Yet if the first 54 holes were a test of patience and perseverance, the final 18 will be a uniquely challenging task. A six-shot lead would seem to be too difficult to lose, save for the fact that one of the chasers, and the one playing with him in the final pairing, will be Scottie Scheffler.
On a day marked by Clark continuing to pour in clutch par putts, he had a chance to go on the offensive on the par-5 16th. And, boy, did he take advantage.
Kiwi Ryan Fox will carry the hopes of the entire Australasian region after the Aussie contingent created an unwanted slice of history at the US Open in New York.
The potential is there for a fantastic weekend at this US Open. Unfortunately for some of the best golfers in the world, they weren’t ready for the exam.
Wyndham Clark was six under through 16 holes and four shots clear of the field at Shinnecock Hills after round one, helped by calmer winds in the afternoon wave. The former US Open champion is in prime position heading into round two.
Wind dominated round one at Shinnecock Hills and the numbers tell a wild story. From tee shots travelling 121 yards further downwind than into it, to the seventh green repelling two thirds of the field, here are five ways the conditions shaped day one at the US Open.
Scottie Scheffler wasn’t happy with his approach play in round one at Shinnecock Hills and he went straight to the range to fix it. Here’s what he and coach Randy Smith were working on and why it could be the key to his US Open campaign.
Jason Day’s US Open campaign is over before it began, with the former world No.1 withdrawing after just 10 holes at Shinnecock Hills due to a back injury. Day had made seven bogeys in his opening nine before being spotted hopping into a cart.
Australia’s golfers have officially begun their journey towards the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games, with the qualification window now open for players chasing selection on the world’s biggest sporting stage.
Rory McIlroy carded a 69 in round one at Shinnecock Hills and while an eagle at the fifth grabbed the headlines, it was his patience, course management and composure that told the real story of just how far he’s come since his 2018 nightmare at the same venue.
Australian Golf Digest
