Anxious, nervous, excited, overwhelmed, tearful, appreciative, lucky, proud. All these and more are the ways the 156 players lucky enough to have starting times in the 2026 U.S. Open are likely to feel as they step to the tee for Thursday’s first round.

A total of 10,201 golfers—one shy of last year’s record—entered the 2026 U.S. Open with the hope of playing at famed Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. Those who made it will arrive on the eastern end of Long Island having taken many different paths. There’s defending champion J.J. Spaun, a surreal winner a year ago at Oakmont finally coming to grips with his new status in the game. There’s Mason Howell, the U.S. Amateur champion and 18-year-old who is playing in his second U.S. Open before having taken his first college class. And there’s Chase Kyes, who just finished his freshman year at Tennessee and didn’t know the U.S. Open was just days away when he advanced during Golf’s Longest Day, one of 62 to earn their way through Final Qualifying.

Of those, 14 golfers got through local qualifying first, each hoping they can replace Orville Moody as the most recent U.S. Open winner claim the trophy after playing both rounds of qualifying when he won in 1969.

Nineteen amateurs found their way into the field and 13 LIV golfers will be teeing it up. Meanwhile golfers from more than 25 different countries, among them Arni Sveinsson, who will become the first golfer ever from Iceland to play in the U.S. Open.

Here’s a look at the list of past U.S. Open winners at Shinnecock that everybody will be trying to join this week:

1896: James Foulis (152*)
1986: Raymond Floyd (-1/279)
1995: Corey Pavin (E/280)
2004: Retief Goosen (-4/276)
2018: Brooks Koepka (+1/281)
*36 holes

So what’s in store for this year at Shinnecock? Tee times for the first and second rounds have yet to be announced, so we’re waiting to find out. Mind you the USGA has a history of playful pairings for Thursday and Friday’s action. Below is the field as of Sunday, with seven spots still open for 11th hour qualifiers to emerge.

Adrian Dumont de Chassart