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Ann Liguori’s Insider Guide to the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills: What to Know Before You Go
The longtime sports broadcaster and golf insider shares her favorite viewing spots, traffic tips, players to watch and why the U.S. Open at Shinnecock is unlike any other tournament.
Ann Liguori knows her way around a fairway.
When the 2026 U.S. Open Championship returns to Shinnecock Hills Golf Club on June 15, it will mark the fifth time the veteran broadcaster has covered golf’s national championship at the historic Southampton course.
The award-winning host, producer, author and philanthropist has spent more than 40 years breaking barriers in sports media. She has interviewed more than 500 sports legends, including Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron, Ted Williams and Roger Federer for syndicated television programs she hosted, produced and owned during an era when few women had opportunities in sports broadcasting.
Golf has been one of her biggest stages.
Liguori was the first woman to host a call-in sports talk show on WFAN-New York, the nation’s first all-sports radio station, and the first woman to host a prime-time series on the Golf Channel, where she interviewed celebrities with a passion for the game.
Interviewing A-List Celebrities Who Have a Passion for Golf
Her guest list included Sylvester Stallone, Matthew McConaughey, Kevin Costner, Samuel L. Jackson, Vince Gill and Celine Dion.
“I booked my own guests, then I’d meet them on a beautiful golf course,” Liguori says.
“Celine Dion and her husband bought this magnificent golf course outside Montreal so they never had to wait for a tee time,” she says with a laugh. “There I was, spending the afternoon talking golf with Celine Dion on this incredible course.”
The series debuted with the launch of the Golf Channel in 1995 and ran for five years. Liguori has remained one of golf’s most recognizable broadcasters while expanding her work as an author, podcaster and philanthropist.
She recently wrapped up the 28th annual Ann Liguori Foundation Charity Golf Classic at Maidstone Club, benefiting St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital and other cancer research and care organizations. Each year, she also brings participants to play one of the East End’s iconic golf courses. The charity tourney is held each year at a different prestigious golf course in the Hamptons.
On Sunday, June 14, she’ll appear at Finley’s Fiction in Southampton for a U.S. Open preview and book signing for Life on the Green: Lessons and Wisdom From the Legends of Golf from 5 to 7 p.m.
Ahead of the championship, SPARK caught up with Ann Liguori for her insider’s guide to the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills—from where to watch and how to beat the traffic to the players and storylines she’ll be following.
Ann Liguori’s Insider Guide to the 2026 U.S. Open at Shinnecock
What makes the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills so special?
Shinnecock has a really rich history dating back to 1891. It’s the oldest incorporated golf club in the United States and one of the five founding member clubs of the U.S. Golf Association—you can feel that history in the way they’ve preserved it. This will be the sixth U.S. Open the club has hosted.
The clubhouse is absolutely gorgeous and historic. The course is one of the most challenging because of the ever-changing winds. With Peconic Bay on one side and the Atlantic Ocean on the other, conditions can change from hole to hole.
What are the highlights to look for this year?
Can Scottie Scheffler, one of the top players in the world, capture a career Grand Slam? He’s won all the other major championships except the U.S. Open. If he wins at Shinnecock, it would complete the career Grand Slam. Rory McIlroy accomplished that feat by winning the Masters in 2025.
Cameron Young from Westchester is another player to watch. He’s coming into the U.S. Open with plenty of momentum and will have a lot of hometown support. Can he win his first major championship? A lot of New Yorkers will be rooting for him.
Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm, Bryson DeChambeau, Brooks Koepka, who won the U.S. Open the last time it was played at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, Tommy Fleetwood, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Justin Rose all rank among the leading contenders heading into next week’s championship. Fleetwood nearly caught Koepka at Shinnecock in 2018 with a final-round 63.
There are plenty of talented players who aren’t yet household names, so it’ll be interesting to see who emerges from this incredible field.
What’s the hardest part of navigating this course?
The U.S. Open is such a mental grind, especially with the winds and the fast greens at Shinnecock.
In 2018, Phil Mickelson became so frustrated by the speed of the greens that he hit a moving ball, drawing a two-stroke penalty. He later joked he’d rather take the penalty than continue playing the hole.
Where are the best holes to watch from?
The par-3 17th is a great spot because the 1895 Club hospitality venue is right there. It’s a premium ticket. I’m sure it will be a festive atmosphere in there and players will probably be able to hear the energy of the crowd on that 17th tee box and green.
I’d also spend time around Nos. 9 and 18. There are so many cool vantage points around the course.
The par-3 seventh is another fascinating hole. During the 2004 U.S. Open, the green became so firm and fast that officials watered it in the middle of the tournament because shots simply wouldn’t stay on the surface. You almost never see that happen, and players were openly frustrated.
How bad will traffic in the Hamptons be, and do you have any survival tips?
The U.S. Golf Association is taking measures to encourage public transportation. They’ve added a train stop across from Shinnecock with the pedestrian bridge leading to the course, and there will be dedicated bus lanes.
I think the traffic is scaring a lot of people. I live in Westhampton, and on a normal day it can take a long time to get to Southampton. During U.S. Open week, traffic will definitely be intense. The train or the buses are the best options because they’ll drop you off right at the course.
If you know nothing about golf, is this still a must-do event?
Absolutely. Just walking the majestic fairways of Shinnecock and being part of history makes it worth it.
Tickets are reasonably priced, and you don’t need one of the expensive hospitality packages or go to the 1895 club which is more exclusive, to watch the best golfers in the world compete.
Tiger Woods won’t be playing, but he helped transform golf into a global sport for this generation of players.
If you’ve always wanted to see what Shinnecock is all about—and most people don’t get the chance unless they’re invited by a member—this is an incredible opportunity.
Are practice rounds worth checking out?
Definitely. Go on Monday, Tuesday or Wednesday because the atmosphere is much more relaxed.
During tournament play, the property is so expansive that it’s hard to see everything. That’s one reason watching on television can be so enjoyable.
If I were a spectator, I’d spend time at the practice rounds, get autographs, take pictures and head to the driving range to watch the players work on their games.
What makes a good golfer?
Good technique and solid fundamentals are essential. I’d recommend taking lessons from a PGA professional to learn the right mechanics.
Practice with purpose, be patient and have a genuine passion for the game. Improvement takes commitment and time.
What are your favorite courses in the Hamptons?
I’m a member of Southampton Golf Club. Seth Raynor designed it, and it’s one of those hidden gems that flies under the radar because it’s located next to Shinnecock, which gets so much attention.
In no particular order, I love Shinnecock Hills, Maidstone, National Golf Links of America, Southampton Golf Club, Friar’s Head, Fishers Island and Atlantic Golf Club.
The East End of Long Island has more world-class golf courses than almost anywhere else in the country. This is golf heaven.
Are there any great public golf courses on the East End?
Absolutely. Montauk Downs is one of the great public golf courses and well worth playing.
What is it that golfers love so much about the game?
You’re outside on a beautiful piece of property, whether it’s overlooking the ocean or surrounded by woods, trying to master one of the most challenging games ever created.
Even athletes like Michael Jordan, Wayne Gretzky and Roger Federer have talked about how golf humbles them. They love the challenge.
It’s therapeutic because you’re out in nature, and it’s also incredibly social. You spend hours with family and friends walking the course and talking. That’s a big part of what makes golf so special.
Ann Liguori will be signing copies of Life on the Green – Lessons and Wisdom from Legends in Golf and giving a U.S. Open preview talk at Finley’s Fiction Book Store, 43A Jobs Lane, Southampton, on Sunday, June 14, from 5 to 7 p.m.
About Ann Liguori: Ann Liguori is the host and producer of “Talking Golf with Ann Liguori,” an award-winning podcast available on Audacy, Apple Podcasts and Spotify, and the host and producer of “Sports Innerview with Ann Liguori,” which airs Saturdays from 7 to 8 a.m. on WLIW-FM. Her sports broadcasting career spans more than 40 years.
She was the owner, host and producer of the cable television series “Sports Innerview with Ann Liguori,” which aired weekly from 1989 to 2006 and featured interviews with sports legends including Mickey Mantle, Hank Aaron and Roger Federer.
Liguori also hosted a weekly call-in sports talk show on WFAN, the nation’s first all-sports radio station, titled “Hey Liguori, What’s the Story,” which aired for 25 years. She was the first woman to host a weekly prime-time series on the Golf Channel, where she interviewed A-list celebrities on golf courses.
She is founder and president of the Ann Liguori Foundation and hosts the annual Ann Liguori Foundation Charity Golf Classic, which benefits St. Jude and cancer research.
She has authored two books: A Passion for Golf, Celebrity Musings About the Game and Life on the Green: Lessons and Wisdom from Legends of Golf.
For more information, visit annliguori.com
