The third men's Major of the year is right around the corner, with Pinehurst No.2 set to host for the first time in ten years.
The iconic North Carolina venue will take center stage as most of the best male golfers in the world look to write their names into the history books. The field is super strong as always, with the world's top-60 lined up as well as a number of other big names, Major winners, and qualifiers.
Sergio Garcia looked like he was missing his first US Open in 25 years, while Adam Scott's 91-consecutive Major streak looked to be ending but both Garcia and Scott received last-minute US Open invites to keep their streaks alive.
Some big names are missing the field, however, including a number of LIV Golf stars. Points leader Joaquin Niemann is out, as is Patrick Reed whose impressive Major streak that runs from 2013 ending. The 2021 US Open champion Jon Rahm is also no longer in the field after withdrawing due to injury.
Take a look at some of the big names missing this week's Major...
Jon Rahm
Rahm turned up to his press conference on Tuesday wearing a flip flop on his injured foot - which is in pain due to a lesion between two of his toes.
After medical advice, the Spaniard decided it was best to withdraw this week. Rahm's difficult 2024 continues after finishing T45th at The Masters before missing the cut at the PGA Championship.
Joaquin Niemann
Niemann is not in the field for a Major for the first time since the 2020 Masters after missing out in qualifying.
The Chilean received invites to both the Masters and PGA Championship this year but will not be at Pinehurst after missing out by one stroke at The Bear's Club in Florida. He shot two-under, with three-under making it into a playoff.
The LIV Golf individual leader is in The Open, though, after earning his spot thanks to his Australian Open win last year.
Patrick Reed
Reed's impressive Major streak ends at the US Open after he withdrew from the Dallas qualifier last month.
The 2018 Masters champion's five-year Major exemption ran out last year and he is going to miss a Major for the first time since 2013. His best finish at the US Open was fourth in 2018.
Louis Oosthuizen
Oosthuizen didn't attempt to qualify for the US Open this year, with the South African missing The Masters in April and then declining a PGA Championship invite due to personal commitments.
The 2010 Open Champion was runner-up at the US Open in 2015 and 2021.
Carlos Ortiz
Ortiz won his maiden LIV Golf title in Houston this past weekend where he admitted he "deserved" to be in the US Open but wasn't due to LIV's lack of world ranking points.
The Mexican now has eight professional victories including two this year after winning the International Series Oman. He is currently top of the Asian Tour's International Series Order of Merit but won't be making a fifth US Open appearance this week.
Abraham Ancer
Sergio Garcia's Fireballs GC teammate Ancer also missed out in the Dallas sectional, ending two strokes shy of the playoff.
It means Ancer has not played in a Major yet this year, with the Mexican still not in The Open either. The LIV Golfer won in Hong Kong earlier this year and also has a WGC and the Australian Open in his trophy cabinet.
Talor Gooch
Talor Gooch shot to fame last year when he won three times to pick up the LIV Golf individual title and the huge $18m bonus.
However, he is currently ranked outside of the world's top-600 due to LIV's lack of world-ranking points - meaning he needed to go to qualifying to make it to Pinehurst. He decided against qualifying, and also said he won't be attempting to qualify for The Open either.
He received an invite into the PGA Championship last month, which will be his one and only Major start in 2024.
Harold Varner III
LIV Golf's Varner III attempted to qualify in his home state of North Carolina but missed out by four strokes. It will be the first Major he misses since the 2021 US Open.
Christo Lamprecht
Christo Lamprecht is currently the world's no.1-ranked male amateur golfer but he appears to have forfeited his US Open exemption to turn professional.
The big-hitting 6'8" South African won the 2023 Amateur Championship to earn his spot in the 2023 Open, 2024 Masters and 2024 US Open. He won the Silver Medal at Royal Liverpool last year before missing the cut in his Augusta debut earlier this year.
He attempted to qualify for the US Open in Georgia but fell 12 strokes short of the number and is no longer listed in the field.
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