Rickie Fowler has been in resurgent form over the past year and he carried it into this week's US Open with an historic round of 62 at Los Angeles Country Club.
The American became the first player in US Open history to shoot 62 and the first man to ever make ten birdies in a single round at a US Open, and then Xander Schauffele went and matched him less than half an hour later.
World No.45 Fowler, who is playing in his first US Open since 2020, and Schauffele, who has five top-sevens and a T14 in six US Open starts, matched Branden Grace to become the only men to shoot 62 in Major championship history.
Grace became the first 62-shooter at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 Open Championship.
Fowler began on the back nine and opened up with a birdie on the par 4 10th hole and was out in 32, three-under-par, thanks to five birdies and two dropped shots.
The five-time PGA Tour winner, who was T2nd at the 2014 US Open, caught fire on his back nine with five birdies and four pars. He birdied the 18th at LACC to reach three-under, his first of four in a row to reach six-under-par after 12 holes.
Rickie Fowler is SEVEN-under-par at the US Open pic.twitter.com/bsIVS3APZ1June 15, 2023
He finished it off with a birdie on the short par 4 6th and another at the par 5 8th hole.
Schauffele's 62 was bogey-free, with the Californian making three birdies on his front nine (the back nine) and five birdies on the way home.
Both men have put himself in prime position to challenge for the US Open trophy this weekend at LACC.
Fowler seeks his first worldwide win since the 2019 Waste Management Phoenix Open. He has come close at Majors many times in the past, notably in 2014 when he finished inside the top-five at all four Majors - the first man in history to achieve that feat.
Schauffele currently ranks sixth in the world and is looking for his first Major victory this week after ten Major top-10s since 2017.
"Yeah, Rick's awesome," Schauffele said. "He's truly probably one of the nicest guys out here. I mean that when I say it. And I couldn't be happier for him to see him in good form. I've played -- being a Florida a little bit more now, I've played some games with him, and he's just a pleasure to be around.
"It's not surprising to see him shoot 8-under, either. I'm happy that he's able get back into good form and can compete at a high level."
Previous lowest round in US Open history
- 63 (9 under) Justin Thomas, third round, Erin Hills 2017
- 63 (8 under) Johnny Miller, fourth round, Oakmont 1973
- 63 (7 under) Jack Nicklaus, first round, Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course) 1980
- 63 (7 under) Tom Weiskopf, first round, Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course) 1980
- 63 (7 under) Vijay Singh, second round, Olympia Fields 2003
- 63 (7 under) Tommy Fleetwood, fourth round, Shinnecock Hills 2018
