Sahith Theegala vs. Sungjae Im

Sungjae Im has the raw ball-striking ability to compete at a course like Shinnecock Hills, and his off-the-tee numbers have been strong enough in 2026 to put him in play at a layout that rewards finding fairways. But his U.S. Open history offers limited evidence of the sustained consistency this championship demands across four rounds, and his overall scoring in 2026 has not matched the underlying quality of his ball-striking. Sahith Theegala has built a more credible case over the full season, performing consistently enough to rank inside the top five in FedEx Cup points, a position that requires execution at quality events week after week. Shinnecock Hills rewards patience and management-first decision-making above almost everything else, and those qualities run more consistently through Theegala's 2026 game than Im's. The gap is not dramatic, but the edge is clear. Theegala today.