By Mark Hayes/Golf Australia Organisation at Oakmont
WORLD No.1 Jason Day failed to hit a ball in anger as the opening round of the US Open at Oakmont Country Club was marred by thunderstorms.
Three separate storms lashed the course on Thursday leading to lengthy delays and the eventual suspension of play.
Only nine players finished their first rounds and the afternoon wave of times failed to get underway with little known American Andrew Landry holding the surprise lead.
The world No.624 from Texas who is playing in his first major championship sits at three-under, with a birdie putt upcoming on his final hole, to be one clear.
After two separate earlier rain delays totalling three hours and 45 minutes of suspension time players were once again pulled off the course for the night as a third storm front hit the area.
“It’s a shame the weather has hit but at least we know what’s ahead of us tomorrow,” Day told AAP.
“It will be good to finally get underway for what I know will be a long day, but I’m really looking forward to it.”
Wednesday night storms had already softened the usually brutal course – where in 2007 Angel Cabrera claimed victory with a five-over 285 – allowing players to take advantage, but it was Landry who made it rain early birdies.
The qualifier sat five-under through 15 holes, leading by three shots at one point, before making back-to-back bogeys to come back to the field.
Two-time Masters champion Bubba Watson (14 holes) and New Zealand’s Danny Lee (13 holes) are just one shot off the pace in a share for second at two-under.
Amateur Scottie Scheffler fired a one-under-69 to be joined by England’s Lee Westwood (13 holes) and fellow Americans Kevin Streelman (16 holes) and Harris English (12 holes) as the only other players under par.
Marc Leishman sits in a tie for 16th at one-over par through 14 holes as one of just two Australians who have seen competitive play.
Aron Price, who birdied the first hole in the opening group to briefly lead the tournament, fell away with a 76 to be nine off the pace.
Defending champion and world No.2 Jordan Spieth is one-over through 11 holes while world No.3 Rory McIlroy is four-over par through 13.
Day plus Adam Scott, Geoff Ogilvy, Steven Bowditch and Cameron Smith face playing their opening two rounds back-to-back on Friday.
