US Open 2026 FRL Tips: Back early starters in Long Island

The elements are forecast to play a starring role during the first round of the U.S. Open, where it could just pay to side with the early starters at Shinnecock Hills.

Our resident golf tipster Jamie Worsley is here with three picks he fancies to take advantage in his US Open 2026 FRL Betting Tips, which you can check out below...

You can read Jamie's full US Open Preview here..

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Wind is predicted to be a feature right from the off on Thursday, with a stiff 13-15mph breeze hitting those opening 6.35am tee times. It will rise steadily throughout the morning, reaching 21mph by midday, accompanied by gusts of 25mph.

There is no let-up in the afternoon as speeds remain close to 25mph. Meanwhile the gusts are set to increase in intensity, approaching highs of 38mph later in the day.

Although this forecast is at no point easy, the second wave looks set to have the worst of it. When we factor in the bumpier and more unpredictable nature of fast poa annua greens as the round progresses, I believe the advantage will lie with the morning tee times.

1 pt Harris English each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 55/1

Start time: 8.03am

I’ve focused my attention entirely on that morning wave, with Harris English my first selection. The American hasn’t missed a cut in his last 10 major appearances and has never failed to make the weekend in this championship. Winning at a windy Torrey Pines in 2025 before going on to finish 2^nd at The Open, he should relish these demanding linksy conditions.

English has missed just one cut in 14 outings in 2026 and has finished inside the top 30 on 12 occasions. His standout result came courtesy of a 4^th-place finish at the RBC Heritage, whilst he was a solid 18^th at last month’s PGA Championship.

He’s shown quality through the bag, but it’s on the greens where he’s excelling, ranking 3^rd in SG: Putting among this group. His position of 28^th in SG: Off-the-Tee is another plus, and as a typically sharp player around the greens, his game stands up well to this challenge.

English has made each of his 10 U.S. Open cuts, recording bests of 3^rd in 2021 (Torrey Pines), 4^th in 2020 (Winged Foot) and 8^th in 2023 (LA Country Club). That liking for Torrey Pines has translated to the Farmers Insurance Open, which he won in similarly difficult weather last year.

Having also shared a major first-round lead less than 12 months ago in Northern Ireland, there’s every chance he finds himself among the leaders tomorrow.

0.75 pts Brian Harman each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 80/1

Start time: 8.14am

As he showed when running away with The Open Championship at Royal Liverpool three years ago, Brian Harman thrives when the elements become a factor. This was again evident as he won last year’s Texas Open, and after enjoying a promising spin around Shinnecock in 2018, he can put those talents to use in Thursday’s first round.

Harman made a slow start to the season but has picked up over the last three months, making eight of his last nine cuts. His standout effort came at THE PLAYERS Championship, finishing 11^th, whilst he also hit the top 25 at the RBC Heritage and Charles Schwab Challenge.

He ranks inside the top 40 in SG: Approach, SG: ATG and SG: Putting over this time, and he has been typically accurate off the tee. First-round displays have also begun to pick up, firing a 68 at the Cadillac Championship and a 65 at the Charles Schwab Challenge to sit 6^th and 7^th thru 18 holes, respectively.

Harman was the sixth-best tee-to-green performer in the field at Shinnecock eight years ago, helping him to a 36^th-place finish. Those recent high-profile wins in Texas and The Open bode well, and having twice hit the top five in round one of this event, he can improve on those for a first-round lead this time around.

0.75 pts Sam Stevens each-way (1/4 - 5 places) @ 90/1

Start time: 6.57am

Hailing from Texas, attending college in Oklahoma, and currently residing in Kansas, it’s no surprise that Sam Stevens is adept at playing in the wind. He’s acquitted himself well in the U.S. Open, making each of three cuts, and he can position himself strongly to make another by getting off to a fast start on Thursday.

Despite finding significant improvement in approach this year, ranking 67^th as opposed to being outside the top 140 in the previous two seasons, Stevens’ results have been a mixed bag. He secured 5^th and 6^th-place finishes at the Houston Open and The AmEx, as well as hitting the top 25 on his Masters debut, though he does arrive here without a top-40 in his last four.

The driver has again been a weapon, but he has suffered a little regression with his short game. That said, he’s been strong in this area during his previous years on the PGA Tour and it could just be these demands that bring out the best in him.

A runner-up finish at that windswept Farmers Insurance Open last year grabs the attention, as does another 2^nd-place finish at the Texas Open back in 2023. Seemingly comfortable in the brutal conditions at Oakmont 12 months ago, sitting inside the top 25 after each round before eventually finishing 23^rd, Stevens has the game to hit the front on day one.

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