| -8 R Fowler (US), X Schauffele (US); -6 D Johnson (US), W Clark (US); -5 R McIlroy (NI), B Harman (US); -3 S Scheffler (US), B DeChambeau (US), H English (US), S Bennett (US), SW Kim (Kor), P Barjon (Fra), M Hughes (Can) |
| Selected:-2 M Homa (US); -1 P Mickelson (US), V Hovland (Nor), J Rahm (Spa); +1 M Fitzpatrick (Eng), B Koepka (US) |
| Full leaderboard |
The US Open first round featured record lows, two holes-in-one and a charging Rory McIlroy as the tournament returned to Los Angeles after a 75-year absence.
Californians Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele lead on eight under after recording the US Open’s first 62s.
Former champions Dustin Johnson and McIlroy led the chase but bogeyed their last holes to end six and five under on a day of unusually low scoring.
Frenchman Mathieu Pavon and American Sam Burns both aced the 15th.
They were the 49th and 50th holes-in-one at the championship which was last played in the city in 1948 and is making its first visit to the exclusive Los Angeles Country Club.
Unheralded American Wyndham Clark birdied the last to post a 64 and join Johnson at six under while Brian Harman is level with McIlroy after a 65.
Scottie Scheffler and Bryson DeChambeau add more star power to a stacked leaderboard, both five shots adrift, while a frustrated Jon Rahm shot a 69.
California dreamers set new US Open record
It’s been quite a journey for Fowler, one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour, who went from a career-high fourth in the world ranking in 2016 all the way down to 173rd just a year ago.
The 34-year-old, one of just four players in history with top five finishes in all four majors in one season, failed to even qualify for the past two US Opens, but marked his return in some style.
“It has been long and tough. it’s a lot longer that you ever want it to be,” Fowler said after his record round. “It’s been so worth it and now being back.”
While Fowler tied the US Open record with 10 birdies in his round to counter two bogeys, current Olympic champion Schauffele had eight birdies in a bogey-free round.
“It’s a great start. I hit a lot of really good shots,” said Schauffele, who like Fowler is yet to win a major. “Rickie was just right in front of me and I was playing really good golf so thought I may as well just chase him down.
“You have to play hard here, dig your way around.”
DJ and Rory in pursuit
For a notoriously slow starter in the majors, McIlroy’s 65 on the quirky par-70 layout represents a huge improvement for the Northern Irishman as he looks to end his nine-year wait for a fifth major.
McIlroy hit five front-nine birdies – his best effort in majors – on the back of some explosive driving off the tee.
And he played solid golf on the back nine, adding one more birdie before making his only mistake at the 18th – playing an air shot from the greenside rough before making an 11-foot putt to drop just one shot.
Johnson came flying home with five birdies on his back nine but he too made a mistake on his final hole.
He missed the par-three ninth green by a good 20 yards and his ball plunged into a bunker by the 18th green. He took three from there to drop his only shot of the day and finish two off the lead.
“The golf course is in perfect condition,” said Johnson. “I really like it. You just have to drive it well or you have no chance.
“The course was set up really nicely. I would imagine the next few days you’re going to see the golf course – they can set it up as hard as they want to.”
Scheffler, DeChambeau and best of the rest
World number one Scheffler bookended his round with a bogey on the first and last, but found a spark around the turn with five birdies in eight holes to card a creditable 67.
That scored was matched by 2020 US Open champion DeChambeau, who had an eventful round with six birdies and three bogeys.
Local favourite Max Homa, who was born in Los Angeles and holds the course record of 61, is just a shot further back on two under while Viktor Hovland is one under after a round of highs and lows that included a hole-out eagle from 175 yards and a double-bogey seven.
Norwegian Hovland, 25, has come close in the past three majors, playing in the final groups in both last year’s Open Championship and last month’s US PGA Championship.
Reigning Masters champion Rahm looked largely frustrated with just the three birdies and two bogeys in his one-under 69.
The Spaniard has a great record in California with five of his PGA Tour wins coming in the state – including his 2019 US Open victory at Torrey Pines in nearby San Diego.
Jordan Smith is the leading Englishman after shooting a level-par 70 that featured five bogeys and five birdies, while defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick headed to the practice range after signing for a 71.