Oakmont (United States) (AFP) – South Korea’s Im Sung-jae seized a share of the lead of the US Open on Thursday at Oakmont, with France’s Matthieu Pavon making a charge and top-ranked Scottie Scheffler struggling. Im sank a birdie putt from just inside 18 feet at the first hole, his 10th of the day, and rolled in a birdie putt from just outside six feet at the second to reach five-under par, moving one stroke ahead of clubhouse leader J.J. Spaun. However, Im found the Church Pew bunker and left rough at the third on the way to his first bogey, which brought him back to level with the American.
The 27-year-old Asian standout reeled off three consecutive birdies on the back side, a four-foot putt at the par-five 12th, and 12-footers at 13 and 14. Im shared fifth at this year’s Masters and had his best major finish at Augusta National with a 2020 runner-up effort. Spaun fired a four-under 66, matching the best first round at a US Open at Oakmont, while South African Thriston Lawrence shot 67. Alongside Lawrence at three-under was back-nine starter Pavon, who birdied 12 from inside three feet, the 14th from just inside eight feet, and drove the green at 17 for a tap-in birdie.
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Scheffler endured a roller-coaster round as favorites tumbled, standing at one-over after 12 holes with four bogeys and three birdies. Two-time Masters champion Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included Paris Olympic gold, has won three of his past four starts, including last month’s PGA Championship. He is trying to become the first man to capture consecutive majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
Spaun fired a four-under-par 66 for a one-stroke lead, achieving a bogey-free round that is the lowest in his nine major starts and equal to the lowest first round of any US Open at Oakmont, matching the 66 by American Andrew Landry in 2016. “I’m just overly pleased with how I started,” Spaun said. “I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalize on any birdie opportunities, which aren’t very many out here. But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone to shoot a bogey-free round.”
South Africa’s Lawrence, third in last year’s European Tour Race to Dubai, drove the green at 17 and sank a four-foot birdie putt before escaping the right rough to par 18 and shoot 67. “I like a tough test,” he said. “I feel like it fairly suits me.” World number two Rory McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters, fired a 74. The back-nine starter birdied 11 and 12 but made four bogeys and a double bogey on his second nine. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau shot 73 with five bogeys and two birdies, stating, “Pretty disappointed with how I played.”
Six-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson, who turns 55 on Monday, opened with a 74 in his bid to complete a career Grand Slam.
– Reed makes an albatross – American Patrick Reed made the fourth albatross in US Open history from the fairway at 286 yards on the fourth hole, the first at any major since Nick Watney in the 2012 US Open at Olympic Club. Ireland’s Shane Lowry holed out from the fairway at 160 yards for the first US Open eagle at Oakmont’s third hole, but it was his lone bright spot in a round of 79. American Maxwell Moldovan made the first US Open eagle at the first hole, holing out from the fairway at 189 yards, then looking to the heavens with a smile. He fired a 76.
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