Paige Spiranac Wants US Open 2025 Winner to Shoot This Kind of Score at Harsh Oakmont Conditions

As the golfing world turns its attention to the 125th US Open, set to commence on June 12, 2025, at the iconic Oakmont Country Club in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, anticipation is building for what promises to be one of the most grueling tests in major championship golf. The course, known for its punishing rough, lightning-fast greens, and treacherous bunkers, has a reputation for humbling even the game’s greatest players. Amid the buzz, golf influencer and former professional golfer Paige Spiranac has made headlines with her bold prediction: she hopes to see the 2025 US Open champion finish with an over-par score, a rarity in modern major championships but a testament to Oakmont’s unrelenting difficulty.

Spiranac, who has transitioned from a brief professional golf career to a prominent role as a golf content creator with millions of followers across social media platforms, recently shared her thoughts on the upcoming tournament. In a video posted to her YouTube channel and a series of posts on X, she described Oakmont as a “beast” of a course, emphasizing its thick rough—humorously likened to a “bowl of oatmeal”—and its firm, slick greens that challenge every facet of a player’s game. Her experience playing Oakmont during a USGA Creator’s Day event in May 2025 gave her firsthand insight into the course’s brutal setup. Alongside fellow creators like Roger Steele, Kyle Berkshire, and Evan Thompson, Spiranac navigated the revamped layout, which underwent a significant renovation by architect Gil Hanse, lengthening the course by 153 yards and expanding the greens to a sprawling 24,000 square feet.

The influencer’s prediction of an over-par winning score is rooted in Oakmont’s storied history of producing challenging US Open leaderboards. The course, hosting its record 10th US Open, has seen only 27 players out of 1,385 finish under par in USGA championships, a mere 2% according to USGA CEO Mike Whan. Past champions at Oakmont, such as Jack Nicklaus in 1962 and Dustin Johnson in 2016, have often triumphed in conditions where precision and mental fortitude outweigh raw power. Spiranac’s hope for an over-par winner aligns with the sentiments of players like Justin Thomas, who recently noted that Oakmont’s setup could “psych out” competitors, and Bryson DeChambeau, who described the rough as “complete guesswork” after losing a ball in its five-inch depths.

Spiranac’s commentary extends beyond course conditions to her picks for the tournament. While acknowledging Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau as clear favorites—Scheffler for his dominant form with three wins in 2025, including the PGA Championship, and DeChambeau for his defending US Open title and consistent major performances—she also highlighted two dark horses: Harris English and Ben Griffin. English, who won the Farmers Insurance Open earlier this year, and Griffin, with two victories in recent weeks, could capitalize on Oakmont’s demand for accuracy and resilience. Notably, Spiranac omitted Rory McIlroy from her list of favorites, a surprising move given his Masters win earlier in 2025 but likely influenced by his recent struggles, including a missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open and a non-conforming driver issue at the PGA Championship.

Oakmont’s reputation as a “brutal” test is further underscored by its unique features. Devoid of water hazards and with virtually no trees following recent renovations, the course relies on its deep rough, narrow fairways, and lightning-fast greens—reportedly exceeding 14.5 on the Stimpmeter—to challenge players. Spiranac herself experienced this during her round at Oakmont, where she shot a commendable 3-under, including birdies on the 12th, 14th, and 16th holes, but also faced setbacks, like a double bogey on the second hole after ignoring her caddie’s advice and landing in a bunker. Her lighthearted reflection, “There’s almost nothing you can do,” captures the course’s unforgiving nature.

Spiranac’s perspective resonates with the golfing community’s broader sentiment: the US Open at Oakmont is not just a tournament but a survival test. As she stated, “We’re hosting pros, not golf influencers,” emphasizing that the course demands elite-level skill. With players like Xander Schauffele embracing the challenge and others like Ludvig Aberg facing scrutiny over inconsistent form, the stage is set for a dramatic four days. Spiranac’s wish for “carnage” and an over-par winner may well come true, as Oakmont’s legacy of tormenting the world’s best golfers looms large. Whether Scheffler, DeChambeau, or a dark horse like English or Griffin emerges victorious, the 2025 US Open promises to be a spectacle of resilience, precision, and perhaps a few broken spirits.