What is the par system and the format at the 2025 US Open?

The US Open is finally here. The penultimate Major of the golf season is going to be held at Oakmont Country Club, which has previously been host to this tournament nine times in the past.

That is important for the par system, which affects how the players do. Here's everything you need to know ahead of the third major of the year.

Par at the US Open explained

Par works differently at every single golf course. In fact, it's different on every single hole for the most part. Each hole is given a par based on its yardage. Typically, anything under 250 yards is a par three.

From 250 to about 500 yards, four strokes are needed for par. Anything above that, for the most part, is a par-five hole. The US Open course, which is Oakmont this time, has varying pars on its holes.

The Oakmont Country Club's par is 70 for 18 holes and 7,372 total yards. Here's how it breaks down:

1. 488 yards, par 4
2. 346 yards, par 4
3. 462 yards, par 4
4. 611 yards, par 5
5. 408 yards, par 4
6. 200 yards, par 3
7. 485 yards, par 4
8. 289 yards, par 3
9. 472 yards, par 4
10. 461 yards, par 4
11. 400 yards, par 4
12. 632 yards, par 5
13. 182 yards, par 3
14. 379 yards, par 4
15. 507 yards, par 4
16. 236 yards, par 3
17. 312 yards, par 4
18. 402 yards, par 4

Whatever someone cards below that 70 line after 18 holes is their score, just like in any other tournament. For example, if Scottie Scheffler were to shoot 63 on Thursday, he would walk out at -7. If Rory McIlroy were to shoot a 72, he'd be at +2 despite a 72 being par at other courses.

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Format for US Open explained

The format for the US Open is the typical stroke play that defines all PGA Tour outings except for one. The Zurich Classic is a duo event, and it's the only match play tournament on tour. The US Open is like all the rest.

This means that every individual golfer competes against the par of the course and the rest of the golfers to determine who can score using the fewest number of strokes. It's straightforward golf.

Players have their score based on the par of the course they're playing on, but their leaderboard placement is based on the rest of the field. For example, Bryson DeChambeau shot -6 at the US Open in 2024, but that score would've been tied for fourth in 2023 because of the field.

There is a cut as well. The top 60, accounting for ties, will advance to the third and fourth rounds. Those will also be stroke play. This differs from the PGA Championship and the Open Championship, both of which make the cut at 70 players.