11 contenders at the US Open and how a win at Brookline could shape the LIV Golf-PGA Tour battle

Rory McIlroy has been an admirable champion of the PGA Tour in recent weeks. Not only has McIlroy defended the Tour with his words, but also with his play. His dramatic win over Justin Thomas and Tony Finau in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open last week was a statement: The best golf in the world is still played at the PGA Tour, and likely will be as long as McIlroy plays there.

Should McIlroy find a way to take home the sixth major win of his career and a second victory in as many weeks, it would be one heck of a declaration from the PGA Tour loyalist.

Like McIlroy, Justin Thomas has also been a stalwart for the PGA Tour since the announcement of LIV Golf. While he came up short against McIlroy last week, watching the two duel through the final round was the type of competition that LIV can still only dream of putting on.

As the reigning PGA Champion, Thomas has the chance to take down his second straight major at Brookline this week. Given how many players who made the jump to LIV had previously said they want to play against "the best," having the holder of two of the four majors playing on the PGA Tour would make it clear where the real talent is.

The reigning US Open champion is another player that has made clear he doesn't plan on jumping to LIV Golf any time soon.

"Shotgun three days to me is not a golf tournament, no cut. It's that simple," Rahm said at his press conference ahead of the weekend at Brookline.

"Yeah, money is great, but when [my wife] and I — this first thing happened, we started talking about it, and we're like, will our lifestyle change if I got $400 million? No, it will not change one bit."

After a win, it's not hard to imagine Rahm in the winner's circle echoing the message he led the week with: This is what proper golf looks like, and this trophy, not money, is what I play for.

The best hope LIV Golf has for a counterpunch against the PGA Tour is likely Dustin Johnson. Currently, Johnson is the only player ranked inside the Top 20 competing for LIV Golf. Already the winner of a previous US Open and a green jacket at the Masters, Johnson has his major bona fides, but he could help establish that LIV is more than an exhibition series with a strong performance this year.

Further, if he were to be paired with one of the PGA Tour diplomats like McIlroy or Thomas at some point during the weekend, fireworks would undoubtedly ensue.

Phil Mickelson's play at the inaugural LIV Golf event left plenty to be desired, but after his shocking win at the PGA Championship last summer, it's impossible to doubt Lefty on the biggest stages.

Mickelson finally triumphing at the US Open would be the best possible result for LIV Golf. Not only would the win give the new league a splash of credibility and highlight one of its biggest names, it would also mean that when Mickelson finally completed the career grand slam, taking home the one prize that has eluded him his entire career, he did so as a member of LIV, not the PGA Tour.

It's a long shot, but after two wild weeks in the world of golf, anything can happen.

Talor Gooch was one of the most interesting players to make the jump from the PGA Tour to LIV Golf. While the majority of players who shifted allegiances were on the downswings of their playing careers, the 30-year-old Gooch is one that is just entering his prime.

After sealing his first win on the PGA Tour last year at the RSM Classic, he's since finished in the Top 20 of both majors to start his 2022 campaign. Gooch, ranked 36th in the world, is exactly the type of player that LIV needs to continue to bring into the fold in order to make its model work.

A win from him would be a huge flare to the rest of the midfield of the PGA Tour, signaling that you can leave the Tour, make more money, and still get your first career major win.

While he hasn't played in a LIV Golf event yet, Patrick Reed was one of the major commitments that LIV landed in its first week of competition.

Reed will make his LIV Golf debut at their next event in Portland. If he showed up as the reigning US Open champion, he'd receive quite a welcome.

Additionally, Reed has proven to be one of the great heels in golf during his years on the PGA Tour. What more villainous way to make his exit than to take the prize everyone is after and immediately head for greener pastures?

Like Reed, Bryson DeChambeau has also yet to make his LIV Golf debut, but he is due to join the event in Portland at the end of June.

Due to an ongoing injury he's been dealing with, DeChambeau hasn't been front of mind for golf fans this year, having only played in four real tournaments and missing every cut along the way.

Should he be able to find his game long enough to string together a win — the second US Open of his career — he would immediately become the strongest ambassador LIV Golf had outside of Mickelson.

Harold Varner III has not yet officially made the move to LIV Golf, but he has been one of the players widely rumored to be considering the switch. Varner has already impressed in Saudi Arabia, sinking a monster 92-foot eagle putt on the 72nd green at the Saudi International this year to secure the biggest win of his career.

If Varner is one of the names that LIV is sitting on to announce, having him take down the US Open and just before the news is made public would be a huge boon for business.

The No. 1 player in the world and reigning Masters champion has taken a couple side swipes at LIV Golf.

"I haven't really noticed anyone missing this week. Maybe outside of DJ," Scheffler said ahead of the RBC Canadian Open last week, taking a subtle dig at the less-than-impressive field that made up the first LIV Golf event.

While Scheffler's fame does not yet match the talent he's shown on the course, he's having the best season of any golfer on the planet, having already won four times in 2022.

The best golf in the world is being played wherever Scottie Scheffler is teeing it up, and right now, that's the PGA Tour.

Tony Finau has been on the cusp of a breakthrough win for what feels like years. Last Sunday, Finau was in the final group with Rory McIlroy and Justin Thomas and shot a brilliant, six-under round of 64, only to watch as the duel between McIlroy and Thomas largely stole the show.

Given the stellar shots that McIlroy and Thomas have already gotten in on LIV Golf, it would be fitting for Finau to truly announce his arrival as one of the best players in the world this week and join them in the process.