The 2026 US Open at Shinnecock Hills opens with Scottie Scheffler standing on the precipice of golfing immortality. Victory on Sunday – which coincides with both Father’s Day and his 30th birthday – would make him only the seventh man to complete the career Grand Slam, and just the fourth to do so on his first attempt, joining Gene Sarazen, Jack Nicklaus and Tiger Woods. Scheffler, who overwhelmed the field at last year’s Open Championship at Royal Portrush, has publicly downplayed the weight of the moment, yet American observers note the symmetry is inescapable: Woods needed only 35 days between his 2000 US Open and Open Championship triumphs; Scheffler now has his chance to emulate that ruthless efficiency. The world number one’s tee-to-green mastery has drawn comparisons to Woods for years, and a win on the demanding par-70, 7,440-yard layout would cement a new chapter in the sport’s lore.

While Scheffler’s pursuit dominates the narrative, a parallel storyline has captivated the golf world from a distinctly Scandinavian angle. Miles Russell, a 17-year-old American and the top-ranked junior globally, qualified for his first major championship with an unusual figure on his bag: Charlie Woods, the 17-year-old son of Tiger Woods and Sweden’s Elin Nordegren. Swedish media have noted the poetic resonance of the pairing, though Russell is far from the youngest qualifier in US Open history – that record belongs to China’s Andy Zhang, who was 14 in 2012. Russell’s pre-tournament press conference produced a moment of generational whiplash when he admitted having no memory of the 2018 US Open at Shinnecock, a reminder that the sport’s next wave is already lapping at the shore.

Viewed from Jakarta, the sporting focus shifts to the grass courts of Halle, where American tennis players are sustaining their own momentum. Ben Shelton, fresh from claiming his first ATP grass-court title in Stuttgart, extended his unbeaten run on the surface to five matches with a straight-sets victory over Lorenzo Sonego at the Terra Wortmann Open. Taylor Fritz also advanced, reinforcing a sense that the American men are building depth across surfaces ahead of Wimbledon. Indonesian reports highlight Shelton’s adaptability to the unfamiliar Halle lawns, a quality that will be tested further as the grass season intensifies.

Back at Shinnecock Hills, the US Open’s notorious difficulty promises to test every facet of the contenders’ games. Recent history shows a diverse roll call of champions – from Bryson DeChambeau’s power display at Pinehurst in 2024 to J.J. Spaun’s surprise triumph at Oakmont a year ago – underscoring the tournament’s capacity to reward resilience over reputation. Analysts in London suggest that while Scheffler’s ball-striking gives him a clear edge, the fickle June weather and Shinnecock’s treacherous greens could yet conspire against the favourite, just as they did when the course last hosted the event and Brooks Koepka emerged victorious in 2018. For Scheffler, Russell and the rest of the field, the test will be as much psychological as technical, a crucible where history is both a burden and a beacon.