Scottie Scheffler Opens Up About One Thing That Shouldn’t Happen at Oakmont After The Memorial Win

Scottie Scheffler is back at it! He dominated the 2025 Memorial Tournament, not losing the lead and cruising to a four-shot victory with a 2-under 70 on Sunday, his second win at the event. Scheffler’s relentless performance earned him a spot alongside Tiger Woods as a repeat winner, and his margin at No. 1 in the world is now massive. With one major already in the bag, Scheffler’s confidence is soaring, and he’s looking sharp ahead of the U.S. Open. “It’s always a hard week… We battled really hard on the weekend,” he said after finishing at 10-under 278. With three wins in his last four starts, Scheffler’s gameplay is getting back on track, and now, the golfer is talking about the next major season and what he wants not to do.

Speaking on the latest episode of Dan on Golf on YouTube, Scheffler revealed his thoughts on Oakmont Country Club. “I’ve played Oakmont in the ’16 for the US Open, and I know it’s really hard. And I know Gil has made some changes to the course, but overall I think it’s pretty similar to the way it was in 2016,” he said, reflecting on his past experience where he missed the cut with a score of 147

Scheffler outlined his strategy for tackling Oakmont: “And there’s gonna be another golf course where we’re gonna hit a lot of fairways, we’re gonna hit a lot of greens. Umm, I mean, from what I remember in 2016, it was the most difficult course I played, I assume that didn’t change very much with renovations.” With this insight, it’s clear Scheffler plans to focus on accuracy to navigate the notoriously tough course.

Well, Gil Hanse has renovated a whole lot of things in the course. The USGA just spilled the beans on what to expect at the upcoming U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, and let’s just say it’s not going to be a cakewalk. The rough is getting a serious haircut–or rather, it’s not getting one, with a whopping 5-inch tall rough that’s only going to get thicker as the tournament progresses. And don’t even think about expecting any breaks; the green speeds are clocking in at a sizzling 15 on the Stimpmeter.

The USGA’s setup team is gunning for a real challenge, aiming to differentiate between good, great, and average golf. “If good shots and bad shots are finishing in the same place, we haven’t done our job properly,” said Jeff Hall, managing director of rules and Open Championships. With no graduated rough to ease up on wayward shots, Oakmont’s going to be a real test of skill.

Expect scores to soar, with the winner likely hovering around Angel Cabrera’s 5-over 285 from the 2007 championship. Regardless, it’s not only Scheffler who is intimidated by the course.

Viktor Hovland thinks Oakmont ‘gets a little silly’

The 2025 U.S. Open is just around the corner, and already, pros and golf legends are weighing in on Oakmont Country Club’s notorious layout. Viktor Hovland and 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus have both expressed concerns about the monstrous par-3 8th hole, which will play to nearly 300 yards this year. Hovland, who has never played Oakmont but has experience with long par-3s, thinks the hole is getting a bit out of hand. “Yeah, I mean, it just becomes hard. I just don’t think when you have to make a hole that long, it just doesn’t become that great,” he said. “It just becomes like, okay, you got a certain target here and then you got to hit a shot around there and make a par and get out of there instead of a shorter par-3 that entices you to get close to it.”

Hovland believes that the best par-3s are all relatively short, and that long holes like Oakmont’s 8th start to lose their charm. “I just think all the best par-3s are under 200,” he said. “You can maybe have it just over 200, but as soon as you start to take head covers off on par-3s, I just think it gets a little silly.” With the U.S. Open looming, will Oakmont’s 300-yard 8th hole prove to be a thrilling challenge or a tedious slog? Let us know in the comment section below!