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Three marquee pairings at 2024 U.S. Open
Scottie Scheffler. Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports

Three marquee pairings at 2024 U.S. Open

By Hope Hisey  |  Last updated Jun 11, 2024 11:38 PM ET

The 124th U.S. Open tees off Thursday at the historic Pinehurst No. 2. 

The USGA announced tee times and pairings for Rounds 1 and 2 Tuesday morning. The 156-man field features its fair share of elite and intriguing threesomes for fans to enjoy the first two days. Here are the three must-watch matchups.

1. Battle of the best

The top-three ranked golfers in the world will tee off together Thursday at 7:29 a.m. ET. Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 with five wins in his 13 starts, joins Rory McIlroy and Xander Schauffele. Reigning Masters champion Scheffler looks to replicate his major-winning ways after an eventful T-8 finish at the PGA Championship.

Schauffele, winner of that PGA Championship, looks to ride his current momentum, playing with a bit less pressure now that he's secured that elusive first major win of his career.

2024 marks a decade since McIlroy's last major win. This year's Well Fargo Championship winner looks to replicate some strong PGA Tour showings against the two hottest golfers in the world. 

2. Social media stars

PGA Championship runner-up and LIV Tour player Bryson DeChambeau joins Max Homa and Viktor Hovland on the tee at 1:25 p.m. ET. 

With a little more than 2.5 million Instagram followers combined, this pairing may prove to be the most popular among golf's growing, younger audience. Each player is known for their charisma and presence on and off the course. All engage with their fans through YouTube, podcasts and the like.

DeChambeau looks to build off his extremely strong outings in both major championships this year. Homa and Hovland, contending in both the Masters and the PGA Championship, respectively, are chasing their first major victory.

3. The electric chase

Justin Thomas, Collin Morikawa and Brooks Koepka tee off at 7:40 a.m. ET. Each golfer is chasing a another coveted major win for their resume.

Thomas and Morikawa will look to add major win No. 3. Thomas' T-8 finish at this year's PGA Championship gave him a necessary spark for this week's competition off the back of a disappointing 2023.

Morikawa is the only player this year to compete in the final group of both majors. Both he and Thomas could win their major championship.

Only 14 golfers in the history of the game have six or more major championship wins. If Koepka wins his sixth this weekend, it cements him as one of the greatest ever, nullifying most if not all negativity around his move to the LIV Tour.

Honorable Mention: The old and the new

No matter his form, Tiger Woods teeing off in a major championship is worth the watch.

He's paired with Will Zalatoris and 2022 U.S. Open champion Matt Fitzpatrick. Woods won 14 of his 15 major championships before either turned pro. 

Zalatoris, who has six top-eight finishes in major championships, chases his first victory on such a stage. Fitzpatrick, a rising star both on and off the course thanks to Netflix's "Full Swing," looks to become a multi-time major winner.

Teeing off with golf's most iconic player will be an incredible experience for both them and the viewer.

Hope Hisey

Hope Hisey is a professional soccer player. She holds a Master of Legal Studies from the University of Arizona, specializing in sports, media, and entertainment. Her passions include football, basketball, soccer, and golf. 

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