Meet the only seven golfers who have a shot to win U.S. Open

2. Rory McIlroy

McIlroy seems to be flying under the radar this week due to his 10-year major championship drought and Scheffler's current stranglehold on the PGA Tour, but the Northern Irishman can absolutely snap the streak at Pinehurst No. 2. 

Let's not forget McIlroy won the Wells Fargo Championship, another stern ball-striking test, last month thanks to a final-round 65. He has gained strokes in all four major categories in four straight starts. 

3. Bryson DeChambeau 

No one in LIV Golf has performed better at the major championships this year than DeChambeau. The big-hitting American finished T6 at the Masters and solo second at the PGA Championship, narrowly missing out on a playoff with Xander Schauffele by one stroke. 

Pinehurst No. 2 is more about angles and precision than distance, but if anyone can overpower this golf course, it's DeChambeau. 

4. Collin Morikawa

Scheffler's dominance this season has overshadowed what has been a spectacular recent run for Morikawa. The California native was in the final pairing on Sunday at the Masters, PGA Championship and the Memorial last week, but he hasn't come through with a victory. 

Still, Morikawa is improving his iron play every week, and his short game has been uncharacteristically immaculate over the past two months. A win is coming soon.

5. Xander Schauffele

It's hard to imagine Schauffele winning back-to-back majors after failing in his first 27 attempts, but he's playing too well to leave him off this list. The 30-year-old has the perfect all-around game for difficult golf courses, as evidenced by his six top-10 finishes in seven career U.S. Open starts. 

6. Brooks Koepka

This is a sign of respect for one of the greatest major championship performers in modern history. Koepka isn't playing up to his sky-high standards this season, but he has two wins and five top-five finishes in nine career U.S. Open starts. 

They say the most important club at the U.S. Open is the one between your ears, and Koepka's is unflappable. 

7. Ludvig Aberg

Aberg nearly fell off this list after he missed the cut at the PGA Championship while battling a knee injury, but he bounced back with a T5 finish at the Memorial a few weeks later. 

Assuming he's healthy, the 24-year-old phenom is a solid fit for Pinehurst No. 2 because he bombs it long and straight off the tee, is precise with his long irons and can get scorching hot on the greens. 

Just missed our cut: Viktor Hovland, Jon Rahm, Justin Thomas, Cameron Smith, Hideki Matsuyama, Wyndham Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tommy Fleetwood