Wyndham Clark pulled away to six under after 16 holes before play was suspended during the first round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills. The 2023 champion holds a commanding four-stroke lead over a chasing group at two under, including clubhouse leader Sam Stevens.
First Round Suspended
Play was halted at 8.25pm after a rain-soaked day, with Clark leading the pack. The 32-year-old American took advantage of benign conditions during the golden hour, reeling off birdie, birdie and eagle at the 3rd, 4th and 5th holes to create rare separation on the leaderboard. No player has led the US Open by four shots or more after the opening round since Tommy Armour in 1933.
McIlroy in Contention
Rory McIlroy climbed into the solo lead at three under with an eagle at the 5th, his first at a US Open in nine years, but two late bogeys dropped him back to a one-under 69. The Northern Irishman remains firmly in contention heading into Friday.
Challenging Conditions
The morning brought a fog delay of over two hours, with visibility deteriorating shortly after the opening tee shot. The dense coastal haze engulfed Shinnecock, obscuring fairways and greens. Once play resumed, windswept afternoon conditions tested the field. Scottie Scheffler battled to a two-over 72 after early turbulence, dropping six strokes adrift but remaining within striking distance.
Course Management
The USGA is taking the rare step of watering and misting greens during the opening two rounds to prevent the notoriously devilish putting surfaces from drying out. The approach has the backing of players, with Scheffler noting the greens were softer than expected. "I think the last thing that they wanted was having balls blowing off greens," he said.
Shinnecock's history suggests nobody is out of it yet, as two of the three US Open champions since 1980 to open with 75 or worse did so at the course, including Brooks Koepka in 2018.
