The 2010 Open champion Oosthuizen will be joined by compatriots JC Ritchie, Erik van Rooyen, Christiaan Bezuidenhout, Justin Harding, Shaun Norris and Branden Grace.

Looking at the chances of the SA players, once again it will be Oosthuizen who will be expected to be the top contender at 25th in the world golf rankings.

With a best finish of 13th in his last three starts, it remains to be seen what kind of form Oosthuizen will find on the difficult layout, where the best winning score in its sixth hosting of the US Open stands at four-under.

The last time the course hosted the US Open in 2006, Aussie Geoff Ogilvy triumphed on five-over for the week. Early indications are that the course will be every bit as difficult, with rough already looking to present a serious challenge for any offline shots.

Oosthuizen’s best finish this season was on the PGA Tour’s FedEx St Jude Invitational where he ended sixth. At the PGA championship last month at the TPC at Harding Park, Oosthuizen failed to mount a challenge as he finished in a tie for 33rd.

Van Rooyen, at 48th in the world rankings, has been steadily gaining experience in the majors after making his debut in one of the ‘big four’ events on the golf calendar at the 2018 Open Championship at Carnoustie. The 30-year-old played three of the four majors last year, with his best result coming at the PGA Championship with an eighth-place finish.

The European tour winner, however, also has little form to show with a missed cut at last week’s Safeway Open on the PGA Tour and a tie for 51st at the PGA Championship.

Bezuidenhout, 26, is definitely capable of springing a surprise on an American audience.

He happens to be the same age Charl Schwartzel was when he stunned the field to win the 2011 Masters title.

Bezuidenhout, ranked 52nd in the world, might also feel fate owes him one. The rising SA star carded an opening seven-under 65 to hold second place in the Players Championship on the PGA Tour in March, before the event was cancelled due to Covid-19.

Norris, meanwhile, playing in just his sixth major at the age of 38, may just feel it’s now or never in his hunt for golfing glory.

Though Norris has remained relatively unknown to fans outside South Africa, he indeed is ‘big in Japan'. He has won each year since 2016 on the Japan Golf Tour, and may just be ready to translate that Asian success into widespread acclaim in the “Land of Opportunity’.

Harding, may be the dark horse among the SA contingent. He finished third at the Andalucia Masters on the European Tour two weeks ago when he was in the hunt right until the final hole of the tournament.

The 34-year-old has already shown his major pedigree with a 12th place finish at the Masters last year. In fact, he played in all four majors in 2019 - only missing the cut at the US Open which could serve as extra motivation for the player this week.

Grace, could be another SA player who could contend strongly. He was a late addition to the field, after American Scottie Scheffler was forced to withdraw after contracting Covid-19.

It will be the eighth US Open appearance for the 32-year-old, with a best finish of fourth at the 2015 edition. In fact, he followed that up with fifth place at the 2016 US Open, showing his penchant for demanding courses. Grace also holds the record for the lowest round in history at a major - with his 62 he carded at the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.

For another 26-year-old - Ritchie - the odds will be stacked against the seven-time Sunshine Tour event winner in his debut major appearance.

- ANA