The Herd with Colin Cowherd
Go Low - U.S. Open Preview, Scottie vs. Rory Showdown?, Best Bets & Mailbag
17 Jun 2026
Transcript generated automatically by AI and may contain errors.
Chapter 1: What are the key storylines heading into the U.S. Open?
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Why do I watch the World Cup? That's like asking me, why do I breathe? and it's beautiful. The guys are young and cute and fit. It's not just a game. It's your culture.
I like watching it with my dad.
It's a connecting force.
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All right, listen up. The Jonas Brothers here. Our podcast is called Hey Jonas. Since everyone has a podcast, we wanted to as well. And we've had some incredible guests so far. And now our good friend Niall Horan is joining the show.
How's it going, boys? Hey, Niall. It's the same thing with Slow Hands. Slow Hands is not about anything else, really, is it? You know, our taste so good can't be about food. You do the same, Nick, with some of the stuff that you've done.
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Chapter 2: What would a Scottie Scheffler vs. Rory McIlroy showdown look like?
So... If we could ever, going into the weekend, just have Scottie and Rory both being in the top six or seven, that would be fucking electric. And for this weekend, Scottie's going for his career Grand Slam. He turns 30 on Sunday. The video that went viral a couple weeks ago of him yelling at Ted Scott, I don't want to say unbecoming, because I heard someone bring up this point
With the modern-day technology of the broadcasts, everything's on camera, everything's mic'd up. Every shot Scottie hits over the last several years, there's going to be video around it. Even if it's early in the morning, Thursday through Sunday, you can watch it on ESPN+.
Where a lot of players have moments that would be incredibly embarrassing that are just not on camera, that happen throughout the day on a course where we just don't see... I would also say, and maybe it's remembering it a little bit different, Tiger would scream at himself. He would constantly scream at himself, especially off the tee when he would hit an awful shot.
I don't remember him undressing Stevie Williams very often, if ever. Now maybe it happened off camera in the clubhouse when they were at home or whatever. But Tiger was really professional.
Chapter 3: What are the best betting strategies for the U.S. Open?
Like one of his underrated attributes, I mean you see Victor Wimbinyama over the course of the playoffs skipping media. You've seen Rory do it. You've seen a lot of modern day players do it. They just skip media. Tiger never did that. You know why? Because he knew he was the Michael Jordan of the operation. And whether he played well, which he did most of the time, but it's golf.
He had some shitty days. He fucking sat there and the cameras were on him. Why? Because he was the number one guy everyone always wanted to talk to. And that's Scottie and Rory now. And they've proven over the years to get... I mean, Scottie's been prickly over the course of the last year. Now, you could argue there are some dumb questions answered. Yeah, it comes with the territory.
You know, this is... It's part of the deal. You know, I asked Patrick Mahomes or Josh Allen or Lamar if they get some dumb questions. Like, yeah, it's going to happen. You seen some of these media? I used to sit in the press box with some of them. I wouldn't say all of them are the most impressive individuals you're ever going to come across. So, I think...
The one question mark with Scottie at this tournament is... If Candides get outrageous, he can get a little whiny. And, like, Tiger can get whiny, but he can also immediately refocus. Like, he could immediately lock back in. And that's my question with Scottie... For this weekend, if he gets off on a couple holes and the pressure of this major, does it derail him?
So, like, I'm kind of off him this week, relative. Like, top 10, the odds are terrible. I don't envision Scottie winning. Not that he can't. He's actually had a really good season. I know he hasn't won since basically essentially the first week of the season in Palm Springs. But like 99% of players on the PGA Tour would immediately sign up for the year he's having. Right? But I don't see it.
I actually like Rory more this week. Now, Rory turned a corner recently. In 2018, I don't even count that, honestly.
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Chapter 4: Who are the sleeper picks for the tournament?
To me, Rory is a completely different golfer the last two or three years. I know he won more majors early on in his career. This is the best version over the course of the last 36 months we've ever seen of Rory McIlroy on a golf course. I would also say the U.S. Open is something he's kind of figured out. You know, he really blew back-to-back U.S. Opens. He should have won at LACC.
I played that course the last time I was with Colin. And I actually, I parred the hole, which he did too, that cost him the tournament. He hit a wedge in the bunker. I think it's the par 5, 14th. It's the Playboy Mansion hole, which is cool. Where you tee off, you can hear the monkeys. I mean, obviously, Hefner Estate has sold the mansion to new people, but the animals are still back there.
And then it's a long-ass hole. I hit two incredible shots, and I was still like 50 yards short, and we definitely were not playing the tees. We were technically playing the back tees, but we weren't playing the version of the U.S. Open. And I think he had under a 100-yard shot, and he hit it into this front bunker, and it cost him the tournament.
Chapter 5: How does the U.S. Open course challenge the players?
It just did. And then Wyndham Clark hit two of the best shots of his life. But again, he went back-to-back seconds in the U.S. Open at LACC, which was definitely playing easier. And at Pinehurst, which he 100% should have won. So he has had a lot of momentum in this event. And even last year, I give him a pass. He wins the Masters. He even went on record saying, I kind of lost focus.
I was fucking around. He finished T19 last year. So it's not like he just missed the cut and didn't even try. He's been up there a couple times. Played this course twice. I think Rory's going to be in the mix. And if you could say you could sign up for one kind of matchup, we got that Bryson-Rory. We've got it a couple times. We got it two years ago at the Masters.
We got it a couple years ago at Pinehurst. I would love to get it this weekend. I really would. But if I'm betting on one of those two guys to truly have a chance on the back nine come Sunday, I mean, Scottie always kind of does. I really believe Rory's going to. I would say another major storyline. We got two big time thoroughbreds who are just kind of US Open players.
And, you know, one thing's pretty clear with this Liv disaster. It's no fault of like, listen, Scott O'Neill, who is the CEO, when me and Colin went to the event, he's a really impressive guy. It's, you know, he didn't create this thing Norman and Piff did. And I think he thought he was getting into something with unlimited funding and they yanked it on him.
Now, I'm not a big believer in the product. It's not like I watch it on television. But I understood where he was coming from. Like, you have this type of funding. Maybe you take it to the next level and it works. He's not a golf guy. I do wonder he's a big basketball guy. If he had understood the golf landscape a little differently, if he would have been as interested.
But he's clearly all in now. And he's trying to keep this thing in survival mode. And the players, specifically Bryson, are helping him pitch this to investors. You know one guy that has nothing to do with it, and he said like, yeah, I'm staying out of it, is Jon Rahm. And I think Jon Rahm sees the end in sight. He hopes this thing just ends.
Now he'll probably lose a little money that he probably thought he was going to make. But then he could just transition back to a normal competitive tour. But the one thing you would say about Jon Rahm, who feels like he's got his swag back a little bit over the course of the last two years in some of these majors. I mean, last year in the PGA Championship, yeah.
He just, this year in the PGA, he's just shown more momentum in these big tournaments because we really only see him in these four weeks a year. He's obviously a U.S. Open champion when he won in a tour. But if you look at his career in this event, T3, T23, 1, T12, T10, he got injured, and then T7. This is an event he's pretty comfortable in. And why is he comfortable?
Because typically, this event just wipes out so many people. So the best players, the best ball strikers, the most mentally tough guys are just going to be in the mix. And that is, to me, Xander's greatest strength. Pretty steady Eddie. Like, he's not really a whiny Scotty type. Like, he's not going to be one of those guys bitching and moaning walking down the fairway.
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Chapter 6: What mental challenges do players face during the U.S. Open?
It's not just a game. It's your culture.
I took an elbow to my head, which cracked my skull. It is an American game.
The Brazilians don't like hearing that, though.
Are they the only ones that don't like hearing that?
Nobody likes that.
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All right, listen up. The Jonas Brothers here. Our podcast is called Hey Jonas. Since everyone has a podcast, we wanted to as well. And we've had some incredible guests so far. And now our good friend Niall Horan is joining the show.
How's it going, boys? Hey, Niall. It's the same thing with Slow Hands. Slow Hands is not about anything else really, is it? You know, our taste so good can't be about food. You do the same, Nick, with some of the stuff that you've done.
You too, Joe.
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Chapter 7: How do recent performances affect player expectations?
What did we say after he won the Masters a second time? This guy's looking to try to become a legendary individual. You start going, okay, he's never going to win the Masters. He's never going to win the Masters. And then he goes back to back. And then you start going, well, he's got six majors. Could he get to 10 to 12? And I think the answer is yes.
And one thing he has clearly instituted into his game is... is one off the tee, and he showed this at Pebble last year. It's like this kind of low-line drive. Guess where that's going to play? Here this week.
The other thing that he's been able to do over the course of the last couple years, because historically he's a really high-ball player, like his irons, they went really high, which is not great for the win, like much more control, keeping the ball low, especially with his wedges. Remember a couple years ago when Scottie won the Masters? It would have been the year before Rory won it.
He played with Scottie. And the weather was just atrocious. And Scotty looked awesome. And Rory was a disaster. And it was pretty telling. He's like, Rory, man, you got to go back in the lab and figure some shit out. And over the next couple years, he did. And I would say that would define any great player. Sometimes you lose. Sometimes you get your ass kicked.
Sometimes you get exposed next to another great player. I don't care what sport you're in. Victor Wimbinyama, time to get in the lab this summer, man. Time to really get in the lab. And my guess is that all that work he's done over the next couple years is coming to fruition. So I'm taking Rory this week. My other two top 10 bets are going to be Tommy Fleetwood, plus 225.
Matt Fitzpatrick, who is just having an incredible season. Another guy, won a U.S. Open, so excels in tough conditties, plus 200. You know, if you want to hammer Rahm or Xander, they will be on my card as well. But my big three plays are Rory to win it, Tommy and Fitzpatrick to top 10. I would say one guy, a little bit of a flyer. He's basically 100 to 1. So if you bet $100, you'd win $10,000.
But Gary Woodland to top 10 is plus 850. And Gary Woodland to top 20 is plus 350. Another guy who can hit a low liner off the tee, who can control the trajectory of his irons, who's won a U.S. Open before. So tough Candidi player. He's having an excellent season. He, to me, would be a little bit of a flyer if you wanted to go down the board a little bit. Well, let's take a couple questions.
There's a lot going on in the golf world. Some of you guys hit me up in the mailbag at Golopod, and we can answer the questions. We didn't even mention this guy's name. This is from Eric. How crazy is the Bryson roller coaster? Dude went from being a douche to a likable major winner, then back to being a douche who doesn't look like he's good at golf anymore. Okay.
I'm not touching Bryson DeChambeau this weekend. I actually think if you wanted to take him to miss the cut, not a crazy play. He clearly has got a lot going on. He's working hand-in-hand with O'Neal to try to save Liv. Godspeed to him. But it's sad. I love watching Bryson when he's on, but he's missed the last two cuts of majors. Missed the Masters. Missed the PGA Championship.
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Chapter 8: What insights do listeners have about the current state of professional golf?
I've heard kind of mixed reviews. Again, people's... One person... How am I going to put this? My wife works with someone in the real estate world, and his brother was a very prominent PGA Tour golfer for a long time. And I've always got this vibe whenever I've been around someone like that. When you just bring up Tiger and Phil, and they were in that era, they all liked Tiger Woods.
And I don't know if it's a respect thing, because it's not like Tiger was friends with most of them, but they never really have bad things to say about Tiger. The reaction you get when you ask about Phil, and I'm not talking about his ASU teammates that have known him forever.
I'm talking about people that just were on the tour or around that kind of world, and I'm just now living in Scottsdale, just kind of one degree of separation from a lot of these people. It doesn't seem that positive. So I have no personal interaction with him. I always enjoyed him. I'm with you. I was a fan, but this is a fucking disaster.
Embarrassing isn't strong enough if the stuff is true allegedly, right? You just don't recover from that. The other thing is these country clubs, because I text a couple people, I said, how long do you think Phil's been a member there? They're like 30 plus years. Phil's been going there since he was like in his 20s or whenever the course first was created.
I don't know when the Farms was created, but Phil has been a member there for, like since the internet was invented, for them to boot him, again, allegedly, if it's true, they confirmed it, just didn't put his name on it. I think it's pretty clear to put the piece of the puzzle together. That's insane.
I asked someone the other day, I'm like, have you ever heard of anyone getting kicked out of a club? He's like, yeah, there was a story recently at this club I used to belong to, two guys got into a fist fight. In one consistent, I would say, theme at most country clubs, Is the number one rule is when you treat the staff, and this is just being a dick, not doing what Phil's allegedly doing.
It's like that's a no-no. I mean a complete no-no. A disqualifier. This goes to Augusta, Monterey Peninsula Country Club. You just go around Oakmont, you know, Shinnecock, these nice country clubs. You treat the staff shitty? That's fucking, you're going. Especially 2000, like modern day.
I love the sounds. The buzzing from the stadium, the chanting from the fans, the announcers calling the place. Soccer. Football. It's home.
Why do I watch the World Cup? That's like asking me, why do I breathe? I inherited that fandom from my mom.
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