3 Things to Know: 46th U.S. Senior Open, Rounds, 1 and 2

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Stay hydrated. That’s the mandate for the 156 competitors – as well as spectators, volunteers, caddies and officials – at the 46th U.S. Senior Open Championship being conducted at historic Scioto Country Club, in sultry Columbus, Ohio.

Temperatures are expected to reach into the mid-90s for the opening two rounds on Thursday and Friday with the Heat Index hitting triple figures. Warning signs went up during Tuesday’s practice round to alert everyone on the grounds to drink plenty of water. Spectators are allowed to bring in as much as a 32-ounce water bottle and five hydration stations are situated throughout the course.

As if the heat and humidity isn’t enough, the pressure of playing for one of the most coveted titles among the 50-and-over set is certainly hot enough.

Throw in a historic venue celebrating its 110th birthday along with being the childhood home of 18-time major champion Jack Nicklaus and this U.S. Senior Open has the makings of a special week. This year also marks the 100th anniversary of Bob Jones’ U.S. Open victory at Scioto and the 10-year celebration of Gene Sauers’ U.S. Senior Open triumph.

Adding to the pomp and circumstance is the fact that America’s 250th birthday comes during Saturday’s third round.

Will the fireworks start early?

Here are 3 things to know going into the opening two rounds:

Hat Trick for Paddy?

Padraig Harrington is hoping to enjoy some elite company by Sunday evening. The defending champion is looking to become just the second player to hoist the Francis Ouimet Trophy for a third time. Miller Barber currently is the lone competitor with three U.S. Senior Open victories, coming in 1982, ’84 and ’85.

Secondly, only three players have claimed consecutive Senior Open crowns: the aforementioned Barber, Gary Player (1987-88) and Allen Doyle (2005-06). The popular Irishman already is one of eight multiple-time champions.

Harrington arrives in central Ohio in good form, having finished runner-up in last week’s DICK’s Sporting Goods Open outside of Binghamton, N.Y. But he is also in the midst of competing eight consecutive weeks, which includes a missed cut in the 126th U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills and the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Birkdale and Senior Open Championship at Gleneagles.

“If I was off, I'd be working anyway. I'd be practicing and doing things,” said Harrington, who also won the U.S. Senior Open in 2022 at Saucon Valley C.C. “I think the hardest thing with eight weeks in a row is you don't get as much time in the gym. I had three weeks off before I started this, and I did pretty hard three-week overreaching gym work, and I'm just trying to not lose that in the eight weeks, trying to maintain it by getting in once or twice a week and do the heavier stuff. Still do the stuff in the room and that.

“Golfing-wise, there's always something to work on with the golf game. There is always something to keep you interested. You don't have to take a week off from golf to relax and take it easy. Some weeks you're out there and it could be a smaller event and you are working really hard. Other weeks it could be a smaller event and you genuinely go out there and have a good time.

“Then we know with the bigger tournaments like this week or any of the majors, you are actively trying to prepare for Sunday rather than Thursday. That means you would be trying to take as much rest in as you can Monday, Tuesday [and] Wednesday.”

Drive for Five

Speaking of streaks, Stewart Cink is currently on his own heater when it comes to senior major championships in 2026. The runner-up by a stroke a year ago to Harrington at The Broadmoor, in Colorado Springs, Colo., Cink has owned the first two senior majors of the season, winning the Senior PGA Championship at Concession Club, in Bradenton, Fla., and the Regions Tradition at Greystone, in suburban Birmingham, Ala.

Should he emerge victorious this week, the former Georgia Tech standout would join Steve Stricker as the only players to claim the first three senior majors. Stricker accomplished the feat in 2019, also winning this event in the Midwest at the Warren Golf Course at Notre Dame, in South Bend, Ind.

Few on the PGA Tour Champions circuit can match the 53-year-old Cink’s power, and the rest of his game has been good enough to register eight titles, including the 2025 Charles Schwab Cup.

Cink leads the tour in total driving, ball striking, greens in regulation percentage and scoring average.

Major streaks have been the talk in golf lately. Scottie Scheffler came up just short in his quest to complete the career Grand Slam at Shinnecock Hills. Nelly Korda won the first two women’s majors, including her first U.S. Women’s Open, before falling short last week at Hazeltine National Golf Club, in Chaska, Minn., for a third straight.

“We're not trying to keep some kind of a streak alive,” Cink said. “If that happens, that's a by-product of being prepared the way we're talking about in every shot and being ready and staying hydrated and managing the energy expenditures here early in the week.

“If it turns out to be like a third major win this year, then that would be wonderful, but it's more important to me that it's the U.S. Senior Open.”

Welcome to the Party

A total of 50 players will be teeing it up for the first time. That includes Chris Dompier, a last-minute alternate who turns 50 on Thursday, and fellow club professional Michael Block, who qualified for his first U.S. Senior on his 50th birthday.

Then there are the more-established professionals who will be debutantes in 2026, notably Ian Poulter and Henrick Stenson. Poulter plays on LIV Golf (Stenson left the circuit after turning 50 to play the European Senior Tour and select DP World Tour events), but with no tournaments scheduled this week, the two established European Ryder Cup stalwarts chose to compete for the Francis Ouimet Trophy.

Stenson already owns a major title, having outdueled Phil Mickelson at Royal Troon to win The Open Championship in 2016. Poulter is probably best known for his Ryder Cup prowess, but he also owns 12 European Tour (now DP World Tour) titles as well as three PGA Tour wins, including the 2018 Shell Houston Open. His son, Luke, a standout at the University of Florida, was a member of the 2025 Great Britain & Ireland Walker Cup Team.

“I don't really have any expectations to be honest,” said Poulter. “This is new territory for me. Obviously played the U.S. Open [16] times, and obviously coming here seeing familiar faces that I've competed against for the last 27 years [has] been great. First couple of days has been good.

“I've probably had more chats than I've hit golf balls since I've been here, and everyone's been amazing. So catching up with Darren Clarke and Ernie [Els] and all of the [PGA Tour Champions] guys, Stewart Cink and Weirsy (Mike Weir), so many guys.

“I played nine holes yesterday. The course is phenomenal.”

Stenson is coming off a healthy break, where he has only played two events since August of 2025: the Senior PGA Championship in Florida and a European Legends Tour event following that competition. The U.S. Senior Open will be the start of Stenson’s summer competitive schedule.

“I definitely expect to be a little rusty,” said the Swede. “I haven't put all the reps in but still hope I can have a decent week, and it will be fun to be out competing again.”

David Shefter is a senior staff writer at the USGA. Email him at dshefter@usga.org.