
Clanton and Others Make Pro Debut
Three golfers in the RBC Canadian Open field, Luke Clanton, Gordon Sargent, and David Ford, are making their professional debuts.
High expectations surround Clanton, a former star at Florida State, who achieved two runner-up finishes on the PGA Tour as an amateur last year, tying for second place at both the John Deere Classic and RSM Classic. He was the first amateur since Jack Nicklaus in 1961 to record three or more top-10 finishes on the PGA Tour in a single season.
This year, Clanton tied for 15th at the Farmers Insurance Open and tied for 18th at the Cognizant Classic in The Palm Beaches.
“It`s been incredible,” Clanton told reporters in Canada. “As I said, it`s something you constantly dream of. To now be here and call myself a professional feels a bit strange initially, honestly, because I`ve always been an amateur.”
“It`s amazing. I`m just excited to come out here and compete. It`s not about the money, or the fame. It`s about competing alongside these players on tour. It`s something I`ve pursued my entire life, and especially my family has supported this chase.”
Clanton was the world`s No. 1 ranked amateur before turning pro this week. He also received the Ben Hogan Award as the top collegiate golfer after winning four times at FSU this spring.
Clanton is paired with Rory McIlroy and Ludvig Åberg for the first two rounds.
On Tuesday, Clanton expressed gratitude to his mother, Rhonda, who recently retired after over four decades as a Delta flight attendant, and his father, David, who owned two businesses to help fund his son`s private education and golf pursuits.
“What they did not only for me, but for my two older sisters as well, to support us through everything, was amazing,” Clanton said. “Again, my mom and dad are incredibly hard-working individuals, and they will never take credit for it, which sometimes frustrates me because they truly did everything they possibly could.”
Clanton is known for hitting the ball a long way off the tee (his average of 312.4 yards would place him 14th on tour if he had played enough rounds to qualify). He cites his “strong mentality” as one of his key strengths.
When asked if the LIV Golf League attempted to recruit him, Clanton simply stated, “I want to play the PGA Tour, it`s quite straightforward. I want to compete against the best players, I want to participate in major championships, and that`s all. Simple.”
Sargent won the 2022 NCAA individual championship as a freshman at Vanderbilt and was the low amateur at the 2023 U.S. Open. He secured a PGA Tour card through the PGA Tour University Accelerated program in October 2023 but chose to defer turning professional to return to Vanderbilt.
Ford, who won five times for North Carolina last season, finished first in the PGA Tour University Rankings, earning his tour card. He received the Jack Nicklaus Award and Fred Haskins Awards this spring.
All three players are guaranteed PGA Tour status through the 2026 season.
What`s Happening in the LIV Golf League
LIV Golf Virginia
Dates: Friday-Sunday
Location: Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, Gainesville, Virginia
Current Champion: Harold Varner III
Prize Money: $25 million
Bryson DeChambeau`s Busy Schedule
In addition to tying for second place at the PGA Championship, defending U.S. Open champion Bryson DeChambeau has recently hit tee shots at high-profile locations including the Indianapolis Motor Speedway, a mountain range, the Bonneville Salt Flats in Utah, and even the White House.
This represents another typical month for the “content king” of professional golf, who boasts over 2 million subscribers on his YouTube channel.
“How do I manage to get sleep? I actually sleep quite well,” DeChambeau commented. “It requires a lot of planning. We prepare, strategize, and execute accordingly with these game plans, and it works out based on other people`s schedules.”
DeChambeau experienced a couple of 180 mph laps as a passenger at the renowned oval in Indiana and mentioned he now incorporates salt from Utah into his meals.
DeChambeau initially hesitated about hitting golf balls on the White House back lawn until President Donald Trump encouraged him to do so.
“I never imagined I would ever have the opportunity to do that in my life, but the President himself said, `Just go out there and hit some shots,`” DeChambeau recalled. “I responded, `Okay, yes, sir.` It was quite an experience. The target was 105 yards away, and I hit some good shots that landed within a few feet, and I nearly made a couple of them too.”
The reigning U.S. Open champion emphasized that his primary objective remains winning golf tournaments.
“Do I want to win every single tournament I participate in? Absolutely, 100 percent,” DeChambeau asserted. “In my view, I will always be the most determined competitor out there. However, these activities have also allowed me to pursue other meaningful endeavors.”
“I feel that starting my YouTube channel was something I always wanted to do, having seen what individuals like MrBeast and groups like Dude Perfect achieved in the mid-2010s. I thought, `Why can`t I do that as well?` I believe there`s a chance to be as influential as I am now, and this is just the beginning. I think there`s much more to come.”
Joaquín Niemann Turning a Corner
Torque GC captain Joaquín Niemann is hopeful that his tie for eighth place at the PGA Championship signifies a turning point, marking his first top-10 finish in 24 major championship starts. His total score of 4-under 143 placed him seven strokes behind Scottie Scheffler.
“I didn`t feel like I played my absolute best game,” Niemann commented. “I felt there was significant room to play better at the time. I knew I could have achieved a much better result. However, I think we can focus on the positives and progress step by step. It is my first top-10 in a major, so that`s a positive takeaway.”
Winning on the LIV Golf League circuit has not been an issue for Niemann, who has claimed victory five times since February 2024, including three wins this season. His success in the Saudi-backed league prompted Phil Mickelson to controversially label him the best golfer in the world.
“I think because LIV is relatively new, people don`t fully appreciate the quality and strength of the field, and that you are consistently competing against these same elite players,” Mickelson explained. “Joaco is winning while playing every week against Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, Dustin Johnson, and these caliber of players. He is facing that same level of competition consistently, and it`s challenging for people to fully grasp just how significant and impressive that is when it`s a new league.”
Preparing for Oakmont
Phil Mickelson, Joaquín Niemann, and other LIV Golf participants believe this week`s course setup at Robert Trent Jones Golf Club, a venue that has hosted four Presidents Cups and the 2024 Solheim Cup, provides an excellent test in preparation for the U.S. Open next week.
“The greens are rolling at speeds of 14 to 15 on the stimpmeter, which is exactly what we will encounter next week,” Mickelson stated. “The course features contours and undulations similar to those we`ll see next week. Short game, touch, chipping around the greens, rough, speed, lag putting drills, and the speed and feel on the greens are all crucial here, just as they will be next week. This couldn`t be a better location to get ready.”
During the last U.S. Open held at Oakmont in 2016, Dustin Johnson`s winning score was 4-under 276. Only four players finished the tournament under par.
“It`s going to be difficult,” Niemann predicted. “I know it will be a tough challenge. The greens will be extremely fast, so I don`t anticipate many short birdie putts from 5 or 6 feet. I believe it will be more about strategically positioning your golf ball to potentially have an uphill putt, which will be easier.”
“They typically want the winning score to be over par, so ultimately, I feel it`s not about who makes the most birdies; rather, it`s about who makes the fewest bogeys and minimizes mistakes.”
Jasper Hawthorne