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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Matt Cooper and David Tindall

US Open golf 2023: first round – as it happened

United States US Open Golf Collin Morikawa Hank Lebioda Berry Henson Brooks Koepka Max Homa Omar Morales Rory McIlroy
Rickie Fowler reacts to a putt on the ninth hole during the first round of the 123rd US Open Championship.
Rickie Fowler is tied for the lead after opening with a 62. Photograph: Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

We’ll close coverage with a link to Ewan Murray’s first round report. See you tomorrow!

Leaderboard update

Here’s the state of play at the end of the first round:

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-6: W Clark (F), D Johnson (F)
-5: B Harman (F), R McIlroy (F)
-3: B DeChambeau (F), S Scheffler (F), S W Kim (F), P Barjon (F), H English (F), S Bennett (F), M Hughes (F)

Here’s the McIlroy whiff on the 18th hole. Strange to think that he ended the round barely moving the ball with a swing having started it by launching a tee shot 382 yards.

A fun little post-round exchange between the press and the left-handed Brian Harman.

Question: “That 6th hole is one everyone talks about. Does it favor righties or lefties, lefties over righties?”
Harman: “I wouldn’t know. I only played it left-handed today.”

Rory McIlroy’s card. This is the fifth straight US Open that he has ended the first round within three strokes of the leader. On all four previous occasions he went on to record a top 10 but he is yet to add to his first championship win in 2011.

Updated

McIlroy’s bogey putt: If he misses this it will be a crushing blow after such a fine day of golf. Here we go … he’s made it and straight in the middle too! A 65 to open his 2023 US Open account, three shots back of the lead and currently tied for fifth.

Wow. Rory McIlroy has missed only two greens in regulation all day including at the 18th. The first miss left him on short grass. This second time he is in thick Bermuda rough. It’s his first test from it and … he’s whiffed it! His fourth shot is from deep in that grass and leaves him with 11-feet for bogey. A big moment coming up.

Updated

Dustin Johnson drops a shot at his 18th hole (the 9th). His bunker escape left him 11-feet for par and the ball refused to drop. Updated scores:

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-6: W Clark (F), D Johnson (F), R McIlroy (17)
-5: B Harman (17)
-3: B DeChambeau (F), S Scheffler (F), S W Kim (F), P Barjon (F), H English (F), S Bennett (F)

The length of the par-three holes has been a significant discussion point all week and Dustin Johnson has turned the 9th into a longer one than even the USGA planned. The tee shot is playing 184 yards but Johnson has cleared the green, found a bunker by the 18th green and has an awkward 30-yard shot coming back.

Wyndham Clark has been asked after his 64 if he’d had any inkling that LA CC would suit him this week. “Yeah, I did,” he said. “I came here Tuesday of last week, played a practice round with a buddy of mine and he showed me around. I felt like there were a lot of holes that fit my eye. I liked the greens and I loved the design of the golf course. I usually play good on courses where I feel comfortable and I like the design of it.”

No eagle for Dustin Johnson at the eighth. But a two putt birdie eases him into solo second on -7, just one behind the long-time leaders.

Frustration for McIlroy at the 16th. He torched his drive 370 yards and had a short iron to the green on the 529-yard par-four but the approach came up just short of the putting surface. It’s his first missed green in regulation all day. Meanwhile, Dustin Johnson thrashes his approach to the front fringe of the green of the par-five 8th (his 17th) – an eagle would tie the lead.

Wyndham Clark has only made seven pars today. Seven birdies and one eagle tussled with three bogeys on his way to a six under 64 that he completed with a 24-foot par breaking putt at the last.

Could Rory McIlroy catch the leaders? After opening the back nine with five straight pars he sets up an 11-foot birdie opportunity at the 124-yard par-three 15th and takes it. He’s six under for the round but he has three tough holes to come. The 16th ranks fourth most difficult so far today and the 17th is first in that list. His drive at 16 finds the fairway.

A quick quiz question: What do current co-leader Xander Schauffele and one of today’s two hole in one stars Matthieu Pavon have in common? Answer: both have family histories that include a lot of football. Schauffele had one grandfather who played for Austria and another who played for VfB Stuttgart, and Pavon is the son of Michel Pavon who played football for Toulouse and Bordeaux (he won Ligue 1 with them in 1999).

Remember Sam Bennett from the Masters? Then an amateur, he was third at halfway and ended the week 16th. He has since turned professional, was 20th last week in the Canadian Open and is now five under through 16 holes after holing a delicate birdie putt from eight feet at the 16th.

Updated

Dustin Johnson took the conservative route at the 315-yard par-four sixth. He didn’t attack the green from the tee but his 75-yard approach from the fairway set up a kick-in birdie. He’s six under with three to play and, like Fowler and Schauffele earlier in the day, he is ending his round on the front nine.

Rory McIlroy reaches the 632-yard par-five 14th. “He likes this hole,” says his putting coach Brad Faxon TV commentary as he tees it up. “Fore!” shouts McIlroy as the tee shot flies left of the fairway. It only reaches the rough but pops up in the air and then disappears.

Updated

Leaderboard update

Dustin Johnson is making smooth progress. The 2016 US Open champion has circled five birdies and is yet to drop a shot in his opening 14 holes. And Clark has edged one shot closer the lead.

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-6: W Clark (16)
-5: D Johnson (14), B Harman (13), R McIlroy (12)

Updated

A first backward step for the afternoon pace-setter Brian Harman. He drops a shot at the 502-yard par-four 13th, the first test in a tough stretch of six holes to close the back nine. It includes a quartet of par-fours over 490 yards and a par-five that is 628 yards. He slips back into a tie for third with Clark and McIlroy on five under.

After a bright start, Poland’s Adrian Meronk, who we mentioned earlier, has slipped back into the pack. He was -2 through the 8th and is now level par through the 15th. It completes a hat trick of early flourishes. He was -2 through seven holes at the Masters and -1 through six at the PGA Championship.

Another par breaker for Wyndham Clark. A birdie at the 632-yard par-five 14th which means he’s played the three long holes in just 10 blows today. He’s five under for the round.

The record breaking rounds of Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele are the stories of the day. But how do the field scores compare to the past? Stats man Justin Ray has the answer:

While on my last break I decided to do a little digging about Paul Barjon’s background on New Caledonia. He lived on the South Pacific islands until he was 16 (having been born in France). There were only three courses to play and he has said recently: “It was tough to judge how good you are when you play on a small island.” A multiple winner in Canada, he played the PGA Tour last year but lost his card.

As Dave tucks himself into bed, the field continues to tuck into LA CC. Every shot under the card is almost certainly vital because it’s hard to see how the course will be this vulnerable at any stage later in the week.

Harman pars 11 to stay at -6 but Clark drops a shot up at 13 to drop back to -4 alongside English. And with that, I’ll hand back to Matt to steer this ship to the finish.

That’s four birdies in five holes for Brian Harman who hits -6 and closes the gap on the joint leaders to just two. His latest red circle comes at 10 via a birdie putt from 13 feet. He finds the green at 11 but is some 50 feet away.

The birdies keep on coming for Wyndham Clark, an excellent winner of the Wells Fargo Championship at Quail Hollow last month. The 29-year-old hasn’t finished better than 75th in six major starts but he’s now tied fourth here on -5 after his latest birdie at 12. The American-dominated leaderboard also features Harris English in sixth. He’s something of a US Open specialist after fourth at Winged Foot in 2020 and third at Torrey Pines in 2021.

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-6: B Harman (10)
-5: W Clark (12), R McIlroy (10)
-4: H English (13)

Key event

Brooks Koepka made a subdued start to his bid to win a second straight major and sixth in all. But he’s ended his front nine with a pair of birdies to climb back from +3 to +1. That’s still nine back and only tied 59th but having won the 2018 US Open after an opening 75 he won’t be pressing the panic button yet. Also at +1 is Jordan Spieth and the triple major champion has yet to make a birdie. The good news is that he teed off at 10 so will now tackle LA CC’s easier front nine.

Slight technical hitch here but there’s been nothing wrong with Rory’s front nine play. It’s been exemplary. He can’t drain his long birdie try at 9 but that’s an outward half of 5-under 30. Now can he make further inroads on leaders Fowler and Schauffele on the course’s tougher nine?

Updated

Not much to shout about for the defending champion, Matt Fitzpatrick. The Sheffield golfer started off with a pair of bogeys and remains at 2-over after following a birdie at 6 with a bogey at 7 and two pars. That’s an outward 37 that leaves him two back. Fitzpatrick showed admirable honesty in his pre-tournament interview, saying this about the state of his game: “I certainly don’t think it’s as good as it was last year.”

At the ninth hole, a par 3, Rory plays a solid tee shot to about 25 feet away.

Brian Harman, the unassuming left-hander, fancies a piece of history too and he’s roared to -5 after birdies at 1, 2, 6, 7 and 8. He’s got some history in this event thanks to a tied second place at Erin Hills in 2017. Harman also finished sixth in last summer’s Open at St Andrews although they’re his only two top 10s in 28 starts in the majors.

McIlroy will soon be joining Harman at -5, three off the lead, after plonking his approach at the par-5 8th to around 30 feet away. His eagle try cosies up to the hole so that’s a certain birdie.

Frenchman Paul Barjon is the surprise name in the leading bunch. He was asked earlier what was it about the course that was pleasing to his eye. “It’s good. I like kind of a linksy style. There’s not a whole lot of trees. There’s a few around the tee boxes and a couple holes on the front nine of trees. But kind of reminds me a little bit of back home when I played British Amateur and all these courses. But I’m excited to see the scores when it firms up a little bit. We had a little drizzle this morning and I think it softened the greens up a little bit. So I think that’s probably explains also why the scores are fairly low.”

Could he repeat the US Open heroics of Gregory Havret at Pebble Beach – another California venue - and make a title challenge? Havret finished runner-up that week in 2010, losing by a single stroke to Graeme McDowell. It obviously seems highly unlikely that Barjon can stay in the hunt given that he’s been plugging away without much success on the Korn Ferry Tour this season. But he does have some California form though after finishing 10th in the 2022 American Express at La Quinta.

Leaderboard update

Time for the scores on the doors. Let’s scan the top nine: six Americans, two Europeans and a South Korean.

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-4: W Clark (9), B Harman (7), R McIlroy (7)
-3: B DeChambeau (F), S Scheffler (F), S W Kim (F), P Barjon (F)

Dustin Johnson, a double major champion, and fellow big-hitting American, Tony Finau, are pootling along nicely. Both are at -2 after 7. But it’s not such good news - yet - for Jordan Spieth. The 2015 US Open winner was a popular pick this week when it became clear that LA CC was a course that lent itself to brain rather than brawn but he’s +1 after 7 and has missed one of those short putts (at 15) that somehow continue to trip him up.

Rory has no such trouble with his short birdie putt at 7 and that puts him in a three-man group on -4 (tied third) alongside Americans Wyndham Clark and Brian Harman.

McIlroy couldn’t make birdie at 7 but he’s hit a stunner of a tee shot on the long par-3 8th. That’s inside three feet and he marches – yes, that’s very much the Rory on the charge march – down the fairway, all ready to complete the job with his putter. Could Rory do something daft here and even challenge the two leaders? He has the harder nine still to come but in this sort of mood he’s dangerous.

Rory’s tee shot at the short par-4 6th lands in the thick stuff but he controls what your or I would call a chop out to perfection. The ball pops up onto the green and even has the cheek to roll back a little from a slope, stopping about seven feet away. He’ll have that to get to -4 alongside Wyndham Clark, who also shows great scrambling skills to get up and down for birdie at 8. Rory’s birdie try is a fast breaker but he sets it out too wide and has to settle for par to remain at -3.

The hottest man on the course is Sam Burns. The American has gone birdie-eagle-birdie at 14, 15 and 16. Here’s the meat in that par breaker sandwich…

A quick look behind the numbers to see how Fowler and Schauffele arrived at their stupendous 62s. These are live Strokes Gained stats by the way.

Rickie Fowler
Putting: 1st
Around The Green: 24th
Approach: 3rd
Off The Tee: 16th
Tee To Green: 2nd

Xander Schauffele
Putting: 3rd
Around The Green: 8th
Approach: 1st
Off The Tee: 29th
Tee To Green: 1st

So, no-one has putted better than Fowler while Schauffele’s approach play leads the field.

Maybe Rory can join the ‘62 club’. McIlroy, the 2011 winner at Congressional, adds a birdie at five from 20 feet to cruise to -3. A reminder that the Northern Irishman started with a 65 when he triumphed 12 years ago while his other three major wins came from fast starts too: 67 at the 2012 US PGA and 66s at the 2014 Open Championship and US PGA.

It’s been a good day for Schauffele and Fowler and Xander has taken to Twitter to give his buddy a virtual high five.

We have a second hole-in-one!!! Sam Burns matches Matthieu Pavon by sinking his tee shot at the short 124-yard par-3 15th to jump to -2. Maybe that’ll be the catalyst for Burns to have a big week. Despite five PGA Tour wins since May 2021, including this year’s WGC-Dell Technologies Match Play, his majors record is fairly woeful. He’s played in 12 and never managed anything better than tied 20th (2022 US PGA).

Key event

Thanks Matt. Coming up now, do first-round leaders have a good record of kicking on in US Opens? Me with this report.

Since the start of the century, we’ve had five examples of players going wire-to-wire i.e. holding the lead after 18, 36, 54 and 72 holes. Tiger did it in 2000 and 2002 while Retief Goosen (2001), Rory McIlroy (2011) and Martin Kaymer (2014) also led from pillar to post. In addition, most US Open winners are never far from the lead after the opening lap. Overall, 17 of the last 24 champions were in the top 10 after day one; six more of those were in the top 20. This century, the only player to win from outside the top 25 after day one is Brooks Koepka, who was only 46th at Shinnecok after a first-round 75. Even then, Koepka was just six back and that’s the biggest deficit made up since Lee Janzen came from seven in arrears after day one in 1998.

Time to hand the reins back to Dave. Before I do so, Wyndham Clark moves to three under for the round through six, joining Nick Hardy (through nine) as the afternoon front-runners.

The American Cameron Young is another struggler this afternoon. It is perhaps no surprise, however. Since finishing 7th at the Masters he’s played five times without breaking the top 50 and in three previous starts in the US Open he has never gone sub-72 (and never made a cut). He’s three over through five holes.

Scott Blair has added to the cue debate, emailing: “As a matter of mild interest (possibly) in Michael Green’s “The Art of Coarse Golf” - which my dog-eared copy tells me was first published in 1967 - this shot is known as the “Walter Lindrum”.” Lindrum was an Australian billiards star who broke 57 world records (some still stand).

Everyone in the field has now hit a shot. It’s been a long day and plenty of golf to come. It’s been a difficult start for the defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick who is +2 through four holes after dropping shots at the 1st and 2nd.

A couple of veterans are thriving early in the afternoon wave. Phil Mickelson, who needs this title to complete the career Grand Slam and has finished runner-up in it no less than six times, is two under through six and playing alongside Padraig Harrington, who is one under the card. The Irishman is narrowing his eyes and nibbling on his bottom lip – always signs that he’s enjoying himself on the course.

Take a bow Alejandro Del Rey. He sounds a little bit like the signatory of 16th century Spanish-Dutch treaty, but in reality is a DP World Tour performer who earned his tee time via International Qualifying at Walton Heath. He has just reduced the 315-yard par-four sixth to a tap-in eagle (just 2’7”) and is now one under for the round.

Michael Meagher emails: “As he’s about to start, can I be the first of many across the next four days to say “Oh, Rory”?” Well, he’s added another birdie at the 2nd, this time from 12 feet. Michael might be in for another Rory rollercoaster.

After all the drama of the last hour or so, let’s return to an earlier debate. At 20.39 Dave and Julien Menz were wondering what would happen if a golfer putted using a snooker-style cue action. Just a few days ago Dan Walker and Stephen Hendry had a go at just that. Here’s the proof:

Updated

The par five 1st hole is supposed to be easy. Relatively speaking, maybe, but Brooks Koepka opens with a bogey. Playing partner McIlroy runs his eagle attempt nearly six feet past the hole but drains the return to open with a birdie.

Leaderboard update

The first round morning wave is complete. Fowler and Schauffele, the two history makers, will tuck into lunch with a five shot advantage over their fellow finishers. A sensational effort.

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (F)
-3: B DeChambeau (F), S Scheffler (F), S W Kim (F), P Barjon (F)

382 (three hundred and eighty-two in vidiprinter-speak). That’s how far Rory McIlroy has just hit his tee shot at the par five 1st. He had nothing more than a short iron to the green and has a 43 foot putt coming up for an eagle.

A good point made by the World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler after his own 67. Asked about the 62s posted by the leaders he said: “I think the USGA will be a bit frustrated that the number was that low today. I don’t think you’ll be seeing too much of that over the weekend.”

Xander Schauffele on his 62: “I just played some pretty good golf. I saw Rickie’s score and I tried to chase him down. The green speeds were perfect for holing putts.” While that latter point might have been true, Fowler and Schauffele took advantage more than the rest of the morning wave.

Bryson DeChambeau’s assessment of LA CC after his first round 67: “This golf course, you’ve got to be a great putter. You’ve got to have great iron play into the greens. You’ve got to be disciplined. It teases you wanting to go for certain shots in certain places. And you’ve got to be a great driver of the ball. Everybody thinks the fairways are wide. No, no, no. Realistically they’re like 25-yard fairways at best in some areas.”

Updated

Schauffele ties Fowler at the top of the leaderboard. His birdie putt was really quite limp, pulling up nearly four feet short. He mops up the par, however, and the pair have tied Branden Grace’s record low round at a major championship (which he signed for at Royal Birkdale in the 2017 Open) and now share the US Open best.

Rickie Fowler on his start: “I got a couple of things sorted yesterday. Xander has a putt to eclipse me, just hope he puts a good roll on it.” That’s why folk like him. He’s good at golf and he’s nice.

Schauffele has 27 feet to break the record Fowler set, well, seconds ago. It’s really quite astounding what they’ve spent this Californian morning doing. The pair of them are five (yes, five) clear of the next best efforts.

Leaderboard Update

And then there were two! Schauffele’s turn to take aim at a 61 after he makes birdie at his 17th hole (the 8th).

-8: R Fowler (F), X Schauffele (17)
-3: B DeChambeau (F), S Scheffler (F), S W Kim (F), P Barjon (15)

Talking of Meronk, he’s opened with a birdie at the 1st. This time last year I mentioned to a Polish friend that her nation had a golfer making a name for himself. “A Polish golfer?!?” she responded with a combination of bafflement and disdain. “I don’t think so!” She had good reason to doubt what she was hearing. Golf was first played in Poland over 100 years ago but the Communists took a dim view of such a bourgeois pastime and even today there are only 34 full courses in the country (and severe weather makes them unplayable most of the year). But since that conversation, I’ve updated her three times with news that he’s won the Irish Open, the Australian Open I wrote about 20 minutes ago and last month’s Italian Open. In a bleak year for the sport, his rise has been a genuine feel-good story (and one of expanding the game).

Fowler takes aim from 57 feet for birdie and a 61 … It’s a decent effort but a safe one too, pulling up a little short. He converts the par from three feet with aplomb for his eight under 62. It’s the lowest round in US Open history with 10 birdies and two bogeys. As things stand he has gained over three strokes on the field with his approaches and also his putting. Great stuff.

Updated

This is the 123rd US Open and only six men (Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, Vijay Singh, Justin Thomas and Tommy Fleetwood) have posted 63 - the championship’s record low round. Rickie Fowler has found the green on the par-three ninth. He needs a two putt for the first-ever US Open 62. (Meanwhile, Schauffele has moved to seven under through 16. London buses blah blah blah.)

Updated

Fowler makes his birdie at 17! A wonderful putt into the centre of the cup and he looks calm behind the shades. Eight under for the round and history beckons for him at the 18th.

Updated

Thanks Dave. I was talking to PGATour.com’s Ben Everill earlier this week. He’s an Australian and likened LA CC to the courses on the Melbourne sandbelt (albeit he swiftly added that the thick Bermuda rough around the greens is a very glaring difference). Might Poland’s Adrian Meronk take to the test because of the sandbelt similarity?! It seems an unlikely connection but he won the Australian Open there late last year and has just started his round.

Updated

Fowler wedges to 13 feet with his third to 8. If he makes that and pars the last it’ll be the lowest score in US Open history. If he birdies both, he’ll have the lowest score in the history of major championships, currently held by Branden Grace (62)! To see if the record books will be rewritten, I’ll hand over to Matt!

Fowler’s ball lands to the right of a small wooden bridge and the lie is in the barancca scruff. It’s one to pace and think about. No point in playing the hero here. It’s a par 5 let’s not forget. Maybe time to just wedge it back into play and that’s what he goes for. Smart move.

Meanwhile, Schauffele’s chip from down below the short par-4 15th doesn’t make the green but he gets up and down for par to stay at -6, one back from Fowler. We also have a new clubhouse leader as DeChambeau rolls in a testy one to post 3-under 67.

-6: R Fowler (16)
-5: X Schauffele (15)
-4: S Scheffler (16)
-3: B DeChambeau (F)

Finally some problems for the two runaway leaders. Schauffele’s tee shot at 15 curls left into the barranca short and left of the green. And at the par-5 8th, Fowler leaks his drive way right. It’s one of those where it’s so far off line he might find an alternative route back to the fairway/green.

While the top two wobble, Scheffler’s putter keeps hot and he nails a 10-foot birdie at 16 to climb to -4. Randomly, the leading European is Frenchman Paul Barjon at -2.

Rickie Fowler is set to post the lowest score in US Open history and yet he could be beaten to the punch. Xander Schauffele has just drained a bomb from downtown LA at 5 and he’s up to -6 and just one back. It’s three back to the fast-finishing Bryson DeChambeau and Scottie Scheffler. Americans are dominating their home Open for now. Perhaps Rory will have something to say about that when he gets going at 9.54pm UK.

Julien Menz emails: “Given the acceptance of longer putters, I just wonder whether it might often be easier to use the top of the putter as a sort of cue (lying flat, the perfect way to read the green). As someone who is far better at billiards than golf (and has used the technique before) what do golf rules allow?” I’m the worst person in the world for golf rules, Julien, as they bore me senseless but it sounds fun if nothing else. Actually I tried it once on the practice green after an 18-hole match with my fellow blogger Matt and KK Downing from heavy metal gods Judas Priest. A ridiculous sentence but actually a true one.

Scottie Scheffler’s putter, his weakness over the last few months, is behaving very nicely indeed thankyou. He trickles a slippery 10-foot putt straight into the middle of the cup at the par-3 15th and he’s up to -3 and solo third.

That’s still four off the lead because Fowler has just converted a birdie putt of his own, a seven-foot right-to-left breaker hit at perfect speed. That’s nine birdies in 15 holes. Bonkers. Fowler leads by two and he’s just hit a beautiful curling draw with a wood to find the putting surface at the 258-yard par-3 7th. Another birdie attempt coming up.

The clubhouse leader is Jacob Solomon after a 2-under 68. The 26-year-old, who came through Local and Final Qualifying to secure a US Open debut, later described his round as “one of the coolest days of my life, no doubt”. As for how the course played: “Yeah, it was a little more gettable probably for us than it will be for others this afternoon. We had minimal wind, able to stop wedges near the hole. I hit a couple wedges that really landed and then bounced out and ripped back a little bit. Definitely had the right tee time. I was pumped to see that I was first out. I relished that opportunity. I liked it. The liked the way it played.” Solomon is a native of the San Francisco Bay Area and a big fan of the Golden State Warriors and San Francisco 49ers, it says here in his Bio.

Solid par for Fowler at 5 so he remains at -6 with four to play. Those holes are a 315-yard par 4, a 258-yard par 3, a 537-yard 5 and a 184-yard par 3. If he can play that closing stretch in 2 under, he’d have shot the lowest 18-hole score in US Open history. Blimey.

Schauffele is just one back at -5 so the same applies to him if he can negotiate his final five in 3 under. Perhaps I’m getting ahead of myself.

-6: R Fowler (14)
-5: X Schauffele (13)
-2 J Solomon (F), B DeChambeau (15), Gary Woodland (15) S Scheffler (14), S W Kim (13), Ryan Fox (13), M Meissner (12), P Barjon (11)

Updated

An anxious look from Xander Schauffele as he hits his tee shot at the downhill par-3 4th, a hole measuring 234 yards today. To his relieft, it clings onto the left edge of the green. Jon Rahm finds a much better line but he’s maybe a half a club to a club short although he’ll still have a very outside look at birdie.

Bryson DeChambeau is ticking over nicely. After ditching the crazy diet (eight protein shakes per day), he’s found some much better form again and finished tied for fourth in the recent US PGA Championship. A combination of four birdies and two bogeys today have put the 2020 US Open winner at -2.

The afternoon wave will be heading out in just under 10 minutes. Some names (and UK times) to look out for.

1st tee
21:32 C Smith (Aus), S Bennett (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng)
21:54 B Koepka (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn), R McIlroy (NI)

10th tee
20:59 P Mickelson (US), P Harrington (Ire), K Bradley (US)
21:43 T Finau (US), J Spieth (US), P Cantlay (US)

Let’s take a look at that spectacular double whammy from Pavon and Hovland. For the record, Pavon’s ace was the 49th hole-in-one in US Open history. Hovland, meanwhile, has added a birdie at his next. Playing the last two holes in -3 has taken him to -2 for the tournament.

Why is Rickie Fowler leading? Don’t be cheeky at the back and say it’s because he’s made more birdies than anyone. Okay, it is that but breaking down his stats he currently ranks 1st for Strokes Gained: Putting, 1st for SG: Tee To Green and 3rd for SG: Approach. That’ll work. Just to show the force is with him, Fowler comes within an inch of holing a bunker shot at 4. He taps in to stay at -6 with five to play.

Scottie Scheffler is currently 13th for SG: Putting which makes him very, very dangerous. That heated up shortstick can’t cook up another birdie at 13 but it’s another hole ticked off without drama and he remains tied for third.

Updated

Leaderboard update

This is remarkable stuff from Rickie Fowler and the Californian now has eight birdies on his card after making his fourth on the spin from short range at 3. Xander Schauffele is in hot pursuit though and birdies at 10 and 11 take the Tokyo Olympic champion to -5, just one back.

Time for a leaderboard update…

-6: R Fowler (12)
-5: X Schauffele (11)
-3: M Meissner (10)
-2 J Solomon (F), D Wu (15), S Scheffler (12), S W Kim (11), R Fox (11)

Updated

Hole-in-one!!! Boom, France’s Mathieu Pavon drains his tee shot at the diddy widdy par-3 15th. Magnifique!!

Imagine if someone else did something similiar. Well, a Norwegian would and that man, of course, is Viktor Hovland who with one swish of a mid-iron holes out for eagle at the 485-yard 2nd, his 11th, to leap from +1 to -1. It’s all happening.

Here he comes, walking down the street, getting the funniest looks from, everyone he meets. Okay, the funny looks are coming from those who said Scottie Scheffler couldn’t putt anymore. To make a mockery of those claims, he’s just drained another 20 footer at 12 and leaps to -2.

As mentioned, Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion sits on the property and, erm, players have been hearing noises. No, not what you’re thinking, there is wildlife roaming around. That led to this rather strange exchange in Patrick Cantlay’s press conference earlier this week.

Q: I’m curious, in the times you’ve been here, have you heard any weird stories or heard any weird noises in the area to the right of the 14th tee?

PATRICK CANTLAY: Yeah, you can hear The Monkees almost every time you go back there.

No, Hugh isn’t a fan of Davey, Peter, Mike and Micky (well, he might be), there are actual monkeys providing the simian sonics. Plus other unspecified animals too. All a bit odd.

The best Hollywood films mix light and shade so let’s not focus just on the birdies. Justin Rose had high hopes of a big week following his win at Pebble Beach – a five-hour drive up the coast from here – as well as strong recent form such as 9th at the PGA Championship, 12th at Colonial and 8th in Canada last week. But the Englishman is currently a miserable five over after a horror run of bogey, bogey, bogey, double bogey from 15-18. Much work to do. Also struggling are Adam Scott, Jason Day and Patrick Reed at +4. Justin Thomas, Tyrrell Hatton and Francesco Molinari are also not exactly enjoying themselves at +3.

Justin Rose hits from the bunker on the 10th hole.
Justin Rose hits from the bunker on the 10th hole. Photograph: Marcio J Sanchez/AP

Updated

DeChambeau gets an approach to stop obediently by the hole at his 12th hole and that four-footer should take him into red figures. That’s where pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler is right now after back-to-back birdies at 9 and 10.

Over at 2, a sumptious approach from Fowler finishes a foot away. Looking the epitome of California cool in his shades, Fowler will have that to get to -5 and a two-shot lead. Is that cool? I think it is. Sky commentator Rich Beem, the 2001 PGA Championship winner, reckons there’s a 63 out there today. Could Fowler be the one to post it? Well, his next hole, the 3rd, is playing the easiest hole on the course currently.

Paul McGinley in the Sky commentary box says the ‘marine layer’ – always part of the weather forecast in California - has kept some moisture in the course. That, and the lack of wind, explains why the scoring is “pretty good”, according to the Irishman. McGinley also says the USGA wouldn’t have wanted to make the course too penal on day one given that this is its first time hosting a US Open.

Fowler converts his birdie chance and with Solomon giving one back at 16, Rickie is our new solo leader at -4. He then booms one down the 2nd fairway to celebrate his new-found status.

-4: R Fowler (10)
-3: J Solomon (16), R Gerard (15), D Wu (13), X Schauffele (9)

Thanks Matt. Beautiful bunker shot from Fowler at the 1st, his 10th, and he’ll have a short birdie putt to join Solomon at the top on -4. Four of the top six were born in California which is quite the stat given where we are.

A par for Jon Rahm at the 18th to turn in level par. Time to hand back to Dave.

A new solo leader after Alabama’s Jacob Solomon needs just two shots at the 124-yard par-three 15th. He’s four under for the round in his first start above the second tier Korn Ferry Tour. His warm-up for this week? He was fourth with 18 holes to play in the Knoxville Open at the end of last month.

-4: J Solomon (15)
-3: R Gerard (14), D Wu (12), R Fowler (9), X Schauffele (8)

Updated

Conners is not the leading Canadian at the moment, however. That honour goes to Adam Hadwin who is two under through eight holes and thankfully unharmed after being flattened by a security guard last week when celebrating the Canadian Open win of his friend Nick Taylor. You’ve probably seen this but it’s still worth another look. Hadwin is the man in a hoodie who enters stage right!

Updated

A steady start for Canada’s Corey Conners. He spent the first 54 holes of the PGA Championship on the front page of the leaderboard before wilting in the final round. He’s failed to make the cut in all four appearances in this championship and, as he tries to break that trend, he’s one under through the 10th.

Dave talked of the creativity of Michael Brennan earlier. Here’s the evidence of that imagination!

Jon Rahm misses the fairway at the 520-yard par-four 17th. He hacks out onto the fairway, still 175 yards short of the pin. He hasn’t hit one fairway after five tries today and errant driving has been an occasional weakness this year. His approach shot leaves him 20 feet for par. He holed from 13 feet for par on the 16th but he’s asking a lot of his putter.

Updated

The latest situation at the top end of the leaderboard:

-3: J Solomon (13), D Wu (11), X Schauffele (7), G Charoenkul (6), P Barjon (6)
-2: R Gerard (13), R Fowler (8), S W Kim (7), M Mesiiner (6)

Xander Schauffele makes a tidy par at the 16th to stay three under. He doesn’t just have an excellent championship record - he is also a frequent fast starter. In his six starts he’s twice been one shot back of the leaders, once been two back, twice been three adrift and four in arrears is his worst effort. He’s currently on track to maintain that pace. Paul Barjon of France makes it a five-way tie at the top.

Scoring is currently better than many might have expected. But a handful of high quality players are struggling early in their first rounds. Tyrrell Hatton is three over through eight holes and Jason Day is on the same score having played seven. Among those on two over are Justin Thomas (through 9), Adam Scott (7), Justin Rose (7), Collin Morikawa (7) and Viktor Hovland (6).

Updated

Max Homa is currently two under for the round. The LA resident is playing alongside Collin Morikawa (two over) and Scottie Scheffler (one over) and said yesterday: “I’m going to keep this joke that I used last year. I know the US Open does themes for their first and second round pairings, so it’s nice they put the three good looking guys together yet again.”

Leaderboard update

Here comes Rickie Fowler. He joins the leaders on three under with a birdie at the 7th.

-3: J Solomon (12), D Wu (9), R Fowler (7) X Schauffele (5)
-2: R Gerard (9), M Homa (6), S W Kim (6), G Charoenkul (3)

Peter Allan emails: “Good to see Fowler and Gerard doing well. Just need Lawrence and Johnson to join them for the Liverpool footballers reunion.” (Ryan) Gerard and (Rickie) Fowler are two under and just one back of the lead. Peter might be disappointed to learn that Rickie Fowler is thinking of investing in Leeds United alongside Justin (Mickey) Thomas and Jordan (anyone got one?) Spieth.

Xander Schauffele joins the lead group on three under with a birdie at the par-five 14th. As Dave noted earlier, he’s relentless in this championship with six top 20s from his six starts. In all majors that tally is 16-for-24. A Californian native, might this be the week he wins one?

Remember when the world of golf argued about the best player in the world yet to win a major? These days the debate is about the world’s best player yet to record a major championship top 10 finish. Because, somewhat incredibly, both Max Homa (six PGA Tour wins) and Sam Burns (five PGA Tour victories) are yet to achieve that feat. Homa has just drained a 32 foot par putt at the 5th to stay one under for the round.

The English amateur Barclay Brown is level par through three holes. He became a favourite of many at last year’s Open with his trademark floppy hat and a name that resembles an English character actor from the Terry-Thomas era. He made the cut at St Andrews and is on track to return to the Old Course to play for GB&I in September’s Walker Cup.

Dylan Wu completes a birdie at the 8th to make it a three-way tie at the top of the leaderboard. Dave started a corny musical theme earlier and I’ll run with it. No LA connection but I’ve fired up the ukulele and am singing, George Formby style, “And Mr Wu’s a round one leader now.”

Sergio Garcia is into the red with a birdie at the 15th. It’s his sixth hole of the day and his 23rd major championship start since he won the Masters in 2017. He hasn’t finished top 10 in any of them. It’s a remarkable run but he was so keen to play this week he went to Qualifying in Dallas and earned his spot.

Jacob Solomon and the Mexican amateur Omar Morales are playing in the first group out. And they’re having a great time. They share the early lead on three under.

-3: O Morales -a- (10), J Solomon (10)
-2: R Gerard (9), D Wu (7), K Streelman (6), X Schauffele (3)

Updated

Fleetwood secures a birdie at the 6th with an excellent lag putt to steady the ship. He’s now level par for the opening round. Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau, the 2020 champion of this event, had completed back-to-back birdies at the 14th and 15th to atone for an early bogey.

Tommy Fleetwood takes aim at the green on the par-four 6th. And his ball makes it – well, trickles onto the second cut at the back of the putting surface. He’s one over par through his first five holes off the back of his defeat in extra holes last week at the Canadian Open. Starting his round on the back nine, Xander Schauffele had made birdie at two of his first three holes.

Good afternoon everyone. If you’re thinking that the Thursday morning galleries seem a little quiet and sparse you’d be right. The fans are out there but maybe not in the numbers we’ve come to expect at US major championships. The daily capacity has been reported as 24,000 with a significant number of them corporate, rather than general admission, tickets. Those fans can walk the course but they do have … alternative options.

Time now to hand over to Matt Cooper for a few hours. Best warn him that I’ve already done the Lionel Richie jokes.

Somewhat unusually, there are five par 3s on the card at Los Angeles Country Club and two today are playing over 250 yards. Patrick Reed has come a cropper at the 254-yard 11th, his second hole of the day, after racking up a double bogey following a tee-shot that went long of the green.

At 2, Scheffler tries to balance the books with a 20-foot birdie attempt but the putt leaks right towards the end of its journey so that’s a par. Playing partner Morikawa, meanwhile, has opened bogey-bogey after another dropped shot.

Other big names have made sticky starts too. English pair Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood are both at +1 after 4 and 3 holes respectively. You’ll also find major winners Bryson DeChambeau (4), Jason Day (3) and Adam Scott (2) at +1.

One the 8th, the Mexican amateur Morales has a 20-footer for eagle that almost drops. No matter, a kick-in birdie makes him the first player to hit the giddy heights of -3.

-3: O Morales -a- (8)
-2: J Solomon (7), D Wu (5)

It’s six swishes and a dropped shot for Scheffler at the 1st. There’s a surprise. Double major winner Collin Morikawa also coughs up a bogey at the par 5 after racing his opening putt 15 feet past. But over at 10, Rahm overcomes his poor opening tee shot to make birdie after brushing in a 15-footer. That 3 is matched by Xander Schauffele, a man who fully deserves the title of US Open specialist. The Californian has played in six of these and has finishes of 5th, 6th, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 14th.

Updated

Scheffler is making a horlicks of this 1st hole. After chipping out with his second, he hoicks his 220-yard approach into a greenside bunker so he’ll have to get up and down from sand for an opening par.

Up at 3, here’s a real test of Justin Thomas’ mental resolve as his approach grazes the flag, dances around the hole and then spins back 70 feet and nearly off the green. To his credit, JT keeps calm and two putts to stay at even par.

Lots of big names teeing off now and how about this for a three-ball: Jon Rahm, Viktor Hovland and Xander Schauffele. Lionel Richie watches on and it’s once… twice… three times a fairway as the trio… actually that gag is ruined by Rahm. Schauffele and Hovland find the short grass but Rahm bellows ‘fore left’ as he tugs his three wood left into thick bermuda rough. He won’t be dancing on the ceiling about that. Or summat.

Leaderboard update

Suddenly we have a three-way tie on -2 as Morales and Solomon pick up shots.

-2: O Morales -a- (6), J Solomon (6), D Wu (3)
-1: R Gerard (5), H Buckley (4), S Stallings (4), R Sloan (3), F Molinari (2), K Streelman (2)

Bob Dylan played LA’s legendary Whisky A Go Go many times so perhaps it’s appropriate that the first man to break that tie on -1 is another Dylan. Dylan Wu didn’t birdie the easy 1st but has picked up shots at 2 and 3 to take the solo lead. Hurrah.

Back at the first, World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler hits away at the 1st but it’s a scruffy one and trickles into sand.

This is LA right so let’s take it in our stride that Hugh Hefner’s Playboy Mansion overlooks the 14th hole while golfers at the 4th can peer into the home of Lionel Richie. Jokes write themselves here but I’d certainly be tempted to slice one into Lionel’s garden to… you know the rest.

We now have an 11-way tie at the top as 2019 Open Championship hero Shane Lowry taps in for birdie at 1. We could be in Norris McWhirter territory soon. To be fair, Los Angeles Country Club designer George C. Thomas has a reputation for giving players an easy opening hole before gaining his revenge straight after. The leaderboard is certainly showing that so far. Another player hoping to join that logjam at -1 is 2013 US Open winner Justin Rose. He’s starting at the 10th but hates his opening shot, fanning a fairway wood into a bunker or near a bunker (the cameraman couldn’t pick it out). Playing partner Jason Day doesn’t like his either, his ball settling in deep rough down the left.

Currently a 10-way tie for the lead at -1! The latest to hit that number is 2018 Open champion Francesco Molinari, who made Los Angeles his base a few years ago when becoming a member at nearby Riviera, home of the prestigious Genesis Invitational. He’s not been in the best of form lately, missing cuts at both the PGA Championship and the Memorial Tournament and failing to make the weekend in seven of his last tournaments.

Tommy Fleetwood, a runner-up in the Canadian Open last week, is still looking for a first major and, indeed, a first victory on American soil. His opening tee shot finds sand down the left but it’s a par 5 and he can still make birdie from there. The Englishman has some notable history in this event, finishing fourth at Erin Hills in 2017 and runner-up at Shinnecock in 2018 when closing with a brilliant 63, the joint-lowest ever round in this tournament. He shares that honour with Johnny Miller, Jack Nicklaus, Tom Weiskopf, Vijay Singh and Justin Thomas, the latter his playing partner today.

Meanwhile, how about that for some imagination from amateur Michael Brennan at 3. He’s in deep rough to the right of the green, floats a chip away from the hole and watches his ball catch a slope and trickle back onto the green and into the hole. An air of Tiger at 16 in the 2006 Masters about that one. It takes Brennan into a tie for the lead at -1.

Well, here’s Phil Mickelson giving World No. 2 Jon Rahm a chipping lesson! The cynic would say Rahm (1) has more US Opens than Phil (0) but Mickelson is a six-time runner-up in this thing, has the small matter of six majors and is a short-game genius. Rahm heads out today at 4.24pm UK time while Mickelson starts his latest tortured bid to win his national championship at 8.59pm.

It’s going to be slow going out there today and, as we’re on the west coast of America, UK viewers who want to see Sky Sports’ coverage through until 3am may need some help. This press room coffee is pretty neat.

Los Angeles Country Club hasn’t seen rain in a month so is playing firm and fast. Balls are landing on greens, hopping forward and rolling and rolling. Rather like an Open Championship you could say. One bonus for the the morning starters is the lack of wind; flags are limp, trouser legs are not flapping.

Very early days but four players are now under par for the round. Here they are:

-1: O Morales -a- (2), M Kim (2), R Gerard (1), S Stallings (1)

Scottie Scheffler saunters onto the practice range. The 2022 Masters winner has been a beacon of high-class consistency this season, winning the Waste Management Phoenix Open in Arizona and The Players Championship in Florida. In 11 other starts he hasn’t finished outside the top 12. That deserves a ‘wowzers’. From tee to green his numbers have been off the planet so if the putter warms up the American will be hard to stop as he bids to land a second major. Scheffler gets going alongside Collin Morikawa and Max Homa at 4.13pm UK time.

Michael Kim makes an opening birdie, his red number coming at the short par-4 10th. It’s been 10 years since the former California-Berkeley grad finished 17th in the US Open at Merion (where Justin Rose won) to secure Low Amateur honours. The 29-year-old hasn’t quite had the career many tipped him for – indeed this is his first start in the US Open since then - but he did manage a PGA Tour win at the 2018 John Deere Classic and you can’t knock that. He’s also been a good follow on Twitter this week with his insights from the course in practice.

Hole locations for the opening round are here. Take a quick scan.

So we’re in Los Angeles this week, the first US Open to be held here in 75 years. Your kind of town?

Updated

Hello! And we’re off and running in the 123rd US Open! Omar Morales – a college amateur from nearby UCLA – had the honour of hitting the first ball of this year’s event. The Mexican is 20 years old and part of a three-ball at the 1st also featuring South African Deon Germishuys and American Jacob Solomon. Over at the 10th, there’s another three-ball teeing off: Japan’s Ryutaro Nagano alongside American duo Berry Henson and Hank Lebioda. Not a great start for Hank there; he’s made double bogey. But Morales has posted the first birdie of the day, tapping in on the 594-yard par 5 opener after putting his approach to just 20 feet.

Updated

Preamble

With Hollywood a short drive from Los Angeles Country Club, perhaps it’s appropriate that the build-up to this year’s US Open has been laced with talk of plot twists and betrayal. The PGA Tour’s bombshell decision to effectively merge with the rebel LIV Golf organisation, this new entity backed by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, has sent golf into a tailspin. Check out the transcripts from this week’s player press conferences. A cursory “how’s the course playing, John/Scottie?” followed by a barrage of questions on “the big news last week”.

The show must go on and this week’s venue - a beefy but strategic 7,423-yard par 70 with five par 3s and three par 5s - looks an intriguing all-round test. But make sure you find a comfy chair; we could be in for some looooong old rounds. With conditions firm and fast, the rough described as “brutal” and a configuration of holes - lengthy par 3s, driveable par 4s and reachable par 5s - that will cause back-ups and delays, rounds will be slow. “I’d be surprised if they’re under six hours,” said Padraig Harrington. Gulp.

Still, we have a raft of plotlines to keep us entertained: Rory to end his nine-year majors drought? Jon Rahm or Brooks Koepka win their second major of the season? Victory for one of the California locals (Collin Morikawa, Patrick Cantlay, Max Homa)? Matt Fitzpatrick to defend his crown? A first major for Viktor Hovland? Will Jordan Spieth’s imagination be fired? And so it goes on.

Some of those cats are out early so let’s adjust to Pacific Time (eight hours behind UK), feel the California vibe and watch the film of this year’s US Open unfold. Here are those tee-times, folks.

Starting at hole one (all times BST)
(* denotes amateur)

14:45 O Morales (Mex)*, D Germishuys (SA), J Solomon (US)
14:56 R Gerard (US), Katsuragawa (Jpn), M Brennan (US)*
15:07 H Buckley (US), A Svensson (Can), P Larrazabal (Spa)
15:18 C Young (US), D Wu (US), R Sloan (Can)
15:29 R Ishikawa (Jpn), K Streelman (US), M Pavon (Fra)
15:40 S Lowry (Ire), J Thomas (US), T Fleetwood (Eng)
15:51 Sungjae Im (Kor), KH Lee (Kor), JT Poston (US)
16:02 G Woodland (US), Scott (Aus), C Conners (Can)
16:13 C Morikawa (US), M Homa (US), S Scheffler (US)
16:24 D McCarthy (US), J Dahmen (US), A Hadwin (Can)
16:35 M McClean (NI)*, S Power (Ire), R Fox (NZ)
16:46 M Meissner (US), B Brown (Eng), G Charoenkul (Tha)
16:57 A Yang (HK)*, J Schutte (US), A Svoboda (US)
20:15 B Grant (US), V Norman (Swe), C Hoffman (US)
20:26 S Forsstrom (Swe), C Ortiz (Mex), M Moldovan (US)*
20:37 E Cole (US), T Lawrence (SA), A Schenk (US)
20:48 L List (US), W Nienaber (SA), A Del Rey (Spa)
20:59 A Meronk (Pol), H English (US), J Niemann (Chi)
21:10 A Noren (Swe), W Clark (US), A Eckroat (US)
21:21 K Kitayama (US), C Davis (Aus), R Henley (US)
21:32 C Smith (Aus), S Bennett (US), M Fitzpatrick (Eng)
21:43 B Horschel (US), C Kirk (US), B Harman (US)
21:54 B Koepka (US), H Matsuyama (Jpn), R McIlroy (NI)
22:05 S Muniz (Col), N Taylor (Can), T Montgomery (US)
22:16 O Browne Jr (US), D Puig (Spa), K Vilips (US)*
22:27 C Pereira (US), I Simmons (US)*, JJ Grey (Eng)

Starting from hole 10

14:45 B Henson (US), R Nagano (Jpn), H Lebioda (US)
14:56 M Kim (US), J Smith (Eng), W Ding (Chn)*
15:07 S Stallings (US), P Summerhays (US)*, L Herbert (Aus)
15:18 J Dantorp (Swe), P Rodgers (US), R Armour (US)
15:29 T Pieters (Bel), A Wise (US), G Sargent (US)*
15:40 B DeChambeau (US), F Molinari (Ita), T Hatton (Eng)
15:51 T Hoge (US), S Garcia (Spa), S Straka (Aut)
16:02 J Rose (Eng), R Fowler (US), J Day (Aus)
16:13 P Reed (US), M Kuchar (US), SW Kim (Kor)
16:24 X Schauffele (US), V Hovland (Nor), J Rahm (Spa)
16:35 M Kaymer (Ger), S Cink (US), M Thorbjornsen (US)*)
16:46 D Horsey (Eng), B Valdes (US), P Barjon (Fra)
16:57 J Gumberg (US), K Mueller (US), B Amat (Fra)*
20:15 R Fisher (Eng), N Echavarria (Col), P Haley II (US)
20:26 N Dunlap (US)*, N Hardy (US), S Stevens (US)
20:37 T Pendrith (Can), N Potgieter (SA)*, R Langasque (Fra)
20:48 A Puttnam (US), V Perez (Fra), A Ancer (Mex)
20:59 P Mickelson (US), P Harrington (Ire), K Bradley (US)
21:10 M Pereira (Chi), E Grillo (Arg), Fernandez de Oliveira (Arg)*
21:21 T Kim (Kor), S Theegala (US), C Young (US)
21:32 S Burns (US), D Johnson (US), K Mitchell (US)
21:43 T Finau (US), J Spieth (US), P Cantlay (US)
21:54 D Thompson (US), MW Lee (Aus), J Suh (US)
22:05 T Moore (US), M Hughes (Can), B Carr (US)*
22:16 P Cover (US), D Nyfjall (Swe)*, F Capan III (US)
22:27 A Truslow (US), C Cavaliere (US)*, A Schaake (US)

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