Wyndham Clark put on a show at Shinnecock Hills. The 2023 US Open champion fired a 6-under 64, the second-lowest round ever recorded at the historic venue, to take a two-shot lead after a delayed and weather-disrupted first round.
The opening round took close to 26 hours to complete after thick morning fog forced a two-hour suspension shortly after the first tee shots on Thursday. When play resumed, gusty winds ranging from 15 to 25 mph battered the field, with one gust reaching 31 mph.
“That two-hour fog delay was very helpful, and it was nice it laid down,” Clark said. “It definitely helped those last six, seven holes we played.”
Wyndham Clark’s only blemish came on the par-3 second, where he made his lone bogey of the round. Only Tommy Fleetwood’s final-round 63 in 2018 has bettered Clark’s effort at Shinnecock Hills.
Dustin Johnson, the 2016 US Open champion, kept himself firmly in the mix with a 4-under 66. He made four consecutive birdies starting from the 10th hole before a costly double bogey on the par-4 sixth. He recovered with late birdies to finish two shots back of Clark.
Gary Woodland and Matt Fitzpatrick both posted 67s, while Jon Rahm carded a bogey-free 68, the first bogey-free round at Shinnecock Hills since 2004.
Three players with Oklahoma ties, Sam Stevens, Max McGreevy, and amateur Ryder Cowan, all shot 2-under 68s. Cowan’s round matched the best ever by an amateur at Shinnecock Hills, a mark previously set by Sam Randolph in 1986.
A Tough Day for the Favorites
Rory McIlroy battled through a roller-coaster round to post a 1-under 69, reaching 3-under with an eagle on the par-5 fifth before bogeys on eight and nine pulled him back. The round gave him 23 career sub-70 rounds at the US Open, tying him with Phil Mickelson for second all time behind only Jack Nicklaus.
World number one Scottie Scheffler struggled throughout, scrambling his way to a 2-over 72 in his pursuit of the career Grand Slam.
Bryson DeChambeau finished at even par after a late bogey on the ninth.
With the fog delay behind them and the cut line now in focus, Wyndham Clark heads into round two looking to build on one of the best opening rounds in Shinnecock Hills history.
