SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Wyndham Clark had two good looks at history Friday morning and settled for the lowest opening round in a U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills, a 6-under 64 that gave him a two-shot lead in a first round that took some 26 hours to complete.
Dustin Johnson, in the final year of his U.S. Open exemption from winning at Oakmont in 2016, atoned for a double bogey late Thursday with birdies on two of his last three holes and a superb par
save for a 66, keeping him in touch with Clark.
Gary Woodland — playing alongside Clark and Johnson — and Matt Fitzpatrick were at 67. Among those another shot back was Jon Rahm, who missed two good chances Friday morning but still managed a 68 without a bogey on his card.
The scores were surprisingly low for Shinnecock Hills, where only three players in the previous four U.S. Opens here have finished under par in the last 40 years. But the real surprise was fog at the start of the championship, which led to a two-hour delay.
That meant Clark and Johnson had the advantage of playing Thursday evening in far less wind. The USGA made sure Shinnecock was kind and gentle to account for gusts that consistently topped 30 mph. Without that wind late in the day, players could take advantage.
And they did.
Clark had a birdie-birdie-eagle stretch late Thursday that put him at 6 under. Johnson ran off four straight birdies until his blunder on No. 6, when he three-putted from 6 feet for double bogey.
They returned early Friday, along with 48 other players, to complete the first round. Clark faced Nos. 8 and 9, both with a favorable wind. Clark narrowly missed an 18-foot birdie putt on the eighth, and one from about 30 feet on the ninth.
The Shinnecock record is 63, set by Tommy Fleetwood in the final round of 2018 after the USGA soaked the course to make up for a third round that dried out and got out of control. The U.S. Open record is 62 by Xander Schauffele and Rickie Fowler at Los Angeles Country Club in 2023.
Clark was more than pleased with a 64. The lowest opening round at Shinnecock had been 66, by three players in 2004 and one player in 1995.
Rory McIlroy faced the worst of the wind on Thursday and thought he did well to post a 69. Scottie Scheffler was in the same wave and had to rely heavily on his short game to salvage a 72, his 10th consecutive round at the U.S. Open without breaking par.
Sam Stevens had the low round from those who faced the toughest wind at 68. He was joined later by Rahm and a group that included Ryder Cowan, who just finished his junior year at Oklahoma. Another Sooner alum, Max McGreevy, also was at 68.
Clark and Johnson had enough time to hit a few shots on the driving range before heading right back out for the second round.
At stake Friday was the 36-hole cut for the top 60 and ties. Scheffler was narrowly inside, but still looking toward trying to stay in range of the lead as he chases the one major keeping him from the career Grand Slam.
___
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
