Fantasy Golf Sleeper Report – 2025 US Open

US Open Fantasy Sleeper Report

Talk about being a man for the big occasion.

Ryan Fox is one of golf’s late bloomers, having finally made it to the PGA TOUR this season at the age of 38. But boy, is the New Zealander making up for lost time.

Having won the Myrtle Beach Classic in May, Fox followed up on Sunday by downing Sam Burns at the Canadian Open – a second PGA TOUR title in his last four outings.

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Both of those have come in playoffs, where technical quality and a deep well of resolve are required in equal measure. The 38-year-old eventually took down Burns on the fourth extra hole on Sunday, hitting a 3-wood that he described as the best shot of his life. 

That, and the chip-in for the win at Myrtle Beach, have certainly been the most lucrative shots of his career…

Fox will join the world-class field that assembles for the U.S. Open this week, with the action unfolding at a layout that has been described as ‘the toughest in world golf’ by some that have been unfortunate enough to tee up there.

When the Oakmont Country Club last hosted the U.S. Open in 2016, only four players finished under par for the week. At some holes, making bogey was considered a result in itself… such is the tariff of difficulty at this Par 70, 7,340-yard track.

Much has changed in the world of golf since, with the players hitting the ball longer than ever before, so maybe Oakmont will be a different sort of challenge in 2025… as the course nears its 125th year in operation.

But the USGA will do their best to dissuade the field from a ‘bombs away’ approach, with some speculation that the rough could be as long as five inches this week. That, allied to tight driving lines and severely undulating greens, would suggest that we’re in for a ‘proper’ U.S. Open heat in Pennsylvania. 

Some of these holes play long as it is, but the potential for some heavy rain in Oakmont this week – the weather forecast is changing from one day to the next, it has to be said – looks set to enhance the difficulty even more… albeit perhaps allowing for slower greens than might otherwise have been expected.

This will be a U.S. Open that fits the bill alright, as it was 12 months ago when the players convened at Pinehurst No. 2. That is another beastly track that is befitting of the USGA’s vision, and its complexities saw both Bryson DeChambeau and Rory McIlroy unravel when well placed in 2024.

McIlroy looked the most likely winner on the Sunday, but some jaw dropping mistakes – including two missed puts from inside 3ft – opened the door to Bryson, who showed tremendous resilience and courage to go with his booming drives to just about edge home and land his second U.S. Open title.

Oakmont will surely put up similar defense this week, and the variance in the conditions at such a venue perhaps lends itself to a shock winner – the U.S. Open has yielded to those over the years, from time to time.

So will we see a long odds winner in 2025? From the perspective of our U.S. Open sleeper shortlist, we certainly hope so!

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Hideki Matsuyama – 60/1 – Hideki Matsuyama’s record in the U.S. Open is the stuff of legend. 

In 12 outings, in the toughest conditions golf has to offer, the Japanese star has made eleven cuts, posted two top-fives, a pair of other top-tens, and four other finishes of T21 or better.

Matsuyama is a golfing masochist, and so he has to be on the radar this week even if his form, by his own high standards, hasn’t been great.

But being able to sheathe driver will help his cause, as will a need for everyone to rely on their short game at Oakmont – in that regard, Matsuyama remains a magician.

Harris English – 70/1 – A win, a T2 finish at the PGA Championship, T12 at The Masters, two other finishes of T12 or better in Signature Events… that reads like the ledger of one of the best players in the world. 

Harris English may not be amongst the elite, but he’s certainly had an outstanding 2025 so far, with his ball-striking once again on a par with his often-excellent short game.

Given his rock-solid style of play, you might not be surprised to learn that English has not missed a single cut at the English Open in nine attempts, with three top-tens in amongst that run.

Is another coming this week? You wouldn’t necessarily bet against it…

Robert MacIntyre – 90/1 – Some golfers just do the simple things well.

Stats like Driving Accuracy, Greens in Regulation, and Bogey Avoidance might not keep modern data sharps awake at night, but they’re an old-school way to identify players that are able to keep their ball under tight control… no bad thing at a venue like Oakmont. 

Robert MacIntyre ranks inside the top 50 for all those data points in 2025, helping him to T6 finishes at Colonial, Solo ninth at TPC Sawgrass, and T11 at Bay Hill. 

A two-time winner on the PGA TOUR over the past year, MacIntyre has the game to win a U.S. Open… no matter how tough it gets.

Aaron Rai – 100/1 – Those that use stats to help inform their golf bets will be no strangers to Aaron Rai already.

Although not a guy you’d back every week, when there’s a premium on finding fairways and greens in regulation – while keeping bogey or worse off the card – Rai is often on the radar.

He heads to Oakmont on the back of two missed cuts, but rewind just a little further this season and you’ll find T11 at the Arnold Palmer, T14 at the PLAYERS, and T19 at the PGA Championship… Rai is comfortable in major standard fields at tough golf courses.

Nick Taylor – 150/1 – Given that he knows how to win, Nick Taylor can rarely be discounted.

He’s landed five trophies on the PGA TOUR and two since the start of 2024, and it’s his relentless accuracy – when at his best – that marks him out as a potential U.S. Open candidate.

Assuming he plays to his baseline, the Canadian will hit fairways this week and, in theory, should have a decent GIR count into the bargain – he’s made meaty gains on the field on approach in each of his last four starts, which will provide a solid foundation. 

Three top-20s in his last four starts, including solo fourth at the Memorial Tournament, indicate Taylor’s current confidence levels.

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Want more of this week’s fantasy predictions? Check out our full fantasy preview for the US Open here.

Fantasy Golf Predictions This Season (2024-2025)

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