Who to back at US Open this week?

Who should you be backing at the 122nd US Open? Ben Coley guides you through his picks ahead of this week's tournament in Boston... Can Rahm retain title?

Brooks Koepka defended his US Open title at the first time of asking and it's worth backing Jon Rahm to do the same at The Country Club this week.

Better known as Brookline, our host course is one of the finest and indeed toughest in the United States - an ideal fit for this fearsome test. It may not differ too much from Pebble Beach, where Rahm was third, nor Torrey Pines where he won last year, but if anything there might be even greater emphasis on quality driving, and Rahm has few peers in that regard.

Certainly, wild shots risk being punished by tall fescue grass and these greens, tiny by comparison to Winged Foot in 2020, will be hard to hit from trouble spots. Fairways are not usually as important as can sometimes be suggested, not in the modern sport, but this could be a rather more old-fashioned renewal. Rahm should love it.

Small greens ought to reward the best iron players, too, and in that regard Collin Morikawa is just as brilliant as Rahm is off the tee.

Already, the American is halfway to the career grand slam ahead of what will be just his 12th major appearance, and he held every chance during the back-nine of the US Open last year. A slightly shorter course helps, and it's worth overlooking some quiet results. Morikawa often emerges from them in devastating fashion.

While the above two selections have generally excelled in majors, Patrick Cantlay still has that question to answer, but his non-major form coming in reads 2-1-3 and this looks a good time to chance him.

Cantlay will love these greens, he's never missed a US Open cut, and he's become very