2023-06-19 08:45:57
2023-06-19 06:30:12
Clark holds off McIlroy to capture maiden major at US Open
American Wyndham Clark held his nerve to card an even-par 70 on Sunday to win the 123rd US Open, capturing his first major title and denying four-time major winner Rory McIlroy his first in nine years.
Clark, whose previous best finish in six prior major starts was a tie for 75th, shrugged off two late bogeys, closing with a pair of confident pars to seal the victory with a 10-under par total of 270 at Los Angeles Country Club.
That was good enough for a one-shot win over McIlroy, who also closed with a 70. World number one Scottie Scheffler also carded an even par final round to finish third on 273.
- AFP
2023-06-19 00:58:47
2023-06-19 00:33:03Clark birdies the par-3 fourth and now leads McIlroy by one shot.2023-06-19 00:31:27
2023-06-19 00:10:53Rory McIlroy has joined Clark to share the lead on 10-under, things are spicing up!2023-06-19 00:10:14
2023-06-18 23:53:39
2023-06-18 23:31:49The leaders Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark have teed off in the final round, both sit on 10-under2023-06-18 23:20:00Englishman Tommy Fleetwood is currently eight-under for his final round through 15 holes as he has jumped to tied for 15th at 6-under.2023-06-18 22:54:37
2023-06-18 22:35:00
Justin Thomas thinks his pal, Rickie will clinch it. He tees off in the final pairing at 23:30 SA time.2023-06-18 22:06:21South African amateur Aldrich Potgieter has finished his final round with a nine-over 79 to sit 67th at 15-over par for the tournament.2023-06-18 21:36:45
Potgieter is currently on 14-over through 16 holes, he is struggling out there and is at eight-over for his final round.
Let's hope the amateur ends on a good note.
2023-06-18 21:13:11
2023-06-18 20:44:51
2023-06-18 20:18:49
Agony for Potgieter as he quadruple bogeys on the par-3 ninth, not the best front nine from the amateur.
He does, however, pull one back as he birdies the 10th - to sit at 12-over.
2023-06-18 20:01:13Not the best front nine for Potgieter as he sits on three-over through eight holes. He sits on nine-over so far.2023-06-18 19:45:00
2023-06-18 19:21:29
The stage is nearly set!
Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark shared the lead as the final round of the US Open promised suspense worthy of a Hollywood thriller at Los Angeles Country Club on Sunday.
Four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, trying to lift one of golf's biggest trophies for the first time in nine years, was just one stroke back and world number one Scottie Scheffler was three off the lead.
Those within seven shots included two-time major winner Dustin Johnson, Olympic gold medallist Xander Schauffele, former US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau and reigning British Open champion Cameron Smith.
"(Sunday) is when the tournament starts," said Fowler, whose bogey at 18 on Saturday - as Clark birdied - set the stage for a tense final-round battle.
The drama in the fading light was just another plot twist in the US Open's return to Los Angeles for the first time in 75 years.
Los Angels Country Club's North Course is hosting the championship for the first time ever after members of the exclusive club hemmed in by the mansions of Beverly Hills were at last persuaded to share it with the wider golf world.
Results and reviews through the first three rounds have been mixed.
- AFP
2023-06-18 19:03:21Overcast conditions are making it tough as Potgieter bogeys the fourth and is now at eight-over par.2023-06-18 18:48:17
Will one of our co-leaders triumph in LA?2023-06-18 18:41:04Potgieter bogeys his second hole to drop to seven-over2023-06-18 18:29:10
Amateur Aldrich Potgieter has teed off in his final round of the US Open. He was the sole South African of four to make the weekend.
Potgieter is playing alongside Frenchman Romain Langasque.
2023-06-18 07:04:48
Co-leader Wyndham Clark blasts 'ridiculous' late tee-off
Wyndham Clark said he was operating on feel as he drained a six-foot birdie putt at 18 on Saturday to seize a share of the US Open lead as darkness fell in Los Angeles.
"We played twilight golf," said Clark, who pulled level with Rickie Fowler at the last thanks to his birdie and Fowler's bogey -- the combination erasing Fowler's two-shot lead.
The drama unfolded in waning light more than four hours after the two teed off at 3:40 pm at Los Angeles Country Club.
"It's a little ridiculous that we teed off that late," said Clark, who captured his first US PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow last month.
"I would say right around hole 15 or 16 it started getting to where you couldn't see that well.
"I 100 percent think my bogey on 17 was because I couldn't see, and I think Rickie's bogey on 18 was because he couldn't see."
Clark was in the fairway off the tee at 17, but hit his second shot into the native scrub of a barranca.
He opted to take a penalty drop and limited the damage to a bogey."I'm not trying to make an excuse, but it definitely was a challenge," he said.
"My putt on 17, I literally couldn't see it, and we just played off of feel and how Rickie's putt came in, and then my putt on 18, same thing."Fowler didn't mention the light, or lack thereof, when discussing his bogey at the last.
"I hit a good putt," he said, but he added that he, too, was surprised that the round played so late in the day - finishing around 8:00 pm.
"If it was a Tour event and you were away from the clubhouse you'd be looking around for them to blow the horn," he said.
Fowler and Clark will be teeing off an hour and 10 minutes earlier in the final group on Sunday, both in search of a first major title and trying to hold off four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and former Masters champion Scottie Scheffler. - AFP
2023-06-17 23:24:49
2023-06-17 23:21:37Potgieter still remains on four-over through 15 holes in his third round.2023-06-17 23:14:19The leading group of Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark tee off in their third round at 00:40 SA time.2023-06-17 22:51:11
2023-06-17 22:30:16Potgieter is two-over for his third round through 11 holes, and is currently on four-over par for the tournament.2023-06-17 22:13:14
2023-06-17 21:42:04
2023-06-17 21:19:55
Potgieter bogeys the sixth and is now one-over for his round and sits on three-over through six holes.
2023-06-17 21:02:25
2023-06-17 20:44:03So far, Potgieter hasn't dropped any shots as he is even-par through his first four holes.2023-06-17 20:27:42
2023-06-17 20:08:03
South African Aldrich Potgieter has gotten his third round under way, making a par in his opening hole.
The SA amateur is still two-over for his round, let's see how he fares!
2023-06-17 19:40:27
2023-06-17 19:39:12
2023-06-17 19:38:44
2023-06-17 19:38:14
Day 3 of the US Open is here!
News24 Sport will cover the action!
2023-06-17 11:52:22
Amateur Potgieter sole SA golfer to make LA weekend
Amateur Aldrich Potgieter was the sole South African to make the weekend of the 123rd US Open at Los Angeles Country Club.
Only four South Africans teed off at the start of this year's third major.
Potgieter carded 70 and 72 in his opening two rounds to make the cut line at 2-over par as he sits tied for 49th.
Potgieter is 12 strokes behind overnight leader Rickie Fowler, who sits on 10-under par.
Thriston Lawrence missed the cut by one stroke as he sat on three-over par.
Wilco Nienaber ended his US Open run at five-over par, while Deon Germishuys also finished his major debutant on five-over par.
Potgieter gets his third round under way alongside Mexican Abraham Ancer at 19:50 SA time.
- Lynn Butler
2023-06-17 07:37:36
Second-round scores on Friday in the 123rd US Open at Los Angeles Country Club (par 70):
130 - Rickie Fowler (USA) 62-68
131 - Wyndham Clark (USA) 64-67
132 - Xander Schauffele (USA) 62-70, Rory McIlroy (NIR) 65-67
133 - Harris English (USA) 67-66134 - Dustin Johnson (USA) 64-70, Min Woo Lee (AUS) 69-65
135 - Scottie Scheffler (USA) 67-68, Sam Bennett (USA) 67-68
136 - Cameron Smith (AUS) 69-67137 - Tony Finau (USA) 68-69138 - Charley Hoffman (USA) 71-67, Brian Harman (USA) 65-73, Gary Woodland (USA) 70-68, Denny McCarthy (USA) 71-67, Justin Suh (USA) 69-69, Dylan Wu (USA) 68-70, Ryutaro Nagano (JPN) 71-67
139 - Kim Si-Woo (KOR) 67-72, Viktor Hovland (NOR) 69-70, Romain Langasque (FRA) 71-68, Andrew Putnam (USA) 68-71, Sam Burns (USA) 69-70, Bryson DeChambeau (USA) 67-72, Nick Hardy (USA) 70-69, Keith Mitchell (USA) 68-71, Austin Eckroat (USA) 71-68, Eric Cole (USA) 69-70, Ryan Gerard (USA) 69-70
140 - Billy Horschel (USA) 73-67, Brooks Koepka (USA) 71-69, Patrick Rodgers (USA) 71-69, Collin Morikawa (USA) 71-69, Sahith Theegala (USA) 74-66, Gordon Sargent (USA) 69-71, Joaquin Niemann (CHI) 68-72, Mackenzie Hughes (CAN) 67-73, Yuto Katsuragawa (JPN) 69-71
141 - Hideki Matsuyama (JPN) 72-69, Tom Kim (KOR) 73-68, Adam Svensson (CAN) 71-70, Sergio Garcia (ESP) 70-71, Kevin Streelman (USA) 72-69, Patrick Reed (USA) 72-69, Jacob Solomon (USA) 68-73, Tyrrell Hatton (ENG) 74-67, Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG) 71-70, Jordan Smith (ENG) 70-71
142 - Tommy Fleetwood (ENG) 73-69, Russell Henley (USA) 71-71, Patrick Cantlay (USA) 71-71, Cameron Young (USA) 72-70, Sam Stevens (USA) 75-67, Maxwell Moldovan (USA) 71-71, Ben Carr (USA) 70-72, Jon Rahm (ESP) 69-73, David Puig (ESP) 69-73, Juan Sebastin Muoz (COL) 68-74, Adam Hadwin (CAN) 70-72, Ryo Ishikawa (JPN) 69-73, Padraig Harrington (IRL) 73-69, Shane Lowry (IRL) 72-70, Ryan Fox (NZL) 68-74, Abraham Ancer (MEX) 70-72, Aldrich Potgieter (RSA) 70-72
Missed Cut
143 - Thriston Lawrence (RSA) 70-73, Adrian Meronk (POL) 70-73, Alexander Norn (SWE) 68-75, Vincent Norrman (SWE) 70-73, Nicols Echavarra (COL) 72-71, Paul Barjon (FRA) 67-76, Guillermo Pereira (CHI) 71-72, Phil Mickelson (USA) 69-74, Andrew Svoboda (USA) 70-73, Jordan Spieth (USA) 72-71, Kyle Mueller (USA) 76-67, Taylor Moore (USA) 71-72, Davis Thompson (USA) 72-71, Patrick Cover (USA) 70-73144 - Chris Kirk (USA) 71-73, Tom Hoge (USA) 72-72, Max Homa (USA) 68-76, Adam Schenk (USA) 75-69, Thomas Pieters (BEL) 71-73, Nick Taylor (CAN) 72-72, Corey Conners (CAN) 70-74, Sepp Straka (AUT) 70-74, Simon Forsstrm (SWE) 71-73, Seamus Power (IRL) 72-72, Justin Rose (ENG) 76-68, J.J. Grey (ENG) 71-73
145 - Ross Fisher (ENG) 73-72, Barclay Brown (ENG) 71-74, Francesco Molinari (ITA) 72-73, Deon Germishuys (RSA) 72-73, Wilco Nienaber (RSA) 75-70, Taylor Pendrith (CAN) 72-73, Roger Sloan (CAN) 72-73, Adam Scott (AUS) 73-72, Lucas Herbert (AUS) 70-75, Emiliano Grillo (ARG) 74-71, Stewart Cink (USA) 70-75, Scott Stallings (USA) 71-74, Austen Truslow (USA) 72-73, JT Poston (USA) 74-71, Kurt Kitayama (USA) 75-70, Mac Meissner (USA) 70-75
146 - Matt Kuchar (USA) 72-74, Luke List (USA) 75-71, Keegan Bradley (USA) 72-74, Brent Grant (USA) 72-74, Jordan Gumberg (USA) 72-74, Michael Thorbjornsen (USA) 74-72, Taylor Montgomery (USA) 71-75, Preston Summerhays (USA) 73-73, Bastien Amat (FRA) 73-73, Martin Kaymer (GER) 73-73, Im Sung-Jae (KOR) 71-75
147 - Jens Dantorp (SWE) 74-73, David Nyfjll (SWE) 73-74, Alejandro Del Rey (ESP) 68-79, Ryan Armour (USA) 74-73, Michael Kim (USA) 74-73, Jesse Schutte (USA) 72-75, Olin Browne Jr. (USA) 75-72, Corey Pereira (USA) 71-76, Gunn Charoenkul (THA) 73-74148 - Nick Dunlap (USA) 77-71, Pablo Larrazbal (ESP) 71-77, Mateo Fernndez de Oliveira (ARG) 74-74, Lee Kyung-Hoon (KOR) 73-75
149 - Carlos Ortiz (MEX) 76-73, Omar Morales (MEX) 71-78, Jason Day (AUS) 73-76, Karl Vilips (AUS) 74-75, Matthieu Pavon (FRA) 71-78, Ding Wenyi (CHN) 72-77, Paul Haley II (USA) 73-76, Michael Brennan (USA) 74-75, Christian Cavaliere (USA) 72-77
150 - Berry Henson (USA) 74-76, Aaron Wise (USA) 79-71, Carson Young (USA) 74-76
151 - Frankie Capan (USA) 78-73, Hayden Buckley (USA) 77-74, Alex Schaake (USA) 77-74, Victor Perez (FRA) 76-75, Cameron Davis (AUS) 72-79, Matthew McClean (NIR) 73-78
152 - Joel Dahmen (USA) 74-78153 - Alexander Yang (HKG) 79-74154 - Justin Thomas (USA) 73-81, Isaac Simmons (USA) 77-77
156 - Brendan Valdes (USA) 78-78, David Horsey (ENG) 77-79160 - Hank Lebioda (USA) 77-83
2023-06-17 07:29:46
Fowler rides rollercoaster to US Open lead over Clark as McIlroy lurks
Rickie Fowler got off to a blistering start then held on tight as Los Angeles Country Club struck back on Friday, taking a one-shot lead at the US Open in search of his first major championship.
The former world number four, had eight birdies and six bogeys in his two-under-par 68 for a 10-under total of 130.
Wyndham Clark carded a three-under-par 67 for 131 and was one stroke in front of Xander Schauffele and Rory McIlroy, who had six birdies in his last nine holes on the way to a 67 that left the Northern Ireland star poised to strike at the weekend for a fifth major title and his first in nine years.
Fowler set a US Open low-round record of 62 on Thursday that was matched by Schauffele as misty weather made for benign conditions on the LA Country Club North Course.
With the course playing longer and firming up fast once the sun broke through in the afternoon, Fowler picked up right where he left off with three straight birdies to open his round.
His ability to keep the birdies flowing -- his 18 over 36 holes is another US Open record -- let him overcome three three-putts, one from just off the green at the 11th, which he answered with a 23-foot birdie at the 12th."The birdies are out there if you put yourself in the right position, but as you can see, bogeys are very easy to make," Fowler said.
"You hit fairways and hit greens, yes, you can score well, but you get out of position, and it's going to eat you up."
Fowler managed to bounce back from his mistakes when he needed to. After a three-putt at 13, he rolled in a birdie putt from inside eight feet at the par-three 15th. Unable to get up and down from a greenside bunker at 16, he responded with his final birdie of the day at 17.
Once tipped as likely to win multiple majors, Fowler missed the past two US Opens as he remained mired in a slump that saw him drop to 185th in the world.
"I'm looking forward to the weekend," he said.
"It's been a while since I've felt this good in a tournament, let alone a major."But Fowler cautioned that the 36-hole lead "means nothing."
"(It's) a little different once you get to after 54 holes because that's when things really heat up," he said. Clark is hoping to get a taste of that challenge after putting himself in a strong position in a bid for a first major -- a month after he broke through for his first PGA Tour title at Quail Hollow.
McIlroy, meanwhile, will be aiming to keep the pedal down after a searing finish to his round that got off to a rocky start with three bogeys and a birdie in his first nine holes.
DJ battles back
Four birdies in his last five holes included a tap-in at his final hole, the par-three ninth, where his tee shot nearly went in.
Schauffele's challenge was in trouble after three straight bogeys at 13, 14 and 15, but he closed with birdies at 17 and 18 and signed for an even-par 70 to join McIlroy on 132.
"It was big, just to keep myself in touch," Schauffele said of his birdie-birdie finish.
Harris English was alone in fifth after a 66 for 133.
Two-time major-winner Dustin Johnson remarkably headed a group on 134 despite a quadruple bogey eight at the par-four second hole.
Johnson was in a fairway bunker off the tee and entangled in a barranca on the way to his big number, but had five birdies and a bogey to wrestle his way to an even par 70.
He was joined on six under with Australian Min Woo Lee, who had six birdies in an impressive five-under-par 65."Definitely proud of the way I came back and finished off the round," Johnson said.
World number one Scottie Scheffler carded a two-under-par 68 to share eighth place with Sam Bennett on 135. British Open champion Cameron Smith was alone in 10th after a 67 for 136.
But there was frustration for a few other marquee players.
Brooks Koepka was even par through 36 holes. Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick had the excitement of a hole-in-one at the 15th -- but his even-par 70 left him one over par.
Masters champion Jon Rahm's opening eagle was a lone bright spot in a three-over-par 73 that saw him make the cut on the number at two-over par.
Notable names who didn't make it included Justin Thomas and Jordan Spieth, and six-time US Open runner-up Phil Mickelson.
- AFP
2023-06-17 01:04:18
2023-06-16 23:38:17
2023-06-16 23:24:07
Rickie Fowler is on fire as he currently holed three consecutive birdies to start his second round.
He shots up the leaderboard to 11-under - holds a two-shot lead early in his round!
2023-06-16 23:22:51
2023-06-16 23:09:32South African golfer Deon Germishuys is on three-over through six holes as he needs to make some birdies in order to make the 2-over cut.2023-06-16 22:58:03Overnight co-leader Xander Schauffele starts his second round...2023-06-16 22:54:12Fowler birdies the first and he joins Clark on top on 9-under for the lead. Fiery start to his second round from Rickie!2023-06-16 22:47:58Overnight co-leader Rickie Fowler begins his second round...2023-06-16 22:36:37
2023-06-16 22:25:09South African golfer Wilco Nienaber has finished his second round with an even-par 70 and will, unfortunately, miss the weekend as he sits on five-over-par for the tournament.2023-06-16 22:15:14
Currently, the projected cut is at 2-over.
SA's Lawrence sits outside on 3-over and may miss the weekend.
2023-06-16 22:09:15
Here's the putt that gave Wyndham Clark the early lead with one hole still to play for his second round...2023-06-16 22:02:48
Seems like conditions are more favourable than what we imagined at the US Open...2023-06-16 22:01:34Clark grabs the lead as he birdies the 17th!2023-06-16 21:57:42
2023-06-16 21:43:46South African Thriston Lawrence completed his second round, posting a three-over 73 to sit T95th on three-over par.2023-06-16 21:33:48
2023-06-16 21:24:10South African amateur Aldrich Potgieter has finished his second round, carding a two-over 72 to sit T72nd on 2-over.2023-06-16 20:56:32
2023-06-16 20:40:54Clark bogeys the fourth and is now tied for the lead at 8-under through 132023-06-16 20:26:55Clark still holds a one-shot lead through 12 holes2023-06-16 19:50:01
How the South Africans are faring:
Thriston Lawrence is tied for 75 on two-over through 12 holes
Amateur Aldrich Potgieter is tied for 95 on three-over through 13 holes
Wilco Nienaber is tied for 111th on four-over through 12 holes (Nienaber is one-under in his second round)
Deon Germishuys tees off at 21:15 SA time.
2023-06-16 19:24:37Defending champion Matthew Fitzpatrick hits a ace in the second round!2023-06-16 19:01:04
American Wyndham Clark birdies the 16th and leads by one shot through seven.
2023-06-16 18:41:51
2023-06-16 18:21:52
American Wyndham Clark has shot up the leaderboard and joined Fowler and Schauffele on 8-under.
Clark is two-under for his round through his first five holes on the back.
2023-06-16 18:08:13McIlroy birdies the 12th to go to five-under and is now even-par through his first three holes2023-06-16 18:07:46
Welcome to our evening day two coverage of the US Open at Los Angeles Golf Club.
Fowler and Schauffele remain tied for the lead
We'll be following the action, including the featured group of Brooks Koepka, Hideki Matsuyama and Rory McIlroy.
2023-06-16 07:45:48
First-round scores on Thursday in the 123rd US Open golf championship at Los Angeles Country Club (par 70):
62 - Rickie Fowler (USA), Xander Schauffele (USA)
64 - Dustin Johnson (USA), Wyndham Clark (USA)
65 - Brian Harman (USA), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
67 - Harris English (USA), Scottie Scheffler (USA), Bryson DeChambeau (USA), Sam Bennett (USA), Kim Si-Woo (KOR), Mackenzie Hughes (CAN), Paul Barjon (FRA)
68 - Joaquin Niemann (CHI), Juan Sebastin Muoz (COL), Alejandro Del Rey (ESP), Tony Finau (USA), Keith Mitchell (USA), Dylan Wu (USA), Jacob Solomon (USA), Andrew Putnam (USA), Max Homa (USA), Alexander Norn (SWE), Ryan Fox (NZL)
69 - Viktor Hovland (NOR), Sam Burns (USA), Justin Suh (USA), Phil Mickelson (USA), Ryo Ishikawa (JPN), Yuto Katsuragawa (JPN), Jon Rahm (ESP), David Puig (ESP), Cameron Smith (AUS), Min Woo Lee (AUS), Eric Cole (USA), Ryan Gerard (USA), Gordon Sargent (USA)
70 - Stewart Cink (USA), Nick Hardy (USA), Patrick Cover (USA), Mac Meissner (USA), Ben Carr (USA), Jordan Smith (ENG), Lucas Herbert (AUS), Adam Hadwin (CAN), Corey Conners (CAN), Sepp Straka (AUT), Sergio Garcia (ESP), Abraham Ancer (MEX), Thriston Lawrence (RSA), Aldrich Potgieter (RSA), Andrew Svoboda (USA), Gary Woodland (USA), Adrian Meronk (POL), Vincent Norrman (SWE)
71 - Simon Forsstrm (SWE), Charley Hoffman (USA), Chris Kirk (USA), Omar Morales (MEX), Ryutaro Nagano (JPN), Im Sung-Jae (KOR), Pablo Larrazbal (ESP), Guillermo Pereira (CHI), Romain Langasque (FRA), Matthieu Pavon (FRA), Thomas Pieters (BEL), Adam Svensson (CAN), Matthew Fitzpatrick (ENG), Barclay Brown (ENG), J.J. Grey (ENG), Maxwell Moldovan (USA), Corey Pereira (USA), Russell Henley (USA), Patrick Cantlay (USA), Scott Stallings (USA), Brooks Koepka (USA), Taylor Moore (USA), Collin Morikawa (USA), Austin Eckroat (USA), Taylor Montgomery (USA), Patrick Rodgers (USA), Denny McCarthy (USA)
72 - Austen Truslow (USA), Jesse Schutte (USA), Brent Grant (USA), Jordan Gumberg (USA), Christian Cavaliere (USA), Cameron Young (USA), Davis Thompson (USA), Matt Kuchar (USA), Kevin Streelman (USA), Jordan Spieth (USA), Patrick Reed (USA), Keegan Bradley (USA), Tom Hoge (USA), Nick Taylor (CAN), Roger Sloan (CAN), Taylor Pendrith (CAN), Cameron Davis (AUS), Ding Wenyi (CHN), Seamus Power (IRL), Shane Lowry (IRL), Nicols Echavarra (COL), Hideki Matsuyama (JPN), Francesco Molinari (ITA), Deon Germishuys (RSA)
73 - Lee Kyung-Hoon (KOR), Tom Kim (KOR), David Nyfjll (SWE), Gunn Charoenkul (THA), Padraig Harrington (IRL), Martin Kaymer (GER), Bastien Amat (FRA), Adam Scott (AUS), Jason Day (AUS), Preston Summerhays (USA), Billy Horschel (USA), Justin Thomas (USA), Paul Haley II (USA), Ross Fisher (ENG), Tommy Fleetwood (ENG), Matthew McClean (NIR)
74 - Tyrrell Hatton (ENG), Berry Henson (USA), Michael Kim (USA), Joel Dahmen (USA), JT Poston (USA), Sahith Theegala (USA), Michael Thorbjornsen (USA), Ryan Armour (USA), Carson Young (USA), Michael Brennan (USA), Emiliano Grillo (ARG), Mateo Fernndez de Oliveira (ARG), Karl Vilips (AUS), Jens Dantorp (SWE)
75 - Wilco Nienaber (RSA), Luke List (USA), Kurt Kitayama (USA), Olin Browne Jr. (USA), Adam Schenk (USA), Sam Stevens (USA)76 - Kyle Mueller (USA), Justin Rose (ENG), Carlos Ortiz (MEX), Victor Perez (FRA)
77 - David Horsey (ENG), Hank Lebioda (USA), Hayden Buckley (USA), Isaac Simmons (USA), Alex Schaake (USA), Nick Dunlap (USA)
78 - Frankie Capan (USA), Brendan Valdes (USA)79 - Aaron Wise (USA), Alexander Yang (HKG)
2023-06-16 07:43:10
Fowler, Schauffele tie major record to lead US Open on 62
Rickie Fowler fired 10 birdies in a US Open record-low round of 62 on Thursday, and Xander Schauffele matched it minutes later to share the first-round lead at Los Angeles Country Club.
Fowler, fighting out of a slump that saw him miss the past two US Opens, overcame two bogeys in his eight-under-par effort and surpassed the previous tournament record low round of 63, first set by Johnny Miller at Oakmont in 1973.
Schauffele, the 2021 Olympic champion playing two groups behind Fowler, had eight birdies without a bogey.
He had a 27-foot birdie putt at his final hole, the par-three ninth, but left it four feet short.
"I knew it was close, I wasn't sure of the exact number," Fowler said of the low-round record.
"I just tried to keep moving forward."
Both Fowler and Schauffele matched the lowest round recorded in any major championship -- Branden Grace's 62 in the third round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2017.
They were two strokes ahead of two-time major champion Dustin Johnson and Wyndham Clark on six-under 64, with four-time major winner Rory McIlroy and Brian Harman a further stroke back on 65.
Overcast skies and intermittent morning mist made the North Course at LA Country Club a more inviting target as it hosted the US Open for the first time.
Fowler, a former world number four who fell to as low as 185th as he struggled with his game in 2021 and 2022, got his charge going with a six-foot birdie at his first hole, the 10th.
He bounced back from a bogey at 11 with birdies at 12, 14 and 16, rolling in putts of 18, 11 and 13 feet. After a bogey at 17, he birdied four straight, launching the run with a 15-footer at the 18th.
His most head-turning shot was from the sandy scrub of the barranca at the par-five eighth -- where he would go on to make a 13-foot putt for the birdie that moved him to eight-under.
"(I) knew with where that pin was, I could get a wedge close," Fowler said.
"Stuck in the ground a bit, but I'll take it. We ended up with a good look and walked away with four."
In fact, Fowler did most of his damage on the greens, leading the field with 4.73 strokes gained putting.
Schauffele, who has five top-10 finishes in six prior US Open starts, admitted he wasn't thinking 62 when he set out.
"It's not what you expect playing a US Open," the world number six said.
"But monkey-see, monkey-do. Was just chasing Rickie up the leaderboard. Glad he was in front of me."
All-around performance
Schauffele also teed off on 10 and birdied 10, 12 and 14. He rolled in a 15-foot birdie putt at the first hole and a 60-footer at the fifth.
"Just an all-around performance, honestly," said Schauffele, who added his last two birdies at the seventh and eighth.
Johnson and Clark lit the course up again in the afternoon. Johnson matched his low round in a major. He was seven under without a bogey through 17 holes but bogeyed his last, the par-three ninth, while Clark had eight birdies and two bogeys.
"Today, obviously with the setup, it was definitely somewhat get-able if you drove it really well," Johnson said.
McIlroy was five-under on the front nine, but he conjured just one birdie coming in and fell into a tie for fifth with his lone bogey at 18 -- where his approach found the greenside rough, and he then failed to advance the ball.
McIlroy made an 11-foot bogey putt to limit the damage.
World number one Scottie Scheffler headed a group of seven players on three-under-par 67, including former US Open champion Bryson DeChambeau, South Korean Kim Si-woo, France's Paul Barjon, Canadian Mackenzie Hughes, Harris English and Sam Bennett. Not everyone could take advantage of the scoring opportunities.
Brooks Koepka, who captured his fifth major title at the PGA Championship last month, carded a one-over 71, as did defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick. Reigning British Open champion Cameron Smith of Australia posted a one-under-par 69, as did Masters champion Jon Rahm.
France's Matthieu Pavon and American Sam Burns aced the 124-yard par-three 15th, both of their shots landing past the hole and spinning back into the cup.
- AFP
-- Branden Grace's 62 in the third round of the Open Championship at Royal Birkdale in 2017.2023-06-15 21:02:55
Birdie blitz sees Fowler races into lead in LA
Rickie Fowler, back in the US Open after a two-year absence, topped the leaderboard early in the first round on Thursday at Los Angeles Country Club, where he's seeking to end a four-year title drought.
Fowler was six-under through 12 holes on LA Country Club's North Course, the par-70 gem tucked behind the mansions of Beverly Hills that is hosting the US Open for the first time.
Fowler, a former world number four, is currently ranked 45th in the world. He'd fallen to as low as 185th after missing 18 cuts in 28 events in 2021 and 2022.
After saying Wednesday he felt "back where we should be," Fowler was making the most of his opportunity in search of a first win since the 2019 Phoenix Open.
Xander Schauffele, the Tokyo Olympic champion ranked sixth in the world, was five-under through 11 holes.
As overcast skies and intermittent mist greeted the earliest starters, Mexican amateur Omar Morales stole the early spotlight as he moved to the top of the leaderboard at three-under through the first nine holes.
Morales, a student at the University of California at Los Angeles, became just the fifth amateur in the past 30 years to shoot three strokes under par over the first nine holes of his first US Open -- but he faded just as quickly with three straight bogeys from the 11th through the 13th.
It showed just how much danger lurked on a course where world number one Scottie Scheffler got off to a rocky start and second-ranked Jon Rahm struggled to build momentum.
Rahm, who won his second major title at the Masters in April, opened with a 15-foot birdie at the par-four 10th, but gave a shot back with a bogey at 12.
A birdie at the short par-three 15th was followed by another bogey at 17 as Rahm made the turn at even par.
Scheffler was in trouble right off the bat, finding a fairway bunker off the tee at the par-five first and a greenside bunker on the way to a bogey at a hole he had assessed before the tournament as "gettable."
The 2022 Masters champion found birdies at the ninth, 10th and 12th to put himself in the mix heading into what he reckoned to be the toughest stretch on a back nine packed with "a lot of long, hard, difficult holes."
Scheffler, who played LA Country Club in the 2018 Walker Cup amateur matches, is among the few in the field who have played competitively at the venue, which club members have largely preferred to keep to themselves.
The championship is the first major golf tournament since last week's surprising news that the PGA Tour and DP World Tour would unite with the Saudi financiers of the upstart LIV Golf League.
That will make for a spicy afternoon group with Brooks Koepka, last month's PGA Championship winner and the first LIV Golf member to capture a major, joined by Rory McIlroy, the PGA Tour's most vocal defender, and Japan's Hideki Matsuyama, the 2021 Masters champion.
Koepka, a five-time major winner, won the 2017 and 2018 US Opens and was second at the Masters in April before taking his third PGA crown. He has been in fiery form this year, showing no sign of woes from playing 54-hole LIV events."I'm pretty sure I know what it takes to compete in majors," Koepka said.
Defending champion Matt Fitzpatrick of England also teed off in the afternoon, alongside Cameron Smith, the reigning British Open champion, and American Sam Bennett, who turned pro after earning low amateur honors at the Masters.
- AFP
2023-06-15 20:54:04
Rickie Fowler is on a charge and has the lead of the US Open.2023-06-15 19:10:49
2023-06-15 18:59:36
2023-06-15 16:20:30Jon Rahm could do without the sense of "limbo" wrought by the bombshell merger of the PGA Tour and LIV Golf's Saudi backers as he prepares for the US Open, but Brooks Koepka expects to thrive amid the "chaos" of the week.READ more HERE...2023-06-15 16:20:00The US Open will feature 156 of the world's best golfers, with FOUR South Africans, three of whom will be making their US Open debuts, in the field.READ more HERE...2023-06-15 15:28:10
Welcome to our LIVE coverage of the 2023 US Open from the North Course of Los Angeles Country Club in Los Angeles.
We'll be bringing you all the action over the next four days.
