19 months is how long J.T. Poston had gone without a golf tournament win. After missing the cut at the PGA Championship and watching his confidence take a hit, he faced a critical question: could he compete at the U.S. Open? The answer unfolded at the Memorial Tournament, where Poston achieved his biggest career victory. He is now heading off to the next tournament with that momentum. While he is yet to get a real look at the famed venue, the 33-year-old received an early scouting report from Scottie Scheffler, someone who knows exactly what it takes to handle golf’s toughest tests.

“Heading up Sunday. Probably won’t get out there. Might get out there Sunday afternoon, but most likely get out there Monday. I can’t wait to see it. I mean, I’ve only seen like overhead shots. I didn’t play in 2018, but it looks awesome. Everybody keeps telling me it’s awesome,” J.T Poston said on the Fore Play Podcast when asked about when he is heading to Shinnecock Hills.

“Everybody keeps telling me it’s going to be hard, but I mean, it’s a US Open, so you’re kind of I did play with, or I talked to Scottie about it a little bit. He said the fairways were kind of wider than he was expecting, I guess. But if you miss a fairway, it’s going to be like tough scene,” he added.

J.T Poston made his US Open debut in 2017, but he didn’t qualify for the 2018 edition. And Shinnecock Hills is hosting the US Open for the first time since then. So, the 4-time PGA Tour winner has yet to see the course design and setup. The World No. 1, on the other hand, headed to New York on Monday before the Memorial Tournament 2026.

“But the fairways are generous enough to where it provides you some opportunity, and that way it’s just that the green complexes are extraordinarily difficult,” the World No. 1 said after his scouting trip.

Rory McIlroy echoed the same, saying, “The fairways are very generous.”

Both of them share the view that the fairways are more generous than they were in 2018. However, they are more concerned about the greens. The Northern Irishman said that the greens were already rolling at 11-11.2. If management wants, it could easily go above 12, making it really challenging for golfers to score below par.

The World No. 1 also said that management could easily set up pins wherever they want to make the course increasingly challenging. Thus, Scottie Scheffler believes that if golfers miss the fairway, they will face a “really good penalty.”

This was not the first time J.T Poston played with Scottie Scheffler. While they played multiple events together, Scheffler was in the group behind Poston at the 2024 RBC Heritage. As the 2024 Masters champion, Scheffler was drawing a lot of attention, and Poston acknowledged it, saying it was a “good time to be called Scottie,” referring to family members calling his month-old daughter, Katherine Scott, by that name.

J.T Poston now prepares for one of golf’s toughest tests at Shinnecock Hills. With confidence from his Memorial victory and Scottie Scheffler’s scouting report in mind, the four-time PGA Tour winner will hope to turn that insight into a strong performance at Shinnecock Hills. His performance on Sunday certainly shows his improvement.

How J.T Poston made heads turn at the Memorial Tournament

Poston defeated Ryan Gerard on Sunday with a par on the second hole of a sudden-death playoff to win the Memorial Tournament in Dublin, Ohio. The victory marks the biggest title of his career, and, as he revealed afterward, one he felt coming.

“I knew I was going to shake Jack’s hand walking off 18, and I wanted to be proud of that handshake regardless of how it turned out. So I’m thrilled it happened this way,” Poston said.

While Poston surged ahead, world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy both faltered in the second round and finished eight shots back. The tournament turned into a test of endurance after severe storms at Muirfield Village forced a suspension during Saturday’s third round. Poston and Gerard completed only five holes before play stopped, leaving them to finish the remaining 13 holes early Sunday.

Both players stayed locked in down the stretch. Poston birdied the 18th to match Gerard at 12-under and force a playoff. They each made par on the first extra hole, but the second proved decisive. Gerard hit the green with his approach but left himself too much work and three-putted for bogey. Poston remained composed, two-putted for par, and secured the win.

The victory carries significant rewards. Poston no longer needs to compete in the 36-hole U.S. Open qualifier scheduled for Monday, often referred to as golf’s longest day. He also earns exemptions into the 2026 Open Championship and the 2027 Masters.

It’s a big leap for the golfer. Will he bring the heat once again at Shinnecock Hills? Only time will tell.