Unexpected US Open leader J.J. Spaun shakes hands after his opening round at the Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania on Thursday. Image courtesy usopen.com.
By Rahul Banerji
Just 10 players in the 125th US Open field of 154 led by J.J. Spaun broke par on a Thursday that saw the intimidating Oakmont Country Club course underline it’s reputation right off the bat/club.
The 7,372-yard, par-70 course harassed and bullied the world’s best mercilessly despite clear skies and calm conditions.
Patrick Reed holed out from 286 yards on the par-5 fourth hole for only the fourth albatross in US Open history and still ended the day on 3 over par 73 courtesy a triple-bogeyed 18th.
World number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion BrysonDeChambeau also had opening 73s while Masters champion Rory McIlroy was one worse with a 4 over 74.
Instead, lining up behind one-time PGA Tour winner Spasn, who led with a bogey-free 66 was an unlikely crew.
South African Thriston Lawrence was 3 under 67 in sole second place, while two-time champion Brooks Koepka and Korean stars Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im were shared third on 2 under 68s.
Three shots behind the leader was a group of five on 1 under 69 — 2021 champion Jon Rahm, two-time PGA Tour winner Ben Griffin, 2025 WM Phoenix Open champion Thomas Detry, Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen and qualifier,James Nicholas.
Off the pace
A further nine including 2015 winner Jordan Spieth and major champions Adam Scott and Collin Morikawa were on level par 70.
World no. 3 Xander Schauffele was 2 over 72, 2019 champion Gary Woodland had a 73 while previous winners Wyndham Clark (74), Matt Fitzpatrick (74), Lucas Glover (74), Dustin Johnson (75) and Justin Rose (77) were well adrift of the leader.
Spaun did best what Oakmont asks of the field, hitting eight of 14 fairways and 12 of the 18 greens to join a group of just seven players from nine previous US Opens to be bogey-free on the feared course.
“I putted really well,” said 2022 Valero Texas Open winner Spaun later
“I think today was one of my best putting days I’ve had maybe all year, especially inside the makeable range putts, inside 12 feet or so.
“That’s huge for momentum and keeping a round going, and that’s kind of what happens here at US Opens.
“It’s such a blur when you’re playing. But I hear a lot of like, ‘Go J.J.’ chants and stuff like that. It’s really cool to see the magnitude of this championship and at such a historic venue, and to see the beautiful clubhouse in the background.
Stay in the moment
“But you’re just trying to stay in the moment. You want to say, like, thank you to everyone that’s telling you, good playing, but you end up saying it 50 times in one hole,” added Spaun.
Lawrence, a four-time DP World (European) Tour winner playing his second US Open found the most birdies on the day, six in all, to sit a stroke behind Spaum.
“Birdies on this golf course are nice,” the 28-year-old said. “Doesn’t matter if it’s easy or tough.
“There is a lot of chances if you’re playing well, but I don’t think it’s going to happen too often, especially when it firms up. To make a couple birdies was quite fun.
“I feel like it (Oakmont) fairly suits me. A lot can change, obviously. It could firm up. It could go soft again. I’m hitting the driver really well.
“I’m putting decent. Iron play has always been fairly good. I like a tough test, and I feel like from the tee, just the distance I hit it… my targets are quite big for the distance I hit it off the tee.”
Rare feat
Im, who led briefly midway through his round, and Players champion Kim made it the first time since 2011 that two Koreans were in the top 5 at a US Open on any of the four days.
“Honestly, I don’t even know what I’m doing on the course,” Im said.
“Kind of hitting good but feel like this course is too hard for me. So kind of like no expectation, but I played great today.”
Alongside them, 2107 and 2018 champion Koepka closed with two birdies to give himself the chance of a third title.
The championship website noted that Koepka’s 68 was his 11th in 12 US Open starts, moving him to fifth in rounds of 68 or better in the championship behind Jack Nicklaus (17), Raymond Floyd (14), McIlroy (14) and Tom Watson (12).
“I feel good. It’s nice to put a good round together. It’s been a while. I’ve been working hard, just got into some bad habits and bad swing positions,” Koepka noted later.
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