Oakmont (United States) (AFP) – J.J. Spaun seized command early in Thursday’s first round of the US Open, defying Oakmont’s fearsome reputation by firing a bogey-free four-under par 66 for a one-stroke lead. The 34-year-old American fired his lowest round in nine major starts and matched the lowest first round of any US Open at Oakmont, the 66 by American Andrew Landry in 2016.
“I knew it was going to be tough,” Spaun said. “I just tried to grind it out.” Spaun started on the back nine, birdied four of his first eight holes, then parred his way to the clubhouse for only the eighth bogey-free US Open round at Oakmont, hosting for a record 10th time. “This is probably one of my better putting rounds all season,” Spaun said.
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In second place on three-under after back-to-back birdies at six and seven was South Korean Kim Si-woo through 16 holes. World number one Scottie Scheffler was set to begin his first round only minutes after Spaun reached the clubhouse, the three-time major winner favored even as Oakmont, while vulnerable, had danger lurking on every hole. World number two Rory McIlroy was two-over after 16 holes with fellow major winners Wyndham Clark and Gary Woodland. Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau was on three-over, also with two holes to play.
Spaun, who won his only PGA Tour title at the 2022 Texas Open, lost a playoff to McIlroy at this year’s Players Championship. Spaun sank a 20-footer for birdie at 10 to start and dropped his third shot inside three feet at the par-five 12th to set up a birdie. He also birdied the par-three 16th and escaped the rough at 17 to sink an 11-foot putt and reach four-under. Spaun, never in the top 20 in eight prior major starts, parred 18 to shoot 31, the best nine-hole start ever in a US Open at Oakmont.
After finding the Church Pew bunkers left of the fairway at the par-five fourth hole, Spaun sank a testing putt to save par. He also found a bunker at the par-three sixth but sank another lengthy par putt. “Those are huge, especially at a US Open, to keep your round going and not go the other way,” Spaun said.
McIlroy, who completed a career Grand Slam by winning the Masters in April, had back-to-back early back-nine birdies, sinking a 27-foot putt at 11 and reaching the green in two at 12 to set up another birdie. But McIlroy stumbled with a three-putt bogey at the first. He needed three shots to escape the right rough but sank a 30-foot downhill putt to salvage a bogey at the par-five fourth. Two bogeys and a double bogey followed.
Phil Mickelson, who turns 55 on Monday, was four-over through 15 in his bid to complete a career Grand Slam after six US Open runner-up finishes.
Ireland’s Shane Lowry holed out from the fairway from 160 yards for the first US Open eagle at Oakmont’s third hole, but he was on six-over after 15 holes. American Maxwell Moldovan made the first US Open eagle at the first, holing out from the fairway from 189 yards, then looking to the heavens with a smile. He fired a 76.
Scheffler tees off alongside US compatriot Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner ranked fourth in the world, and Norway’s Viktor Hovland. Scheffler, whose nine wins last year included Paris Olympic gold, has won three of his past four starts. After capturing last month’s PGA Championship for his third major crown, two-time Masters winner Scheffler is trying to become the first man to win consecutive majors since Jordan Spieth in 2015.
© 2024 AFP
