Perhaps Shinnecock Hills isn’t as intimidating as it seems.
The 7,440-yard course, known for challenging elite players, saw Windham Clark surge ahead, completing the first round of the 2026 U.S. Open at 6-under through 16 holes.
As the sun began to set, officials called a halt to play at 8:25 p.m. ET. Clark will start Friday’s next 18 holes early to complete his first round.
Currently, he stands as the +330 favorite at DraftKings, notably up from 45/1 at the beginning of the event.
Advantageously, he played in the later groups with calmer winds. An impressive near-hole-out on his approach at the par-5 14th almost resulted in an Albatross, but he settled for an eagle instead, reaching that solid 6-under mark.
Clark leads by four shots over a group of seven players tied at 2-under. This includes names like Sam Stevens, Ryder Cowan, Max McGreevy, Matt Fitzpatrick, Dustin Johnson, Gary Woodland, and Jon Rahm.
Among those tied, previous U.S. Open champions Fitzpatrick, Johnson, Woodland, and Rahm also left their rounds unfinished.
Rahm holds good odds for his third major win, having marked his ball in the rough on the 13th hole. Meanwhile, Rory McIlroy is placed next at +740, after finishing with a 1-under 69, joining eight others at the same score. Despite concluding the day with back-to-back bogeys, his eagle on the par-5 fifth hole kept him my interest.
US Open odds after first round
| player | Score | odds |
| Wyndham Clark | -6 (up to 16) | +335 |
| Jon Rahm | -2 (up to 13) | +580 |
| Rory McIlroy | -1 | +740 |
| Matt Fitzpatrick | -2 (up to 16) | +770 |
| Scotty Scheffler | +2 | +1275 |
| Bryson DeChambeau | -1 | 14/1 |
This marks a significant improvement for McIlroy, especially compared to his 10-over 80 in the first round of the last U.S. Open at Shinnecock.
Fitzpatrick, priced at +770, started strong with an 11-foot birdie putt and has one more hole to finish.
Scottie Scheffler wrapped up with a 2-over 72 but retains the fifth-best odds at +1275.
Johnson initially gained momentum, starting his round with birdies on the first two holes, moving into a tie for the lead at 2 under par.
However, it’s been rough sailing for the two-time major champion lately; he’s missed five of his last ten major attempts and only managed to crack the top 25 once during that stretch.
Cowan stands out as the only amateur among the 17 players currently ranked below par as we head into Friday.
The 21-year-old, a two-time All-American from the University of Oklahoma, progressed by going 2-for-3 during qualifying, navigating all eight fairways on the back nine and gaining about 1.5 strokes on the greens.
