Neal Ryan said bettors should pounce on Jon Rahm while he sits only fifth on the U.S. Open odds board— roughly 14-to-1 at most shops—because everything about Oakmont fits Rahm’s skill set and competitive mindset. Ryan argued Rahm is “an ox” who can muscle mid-irons out of knee-high rough, a critical edge on a course where even perfect tee balls often leave 200-yard approaches. The Spaniard ranks top-5 on TOUR in Strokes Gained: Off-the-Tee and is gaining 0.68 strokes per round from 175-225 yards this season, the exact window Oakmont will force. Ryan also thinks Rahm’s uncharacteristic double bogey on Saturday at Valhalla has him “embarrassed and pissed,” fueling a month of intense practice that should translate into cleaner course management. While LIV critics question his competitive reps, Ryan pointed out Rahm has finished top-10 in every LIV start, showing form is hardly an issue. He recommended grabbing the current outright number, anchoring DFS GPP builds around Rahm’s ceiling, and using him in head-to-head matchups against volatile drivers like Xander Schauffele.

Neal Ryan argued Collin Morikawa should be a core play in DFS builds and an auto-add for matchup bets because Oakmont forces more 190-to-230-yard approaches than any major on the schedule. Morikawa ranks No. 1 on TOUR in Proximity from 200+ yards and gains 0.81 strokes per round with long irons, double the TOUR average. Ryan noted that even perfect drives still leave players hitting 4-, 5-, or 6-iron into sloping greens, and Morikawa’s combination of high launch and low spin lets him hold those firm surfaces. While Oakmont’s rough will neutralize most players once they miss a fairway, Ryan believes Morikawa’s accuracy (69 % fairways last 24 rounds) keeps him in the short grass often enough to let the long-iron edge matter. He labeled Morikawa a "top-tier pick" whose skill set mirrors 2016 oakmont contenders like Sergio Garcia and Lee Westwood—precision over power.

Neal Ryan highlighted a specific Oakmont tee shot—an uphill, 330-to-340-yard carry over a ribbon of knee-high fescue—that virtually every player will lay back from except Bryson DeChambeau. Ryan said the hole plays 47 feet downhill, effectively shortening the carry for Bryson’s 190-mph ball speed to a manageable 315, giving him a realistic chance to clear the hazard if the wind is neutral or helping. Doing so would leave a flick wedge while the rest of the field faces a long-iron lay-up and mid-iron approach, creating a full-stroke advantage on that par-4 whenever Bryson pulls it off. Ryan advised bettors to factor this ‘free birdie’ hole into top-10 and matchup props and said DFS gamers should view the hole as a micro-edge that boosts DeChambeau’s round-by-round ceiling.

Neal Ryan pushed back on the idea that Scottie Scheffler is an automatic click at Oakmont. Ryan said the only realistic path to Scheffler NOT winning is if the driver goes even a "little sideways." Oakmont’s OB right, church-pew bunkers left and shoulder-high rough mean one or two loose tee balls can instantly become double bogeys. Ryan reminded listeners that even Scheffler has the occasional two-way miss—he had to chip out on the back nine at Muirfield Village on Sunday and immediately made bogey. Because the U.S. Open cut is top-60 and ties, Ryan argued Scheffler’s floor is still high for DFS cash games, but at a sub-5-1 outright price bettors should consider matchup fades or build cards that assume a handful of crooked numbers keep him in the single-digit finishing range instead of first place.

Neal Ryan argued that Bryson DeChambeau profiles as a high-floor, top-10 bet at the 2025 U.S. Open. Ryan said the ultra-firm, severely sloped Oakmont greens reward elite lag putters more than precise wedge proximity. DeChambeau leads the LIV circuit in three-putt avoidance and showed the skill by gaining 4.1 strokes putting in his runner-up finish at the PGA despite ranking 68th in approach from inside 100 yards. Ryan added that Bryson’s 190-mph ball speed lets him fly the church-pew bunkers and leave nothing longer than a wedge on holes playing 500+ yards for everyone else. Even if those wedges finish 35–45 feet away, Ryan expects DeChambeau to two-putt almost every time, the exact conservative game plan Oakmont demands.