What would an 18 handicapper shoot at Oakmont? The answers from the US Open’s top stars will shock you

Matt Cooper
Justin Thomas at a US Open press conference

It’s US Open week.

It’s also US Open week at Oakmont.

The holes are longer.

The fairways are narrower.

The rough is deeper.

The greens are slicker.

Rory McIlroy is said to have failed to break 80 on a recent trip to the course and the players have been dropping videos on social media to reveal just how difficult it is for them.

So the big question is: what would the average golfer card – what would an 18-handicapper shoot?

The DP World Tour social media team went in among the players to ask the question and got some great answers.

Bryson DeChambeau was first up. “Probably …” he contemplated, “100.”

And then he added with his new found flair for the camera: “On the front nine.”

Justin Thomas was not so downbeat: “If they finish,” he said kicking off with a caution, “it’s going to be 110 to 120.”

England’s Laurie Canter was also sceptical about them completing the round.

“Not trying to wind people up, right?” he said. “But I’m certain they wouldn’t finish and I’m not trying to be facetious and wind people up.

“But if they had to hit every golf shot and they’re going out with 12 balls, I don’t know an 18 handicap who finishes it.”

Justin Rose thought they could get round but added: “No ball spotter? Better bring a few dozen balls!”

His number? “Got to be 140. Has to be. And that’s playing conservative, bunting it in front of them 50 yards, 50 yards, 50 yards!”

“My dad plays off 18,” said Tommy Fleetwood, “and I wouldn’t be backing him to shoot a great score.”

Min Woo Lee just explained the difficulty factor: “The greens are so slick and slopey, and the rough is, I mean, we can barely get out of the rough.”

His compatriot Jason Day was wonderfully brutal in his assessment.

“150,” he said as a number. “They would just struggle. It’s difficult out there.

“The rough, most 18 handicappers typically don’t have the greatest control off the tee box. They’re probably hitting this wipey cut into the right rough.

“Then they’ve got no knowledge of the angle of attack (in the rough), so they just hit these shots and they’re coming out way left, so they’re going to be beaming them all across back and forth.

“A legit 18 handicapper? 150. I think it’s pretty solid.”

Michael Kim, who is in the field and a star on X wrote: “A scratch golfer might not break 90 tbh.”

On X an amateur golfer replied: “I am 10.2! I will break 100.”

To which Kim said: “This is like me saying I’m a plus 5! I’ll break Johnny Miller’s (Oakmont) record 63.”

So much great debate but Justin Thomas has the best idea.

He wrote on X: “So much talk about ‘what would X handicap shoot at Oakmont’… Why don’t we find a way to make it happen? Have a 5, 10, 18 whatever handicap play Monday after the US Open. Back tees, full rules of golf, and see what happens? May have to let a few groups through and allow for 6-7 hours but I think we’re all here for it, no??”

We’re with you JT.

READ MORE: US Open 2025: 10 reasons why Oakmont Country Club is the most feared golf course in the world