Maverick McNealy vs. Ben Griffin

Maverick McNealy built a quietly solid major record in the first half of 2026, posting T-18 finishes at both Augusta and Aronimink while demonstrating the accuracy-first discipline that courses like Shinnecock reward. He does not overpower setups and does not need to. The premium here is on finding fairways, hitting greens from difficult lies, and avoiding the bogey clusters that derail rounds when the scoring average climbs. Ben Griffin earned his way into this field with a strong result at last year's U.S. Open at Oakmont, which is meaningful, but his overall strokes-gained profile in 2026 has not indicated a player who is consistently hitting the ball at the level four rounds at Shinnecock demand. McNealy's game management and more reliable iron form through two major championship appearances this year give him a clear edge. Take McNealy.