Oakmont, Pa. – JJ Spaun has handled the toughest test with a club that never fails in the US. His putter wore him to a 4-under 66, only the second Bogey-free round in the last three US opens in Oakmont for an early One-shot lead.
Spaun, who started his round by chipping ankle-deep rough, exactly straight from the 10th Green, walked through the 18th Fairway when a spectator looked at the group’s scoreboard and said: “JJ Spaun. He is 4 below?”
The emphasis was on the number, not on the name.
Only five players from the Morning Wave managed to break par on an Oakmont course that still tried to dry out of rain, and still held very own. Thiston Lawrence van Zuid -Africa, who hit Royal Throne last summer, had six birdies in a round of 67.
Si Woo Kim was 68, with Ben Griffin and Thomas Detry at 69.
The course allowed a lot of birdies and was punished a lot.
Masters champion Rory Mcilroy was also bogey-free, at least at his opening nine. Then three times before Bogey at No. 1 and ended with a 41 at the front nine for a 74. That included a 30-feet-feet putty to save Bogey after taking three hacks to get out of the rough on the PAR-5 fourth.
Shane Lowry became the first player to be out of the fairway for Eagle at no. 3. He also had three double bogeys and shot 79.
Spaun was not immune to this. He has just made everything, in particular five parts of seven feet or longer.
“I think it was one of my best today, maybe days I might have had all year round,” said Spaun. “Converting those putts … that is huge for Momentum and keeping a round, and that is what happens here with us.”
Spaun would not know that from experience. This is only his second US open, and his ninth major since his first in 2018. He did not have to qualify and moved to number 25 in the world based on his play -off loss for McIlroy at the players’ championship.
“I didn’t play too much,” said Spaun “I knew it would be difficult. I did my best to just sharpen it.”
It was a bit of a rut, from the rough and on the fast greens. Xander Schauffele had to Vogelen his last two holes to save a 72. Defending champion Bryson Dephambeau had four bogeys about his last 10 holes for a 73. On this course, with this major, they were not bad starts.
PGA champion Scottie Scheffler, the world’s number 1 player, was one of those who played in the afternoon when the wind became a little stronger, the Greens became a bit firmer and the rough remained as thick as always.
The average score was already in the reach of 75 when the late Golf started. Eight players already shot 80 or worse, including Matt Vogt, the dentist from Indiana and former Caddy near Oakmont.
Vogt was selected to hit the opening shot, a suitable choice for a US Open that is proud to give everyone the opportunity to qualify. He was one of the 16 players who had to go through two phases, 54 holes, only for a crack at Oakmont.
“Oakmont is ruthless,” said John Bodenhamer, the main championships officer at the USGA who sets up the course. “None has been abandoned. It is a routine. That is the American open.”
It kept his reputation in the opening round. Spaun managed to prevent disaster. The chip-in at no. 10 to start his round was a bonus. His best shot was a long iron up to five feet on the par-3 16th. His longest Birdie Putt was 12 feet in the short par-4 17th, where he drove to the collar of thick roughly around the green.
But it was those par-puts who save him eight feet on the par-5 celebrated after driving in a grassy “bank” in the famous church Pew Bunker; From 16 feet after finding a bunker of the Tee on the Par-3 Sixth; And from eight feet on the par-3 eighth by the end of his round.
McIlroy’s largest putt was 30 feet out of fourth, and that was for Bogey. He drove right in rough that came on his shins. He insisted that shot all 20 meters rougher. The next went 10 meters and remained rough. He finally went to the Fairway and from there there was 30 feet left of the pin. So it could have been worse.
There was also the par-3 eighth, with a front pin so that it only played 276 yards. McIlroy went with 3 wood and sent it well, where it disappeared into the tall grass. Two hacks later he was on his way to another double bogey.
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