Adam Hadwin holds the lead at the US Open after the first round-4 A Hadwin (Can); -3 R McIlroy (NI), C Tarren (Eng), D Lingmerth (Sweden), J Dahmen (USA), MJ Daffue (SA); -2 M Fitzpatrick (English), D Johnson (USA), Jay Rose (English), A Wise (USA), B Harman (USA), H. Buckley (USA) Selected others: -1 With Morikawa (USA) , Jay Ram (Spa), J Thomas (USA), W Zalatoris (USA), G Woodland; ES Scheffler (USA) +2 J Spieth; +8 P Mickelson (USA)
Rory McIlroy and England No. 445 Callum Tarron are in a group with one shot behind leader in the first round of the US Open Adam Hadwin in Brooklyn, Boston.
The Canadian Hadwin scored six birds to lead after four under face value of 66.
McIlroy pulled out the latter as Tarren overtook the eighth when they finished three lower, along with David Lingmerth, Joel Dahmen and MJ Daffue.
England’s Matt Fitzpatrick and Justin Rose are two fewer, one ahead of last year’s winner John Ram, who shot 69.
Under favorable morning conditions in Brooklyn, 16 of the early wave ended below par and the total increased to 25 with some good performances from the afternoon starts in lighter conditions.
Only four shots cover the top 41 players in the congested ranking, which includes world number one Scotty Scheffler, who finished with two birds to sign for level 70.
Dustin Johnson, the 2016 US Open champion, shot with 68, but his fellow LIV Golf player Phil Mickelson had a day to forget after falling to eight over 78.
Both players were suspended from the PGA Tour to join the new LIV Golf series, although the US Golf Association, which runs the US Open, allowed them to compete this week.
Six-time US Open runner-up Mickelson suffered a miserable round on his 52nd birthday. He had only one bird against five carts and two double mascots to let him fight to enter the only specialty he had not yet won.
Hadwin’s 66th is his lowest 63-round major and the first time the 34-year-old has led after each round of the four biggest men’s golf tournaments.
A whirlwind of five birds in six holes in the top nine led Hadwin to hit the turn at 31 and he held on well to the stronger back nine, with only one bird and one tap saw him finish the day at the top of the charts.
“I was calm, which is a good feeling at the US Open, because it doesn’t happen very often,” Hadwin told Sky Sports after his round.
“I had a good experience there in the top nine, but I knew there were going to be some tough holes to go home, so it was just a case of staying.”
McIlroy sets the early pace as Fitzpatrick’s form continues
Rory McIlroy was looking forward to a strong start to his US Open campaign
McIlroy arrived in Massachusetts full of confidence after winning the second Canadian Open on the PGA Tour on Sunday – and kept his form with a solid circle.
The Northern Irishman led by four after 17 holes, but missed the ninth green, his last hole of the day, and failed to rise from the rough grand to save his money.
This is still the second straight start in a major for McIlroy, who shot 65 in the first round to top the U.S. PGA Championship last month before finishing eighth behind winner Justin Thomas.
“I feel comfortable in my game,” said the 33-year-old. “I’m mentally in a good place, which I think I showed there with some of the nominal rescues I made.”
Fitzpatrick of Sheffield followed his fifth-place finish in the U.S. PGA Championship with a steady round of 68, but he left disappointed after also hitting his last hole.
The highlight of Fitzpatrick’s round was the chip-in birdie on par-4 12th, one of the five birds in his round.
“I have great memories of the place, and all the time I was out there, I saw the shots I hit and I saw the places I was,” said the 27-year-old, who won the 2013 U.S. Amateur Title in Brooklyn.
“I think that’s why I’m a little calmer. I’m just trying not to put pressure on myself. This is a golf course that I know I can do well, and I’m just trying to enjoy it. “
Matt Fitzpatrick celebrates with caddy Billy Foster
Rose recreates a moment from the Ryder Cup
The Englishman Rose won the US Open in 2013 on a similar type of course at the Merrion Golf Club and he is again right in the mix after his eventful round of 16.
Rose had only one pair on her front nine, with three caps and five birds – including one on the 17th, which was similar to the famous hit of the American Justin Leonard in the 1999 Ryder Cup.
Leonard pulled out 40 feet, effectively reclaiming the trophy, but the noisy celebrations were widely condemned in both the American and European media as players and their wives came across Jose Maria Olazabal’s strike line.
After the bedlam subsided, Olazabal missed his shot, giving the United States half the point it needed to win. Many European players were abused that day, and it was a bad feeling that the event was called the Battle of Brooklyn.
Rose admitted that his celebration was “100% Justin Leonard atmosphere.”
He added: “Czech hit and I was like, this is Justin Leonard’s hit. He entered at the speed of Justin Leonard. I don’t know if the camera stayed on me long enough, but somehow I raised my hands.
“I would run a little more like him. It’s a little inclined to Justin, but yes, I’m just trying to throw away some European memories there.
Tahren of Darlington starts surprisingly
Englishman Callum Taren is in his first season in the PGA Tour
One of the first players to finish was Taren, who surprised everyone with a nice back nine, which brought him to 67.
Starting from the 10th hole, he played his first nine holes in one above par, but birded the first, fifth and seventh before the eagle of the eighth sent him forward.
Taren is playing his first season in the PGA Tour and only appeared in his second US Open, after also playing at Pebble Beach in 2019.
The Darlington golfer qualified at Rattlesnake Point GC in Ontario, Canada to take his place on the field with 156 people in Boston.
After playing at the Canadian Open, his clubs failed to make the same flight to Massachusetts, but finally arrived just before the event, which 32-year-old Taren says he fully enjoys.
“Every hole catches your eye. I love being here this week, “he added.
“I’m excited about this start and let’s see what we can do for the rest of the week.”
Patience pays off for defending champion Ram
John Ram had a mixed first round of the US Open
The Spaniard Ram had to remain patient in the eventful first round, which had a little of everything and almost missed him after a good start.
Ram had three birds in four holes in the front nine, but he was fighting in the back nine, and when one of the few wayward iron shots cost him 15, his disappointment was obvious.
However, the 27-year-old – who triumphed at Tori Pines 12 months ago – kept his focus on the last two holes and fired a 21-foot bird on the 18th to make sure he finished below par.
“This bird at 18 would always change the energy of the round,” Ram said. “I played very well the first seven holes, then when the wind picked up in the last nine, I struggled a little.
“It was nice to make this bird at 18 because I hit a lot of bad iron hits in the last 10 holes.”
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