The Australasians at the US Open
The US Open trophy at the Los Angeles CC with the LA skyline behind – photo USGA J.D. Cuban
Seven Australians and one New Zealander will tee it up at the US Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on Thursday, the group attempting to be one of what would be only four Australasians to win this prestigious title.
David Graham, Michael Campbell and Geoff Ogilvy are the previous three and at least three of the seven could be considered chances at least to make it four.
Cam Smith heads the group in terms of world ranking and arrives in Los Angeles after a 9th place at the PGA Championship and an 11th place finish at the LIV Golf event in Washington DC in his most recent starts.
Smith’s record at the US Open is an interesting one. His 4th place finish on debut in the event at the 2015 US Open was the catalyst for him getting to the PGA Tour soon after but that aside, in six other starts he has a best of 38th with three missed cuts amongst the others.
Smith’s 9th place finish at the PGA Championship gives some hope to an improvement to his US Open record but he will need to improve on his overall 2023 form if he is to challenge for the title.
Jason Day’s current form is a bit hard to work out. His fine win at the AT@T Byron Nelson Championship in May has been surrounded by three missed cuts so while he displayed golf at close to his best in Dallas, his form since has been below what he would need this week to go one better than his two runner-up finishes.
Adam Scott finished 9th in his warm-up event at the Memorial suggesting things are on track for a good week.
Scott will play his 22nd US Open but with only three top tens including a best of 4th at Chambers Bay in the event thus far, he will need to be at his very best to beat his effort in 2015.
New Zealand’s Ryan Fox has played well in nine events to date in the US and now has the opportunity to play as many PGA Tour events as he can gain invites to.
This will be Fox’s 5th US Open but with a best of 41st in those starts he will need significant improvement if he is to do better. He is, however, a much better and more experienced player than ever before and, with the benefit of increasing confidence in the US, a good week could well be expected.
For Cameron Davis, this will, perhaps surprisingly, be his first US Open, not having a high enough ranking or been able to qualify in the past. The former Australian and World Amateur Champion, Australian Open Champion and winner on both the PGA and Korn Ferry Tours is a classy player building a great career in the US and he deserves his chance in this great event.
Davis’s form in recent times includes a 6th place finish at the Players Championship, a 7th place at the RBC Heritage event and, very importantly, an outstanding 4th place at the PGA Championship.
He displayed on the tough layout at the PGA Championship that he was up to this style of golf and his performance this week will be of much interest.
Lucas Herbert will play his fourth US Open having missed the cut on two previous occasions and with a best of 31st at Winged Foot in 2020.
Herbert has missed his last two cuts this year but prior to that was midfleld at the PGA and won in Japan so there is a bit to like about his form. Herbert could struggle to contend this week but his turn in majors might well come and before long.
Min Woo Lee’s best and only finish at the US Open was when 27th at Brookline last year. He also played well on debut at the Masters last year, suggesting the majors do not faze him.
Lee was 18th at the PGA Championship and a very impressive 6th at the Players Championship also on debut but there have been a few missed cuts thrown in of late. Lee is an amazing talent with skills destined to take him to the elite of the game but it may be a bit soon to suggest he can contend this week.
The final player amongst the Australasians is West Australian amateur, Karl Vilips, who gained his start at last week’s Final Qualifying. For Vilips it will be his first major appearance and while this will be a huge learning curve he has done exceptionally well to advance from the original 10,000 or so entries for this event to make the field of 156.
Vilips is a former Junior Presidents Cup player and a winner of the prestigious Southern Amateur and is currently attending Stanford University.
On paper at least it appears as if Cam Smith and Adam Scott provide the most hope for Australasians but Cam Davis might well be one to perform very well in his US Open debut.
