The opening round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills proved to be formidable, highlighting the course’s reputation.
A dense fog rolled in over Long Island’s East End, causing a two-hour delay for the players after several groups had already begun. The weather set an intense stage for the match.
As anticipated, strong winds presented yet another challenge. Rory McIlroy even suggested that merely surviving the first day might be the goal.
Leading the clubhouse were Sam Stevens, Max McGreevey, and amateur Ryder Cowan, all at two under par, as play was halted at 8:25 p.m. Windham Clark stood at six under after 16 holes, complemented by a leaderboard featuring seven previous U.S. Open champions, including McIlroy, Clark, Matt Fitzpatrick, Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm, and Gary Woodland.
“I had an unusual start with a double at 10,” remarked Stevens, who was part of the early group affected by the fog. “But I made a birdie on the next hole, which helped me settle into my game.”
Throughout most of the day, the winds were noticeable, especially during Cam Young’s approach shot on the first hole. After the fog delay, Young managed to hit the green, but the wind carried the ball into a bunker behind.
Sustained winds that approached 25 mph shifted throughout the day, increasing the complexity of play. At one point on the fourth hole, those holding player signs struggled to keep them aloft as their group exited the tee box.
McIlroy experienced a challenging No. 4, finishing at one under. His drive landed in thick grass, and his second shot careened onto the cart path, nearly being snatched by an unexpected fan. However, he still salvaged a par.
“I think managing to stay under par or around even is pretty solid given today’s conditions,” he noted. “It felt like staying in the tournament was paramount—just like I did eight years ago.”
Players later in the day appeared to have more favorable conditions. Four out of the top eight on the leaderboard played in the afternoon, with early wave scores averaging 73.87 compared to 72.88 for the late wave.
Clark acknowledged that the fog actually benefited them during their final holes, saying, “It definitely helped us in those last six or seven holes.”
Leading up to this year’s U.S. Open, there had been much debate surrounding the course conditions, particularly given past controversies in 2004 and 2018. However, many players found the setup for the first round to be satisfactory.
Tommy Fleetwood, finishing with an even-par score of 70, expressed his surprise at how well the course was prepared. “It was probably as fair as it could be. I was taken aback on Monday; the course was quite soft and slow, but they managed it well. Today was a solid test of golf given the circumstances.”
Keegan Bradley echoed those thoughts with a 70 as well, noting, “The greens were softer than I anticipated, but overall it was good. At times, my ball would dance and wobble, but the grounds crew did a commendable job.”
