US Open Golf 2025 FRL Tips: Lowry to fire out of the blocks?

The 125^th US Open gets underway tomorrow at Oakmont Country Club, and with the rain now behind us and the course driving out, we should see this storied venue at its firm-and-fast brilliant best. With sunshine and high temperatures in the forecast over the next two days, one side of the draw could have the edge in tomorrow’s first-round leader betting.

Our golf tipster Jamie Worsley has picked out four names at good prices for who might be sitting on top of the leaderboard come the end of Round 1. You can check out his the US Open FRL Tips below...

*You can read Jamie's full in-depth the US Open Golf 2025 Betting Preview behind the link.

This 156-man field will tee off in distinct morning (06:45 to 08:57) and afternoon (12:30 to 14:42) waves on Thursday. The forecast is for clear, bright conditions throughout the day, and with temperatures steadily rising to a high of 31°C, the course should continue to firm up. Meanwhile, wind isn’t expected to be a factor, blowing at a consistently gentle 6–7mph.

A firming course always presents more of a test, but on fast and severely undulating poa annua greens—which get bumpier and therefore more challenging to putt later in the day—the difficulties are intensified. It’s no surprise that the 2016 first-round leader at Oakmont, Andrew Landry, teed off in the morning and it’s with those early starters that I’ll focus all of my attention this week.

1 pt Shane Lowry each-way (1/4 5 places) @ 50/1

Start time: 07:40

Having sat inside the top 10 after round one in three of his last four starts, there are few players in this field starting quicker than Shane Lowry at present. He finished an excellent 2^nd at Oakmont in 2016 and returning to the course in great form, I expect him to begin with a bang on Thursday.

Lowry has hardly missed a beat in 2025, recording 10 top-25 finishes in 14 events, which includes finishing runner-up in the Pebble Beach Pro-Am and Truist Championship. Tee-to-green brilliance has been key to this, ranking 10^th and he’s been especially good in approach, ranking 4^th. Although the putter has been a concern, he’s often been able to spike his performance on the greens in round one, helping him rank 7^th in this field in round-one performance over his last 10 starts.

The Irishman has been producing particularly encouraging round-one displays in recent weeks. He opened with a six-under 64 to sit 5^th after 18 holes in Canada last week, shot a three-under 69 to reach 4^th place in the Memorial Tournament, and began with another six-under 64 in the Truist Championship four starts ago.

Lowry also started well at this course back in 2016, shooting a two-under-par 68 to sit 4^th after round one. He bettered that by three with a superb 65—the joint-best round of the week—in round three and with much in his favour, I see no reason why he can’t be among the leaders tomorrow.

0.75 pts Ben Griffin each-way (1/4 5 places) @ 60/1

Start time: 07:29

Ben Griffin has found the form of his career as he prepares for his first ever US Open appearance. He’s been starting extremely quickly in recent events and with all areas of his game looking in great shape, he can play a starring role on Thursday.

Griffin notched his first PGA Tour win six starts ago at the Zurich Classic alongside Andrew Novak and has gone from strength to strength. He has since recorded a career-best major finish—T8 in the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow—then secured his first solo PGA Tour title at the Charles Schwab Challenge on his following start, before finishing runner-up to Scottie Scheffler at the Memorial Tournament last time out.

His short game has always stood out, and it is with the putter that he has excelled over this recent run, ranking 5^th. That being said, he’s enhanced already solid approach numbers and also much improved with the driver in 2025—ranking 58^th as opposed to 130^th and 117^th in the previous two seasons—he now has a more all-round skillset.

Griffin has opened with rounds of 65 and 66 on his last two starts, taking him to first-round positions of 1^st in the Memorial Tournament and 2^nd in the Charles Schwab Challenge. Skipping the Canadian Open should mean he arrives here fresh, which could help him fly out of the traps at Oakmont tomorrow.

0.75 pts Maverick McNealy each-way (1/4 5 places) @ 70/1

Start time: 07:29

Maverick McNealy looks an ideal US Open type, especially with his upgraded iron play in 2025. He’s been in fine form this season and although a win this week may be a step too far, he can take advantage of that early tee time to take the first-round lead.

McNealy has amassed six top-10 finishes this season, and he has done some of his best work in major-like tests, finishing 2^nd at Torrey Pines in the Genesis Invitational, and 5^th in the Memorial Tournament when we last saw him. Meanwhile, he’s been rock-solid in the opening two majors, finishing 32^nd at The Masters and 33^rd in the PGA Championship.

As ever, his driving and putting has been sound, but what really stands out is his approach play. He had never ranked higher than 118^th on tour in any of his previous five seasons, but in 2025, he’s turned that weakness into a strength—currently ranking 36^th—and now looks like a player capable of becoming a real major contender.

McNealy has made two US Open appearances, missing the cut in 2014 and 2017—both times as an amateur. He’s a completely different animal eight years on from the latest of those and showing his ability to start fast in these events in last year’s PGA Championship—shooting a five-under 66 to sit 5^th after round one—I fancy him to hit the top on Thursday.

0.5 pts Sam Stevens each-way (1/4 5 places) @ 110/1

Start time: 08:24

Sam Stevens has developed a steady US Open record and is a generally reliable first-round performer. He hasn’t missed a cut across his last seven starts and possessing the power-packed but controlled ball-striking game that I believe is required to take to this test, he can spring a surprise on day one.

Stevens has picked up six top-25 finishes this season and I’m particularly encouraged by the first of those: a 2^nd-place finish in the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines—a lengthy championship layout with fast, tricky poa annua greens. Furthermore, he sat in an impressive 7^th position after two rounds at the PGA Championship three starts ago, before a disappointing weekend dropped him to 60^th by the end of the week.

His driving and short game have been typically solid, gaining strokes off-the-tee, around-the-greens and in putting in 2025. Although his approach play is still the main weakness, he does arrive here after one of his best performances of the year, ranking 18^th in the Memorial Tournament.

Stevens has teed it up in two US Opens, finishing 49^th at Brookline in 2022 and 43^rd at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023. He’s also made the cut in each PGA Championship appearance and ranking 25^th in first-round performance over his last five starts, this consistent major performer looks a lively contender in this market.

*You can get all the latest Betting Prices and the Memorial Tournament Odds over at betfred.com

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