Justin Rose vs. Justin Thomas

Justin Thomas arrived this week with consecutive top-10 finishes at The Players Championship and the PGA Championship, and the ball-striking improvements he has made in 2026 are real. He won the 2022 PGA at Southern Hills, one of the more demanding positional tests in recent major history, and his game has continued to sharpen. Justin Rose has simply played better this spring. The world No. 7 won at Torrey Pines by seven strokes, finished T-3 at Augusta, and added a T-10 at Aronimink in a field stacked with major champions. He won the 2013 U.S. Open and finished T-10 at Shinnecock Hills the last time this championship came to Southampton in 2018. Rose's accuracy and iron precision are built for a venue that puts both at a premium, and his form since March has been the most consistent stretch of his second career peak. Thomas is in form. Rose is in better form for this specific type of course at this specific price. Side with Rose.