With a Sunday mountain staring him in the face, Scottie Scheffler stepped onto Oakmont’s brutally unforgiving 1st tee this afternoon needing more than a birdie—he needed a blueprint for miracle. Trailing by eight shots at +4, with Sam Burns perched atop the 2025 U.S. Open leaderboard at −4, Scheffler’s only viable path to contention: pull a Johnny Miller.
Echoes Of 1973: The Johnny Miller Blueprint
In golf folklore, Johnny Miller’s final-round 63 at Oakmont in 1973 remains one of the game’s most electric charges—an underdog’s dream, etched in iron precision. Miller began that day six shots back. By the end of it, he’d lifted the trophy.
Scheffler’s deficit today is even steeper, but as AP News notes, his swing—long praised by Miller himself—has the tools to dissect even Oakmont’s wicked topography. Still, execution must be surgical. And that begins on Hole 1, arguably the hardest opening tee shot in major golf, currently averaging 4.34 strokes this week, according to ESPN.
First Hole Dictates Fate
There are no warmups at Oakmont. The par-4 1st doesn’t ease you into the round—it tests you. For Scheffler, it’s not just a hole. It’s a statement.
He opened bogey-free today, calm and focused. But make no mistake: anything less than an early under-par burst, starting on Hole 1, and this comeback fades to fantasy.
“You’ve got to hit a fairway, then hit a green. And you better do it without fear,” Miller once said of playing from behind at Oakmont. Scheffler will need just that—bold, fearless golf from the start.
Four Men Under Par, And A Minefield Ahead
Only four players sit under par after three bruising rounds—Sam Burns (−4), Adam Scott and J.J. Spaun (−3), and Viktor Hovland (−1)—highlighting the course’s merciless nature, as reported by El País. Even stars like Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, and Bryson DeChambeau have been left gasping, brought low by slick greens and punishing rough, according to The Times UK.
The final pairing of Burns, Scott, and Spaun has yet to tee off, offering Scheffler a fleeting window to post a number and apply pressure. Still, at eight strokes back, pressure isn’t enough. He’ll need fireworks.
A Swing Built For Oakmont—But Is It Clicking?
Golf.com highlighted how Scheffler’s steep, upright swing, paired with his unconventional footwork, keeps the clubface square through impact, a vital asset in Oakmont’s thick rough. Even Jack Nicklaus and Miller have raved about its repeatability under stress.
But the world’s top-ranked golfer has struggled to stay synced this week. As Golf Digest reported, Scheffler has spoken candidly about battling his mechanics and the mental toll of grinding out each shot: “Every hole’s a fight out here,” he admitted after Round 2.
And that fight has cost him. He’s missed fairways in bunches, and his putter—never his strong suit—has gone cold.
What Must Go Right: The Scheffler Checklist
To even sniff the clubhouse lead, Scheffler must:
1. Fire on Hole 1: He has to birdie, or at least avoid bogey. Anything worse deflates the charge before it begins.
2. Hit greens in regulation: Miller’s 63 in ’73 came from 18 greens hit. Scheffler must be near-perfect to replicate.
3. Go low—like really low: Think mid-60s, possibly 64 or better. Oakmont hasn’t given up many low rounds, but that’s the benchmark for an epic Sunday climb.
4. Mentally dig in: This course doesn’t reward caution. Scheffler will need to strike a razor-thin balance between aggression and survival.
Ticking Clock, Thin Margin
As of now, Scheffler is tied for 11th at +4. He tees off at 1:04 p.m. ET, paired with Nick Taylor, per CBS Sports. The early holes will tell everything. A hot start could ignite a seismic shift in the leaderboard. But any stumble—and his shot at history vanishes.
Sam Burns, meanwhile, remains steady and composed. According to The Washington Post, his third-round 69 was a masterclass in patience. If Burns continues that poise, even a low Scheffler round might not be enough.
Still, golf’s great comebacks never start with perfect math—they start with belief. And the belief, at least from those who’ve seen Oakmont’s magic before, is this:
“It’s never over until you walk off 18.”
Today, we’ll see if Scottie Scheffler can conjure that magic—and if Oakmont, for once, will allow it.
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A former college-level cricketer and lifelong sports enthusiast, Arun Upadhayay brings the heart of an athlete to the sharp eye of a journalist. With firsthand experience in competitive sports and a deep understanding of team dynamics, Arun covers everything from grassroots tournaments to high-stakes international showdowns. His reporting blends field-level grit with analytical precision, making him a trusted voice for sports fans across New Jersey and beyond.
