Oakmont: Four South Korean golfers are poised for a significant challenge at the U.S. Open this week in western Pennsylvania, aiming for a breakthrough in this major championship. The 125th U.S. Open will commence on Thursday at the esteemed Oakmont Country Club in Oakmont, near Pittsburgh. Among the 156-player field, South Korean golfers An Byeong-hun, Im Sung-jae, Kim Si-woo, and Tom Kim are set to compete.
According to Yonhap News Agency, the Oakmont Country Club will host the U.S. Open for a record 10th time. The par-70 course is designed at 7,372 yards, featuring two par-5 holes over 600 yards and two par-4 holes exceeding 500 yards. Im Sung-jae stands out as the top South Korean player in 2025, ranking No. 18 in the FedEx Cup standings and No. 23 in the world rankings. His best performance this year was a tie for fifth at the Masters, the season's first major. Despite his strong short game, Im has missed the cut in four of his six previous U.S. Open appearances and has yet to finish inside the top 20.
An Byeong-hun will be making his ninth appearance at the U.S. Open. Despite missing the cut five times previously, he is coming off a strong performance, tying for sixth at the RBC Canadian Open. An has shown solid skills off the tee and around the green but has faced challenges with his putting.
Kim Si-woo, also making his ninth U.S. Open appearance, tied for 13th in his debut in 2017 but has struggled to replicate that success since, with four missed cuts. Despite two top-10 finishes this season, including a tie for eighth at the PGA Championship, Kim's putting remains a concern on Oakmont's slick greens.
Tom Kim, a three-time tour winner, tied for eighth in his second U.S. Open in 2023. This marks his fourth consecutive appearance at the tournament, though he's had a challenging season, with only one top-10 finish in 15 starts and five missed cuts. His recent performances have seen him fail to crack the top 40 in seven tournaments since April.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is the favorite, with victories in three of his last four tournaments, including the PGA Championship in May for his third career major title.