Ryan Fox joins six Australians in the Oakmont field
Oakmont’s 18th hole – image courtesy of USGA
Ryan Fox’s victory in Canada this morning brings to seven the number of Australasians in the field for this week’s US Open at Oakmont in Pennsylvania.
Fox’s victory moved him to 32nd in the world ranking and inside the final qualifying criteria available available to those players inside the top 60 by today’s date.
Fox plays the event as the now leading world-ranked player amongst the group ahead of Min Woo Lee, Jason Day, Adam Scott, Cam Davis, Cam Smith and Marc Leishman.
Ryan Fox plays the event for the 7th occasion, his best being when 39th in 2018 but in 2025 he is a very much improved, and more experienced and confident player than in his previous attempts and he starts the events as a genuine chance to contend for a title New Zealanders have won on one previous occasion when Michael Campbell was successful in 2005 at Pinehurst. There is no mistaking the quality of Fox’s recent play.
Min Woo Lee will play his 4th US Open, having debuted in 2022 and made the cut on each occasion, including when finishing a best of 5th at the Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. A couple of months ago, Lee impressed with his win at the Houston Open but his form since has been only average.
Jason Day will play his 13th U.S. Open when he tees it up at Oakmont and his second at that venue having tied for 8th in 2016. Day recorded five top tens in his first six attempts at the US Open, including when runner-up on debut in 2011, but has not been better than 21st since.
Day has shown signs of his best on occasions this season, but he missed the cut at the PGA Championship at his last start and was only 49th at Hilton Head.
Adam Scott plays his 26th US Open with a best of 4th at Chambers Bay in 2015. He has played two US Opens at Oakmont, finishing 18th in 2016 and missing the cut in 2007. Scott continues to play well at the age of 44, but he has been struggling to contend at the pointy end of tournaments this season.
Cam Davis has missed the cut at his two US Open attempts, and, having missed the cut in his last two starts this season, it is hard to get excited about his chances this week.
Cam Smith has fallen off the map as far as profile is concerned as he continues to play the LIV Golf league where he has struggled to contend in most of the events he has played this season. He is a proven big event performer however, with his high finishes in events such as the Masters and the Open Championship. He will play his 11th US Open with a best of 4th when on debut at Chambers Bay in 2015, a finish which essentially earned him his PGA Tour playing rights.
Smith missed the cut at both the Masters and the PGA Championship this year, so he will need a significant turnaround if he is to do well this week.
Marc Leishman earned the right to play his 12th US Open via the gruelling final qualifying process a week ago. Leishman has a best of 14th in those starts, that coming in his last appearance in the event in 2022. His form and record in the event leave a lot to be desired in terms of whether he has a chance of a good week, although he did win an event on the LIV Tour recently.
Australasians have won three US Opens, namely David Graham, Geoff Ogilvy and Michael Campbell. Whether there is any chance of that number being improved this week remains to be seen but Ryan Fox’s impressive rise towards the elite of the game gives him some chance of at least contending.
