The 2025 U.S. Open arrives this week as the world’s best golfers descend on Oakmont Country Club to face the toughest examination of the season.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler is coming off three wins in his last four starts, including emphatic victories at the 2025 PGA Championship and Memorial Tournament. Reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy has struggled since his historic victory, as driver woes and a career Grand Slam hangover have led to subpar results since he won at Augusta National. LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau and Jon Rahm are both coming off strong performances at the 2025 PGA Championship and are expected to be among the biggest threats to Scheffler in eastern Pennsylvania.
The U.S. Open boasts a loaded field filled with stars and those who earned their place in golf’s most democratic tournament through qualifying, including dentist Matt Vogt and 17-year-old Mason Howell.
The field at Oakmont is impressive, but not all of golf’s big names made it, as some notable players will miss the proceedings due to either poor form or injury.
Here are eight players who won’t be teeing it up at Oakmont this week.
8 Notable Players Who Will Miss the 2025 U.S. Open
Rickie Fowler
Fowler received an exemption into the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, where he missed the cut. He followed that missed cut with strong performances at the Charles Schwab Challenge and Memorial Tournament, where he secured his place in the Open Championship at Royal Portrush with a T7 finish.
Fowler hoped to ride his improved form to a U.S. Open spot through final qualifying at Kinsale Golf and Fitness Club in Columbus, Ohio. Fowler played his way into a five-for-one playoff at Kinsale but lost to Cameron Young on the first playoff hole.
Max Homa
Like Fowler, Homa’s recent bout of poor form left him needing to qualify at Kinsale.
Carrying his own bag at Kinsale, Homa put himself in a position to qualify but three-putted the final hole, dropping into the five-for-one playoff, where he lost to Young.
Sergio Garcia
The 2017 Masters champion lost out on the LIV Golf exemption to Joaquin Niemann, meaning he needed to advance to the U.S. Open through the qualifying tournament in Dallas. Garcia performed well but needed to make par on his 36th and final hole of the tournament to reach a seven-for-one playoff. He made bogey, and his streak of 24 consecutive U.S. Open appearances will now come to an end.
Luke Clanton
The newest member of the PGA Tour finished T41 at last year’s U.S. Open, two spots behind Neal Shipley for low amateur honours.
After earning his PGA Tour card through PGA Tour University Accelerated, Clanton turned professional at this week’s RBC Canadian Open, which meant he forfeited the exemption he had into the U.S. Open as the top-ranked amateur. He attempted to qualify through a tournament in Canada but did not advance.
Billy Horschel
Horschel has been sidelined since early May due to hip surgery. He is expected to be out for several months.
Will Zalatoris
Zalatoris recently announced that he had undergone another back surgery to address herniated discs. Zalatoris, who has two top-six finishes in his U.S. Open career, will be absent for the remainder of the FedEx Cup Playoffs season.
Alex Noren
Noren, who recently returned from a partially torn tendon in the muscle that attaches to his sit bone, found himself in the final group with Scheffler at the PGA Championship. Noren couldn’t challenge Scheffler but managed to finish tied for 17th.
Despite the solid showing at Quail Hollow, Noren needed to advance through qualifying at Kinsale but failed to do so.
Tiger Woods
The 15-time major champion underwent surgery to repair a ruptured Achilles in March and has not played in a PGA Tour event this season.
This article originated on Golf.com
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