Jordan Spieth is among the big names struggling early at the U.S. Open. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)
With Shinnecock Hills living up to its diabolical reputation amid windy conditions, the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Open was notable as much for who wasn’t there as who managed to survive as the early pairings began to make the turn on Thursday morning.
Ian Poulter stood in a two-way tie for first at 2 under when he stepped to the No. 10 tee after making birdies at Nos. 3 and 7 on the front side. American Matt Kuchar, also seeking his first major championship, was at 2 under as well at the start of his back nine.
Some of the game’s most accomplished players, however, were nowhere near contention.
Rory McIlroy and Jason Day, for instance, entered as two of the favorites to win the season’s second major but were a combined 15 over the first few holes on their second nines.
Day, ranked No. 8 in the world, was at 6 over after five bogeys on the front side and another at No. 11.
World No. 6 McIlroy, meantime, stood at 9 over following a double-bogey at the 399-yard par-4 No. 1. The 2011 U.S. Open champion at Congressional Country Club began his round on the back side, where he carded consecutive double-bogeys at Nos. 13 and 14.
Three-time major champion Jordan Spieth, ranked No. 4, was at 5 over after 10 holes. Beginning his round at No. 10, Spieth had three bogeys and a birdie on the back side and a bogey on No. 1.
Two-time Masters winner Bubba Watson joined Spieth at 5 over through 12 holes, one stoke behind Phil Mickelson. The five-time major winner with six second-place finishes at the U.S. Open made three bogeys over his first four holes while starting his round on the back side.
PREVIEW
No player heads into the U.S. Open with more momentum than Dustin Johnson. The top-ranked golfer in the world not only won last week’s St. Jude Classic by four shots over a field filled with major champions but did so by carding an eagle from some 170 yards on the 72nd and final hole.
Johnson regained the No. 1 ranking with that victory, his second this season, overtaking world No. 2 Justin Thomas, and he is seeking his second major championship. Johnson won the 2016 U.S. Open at storied Oakmont Country Club but failed to make the cut last year.
Thomas also is chasing a second major title after winning the PGA Championship last year at Quail Hollow. The current money leader on the PGA Tour claimed his best finish in a U.S. Open last year when he ended in a tie for ninth.
HOW TO WATCH | TEE TIMES | WEATHER REPORT
Other Americans squarely in the mix to contend include Jordan Spieth, Rickie Fowler and Brooks Koepka, the reigning U.S. Open champion with a four-stroke victory and record-tying 16 under overall at Erin Hills, a first-time host, in Wisconsin.
Since that triumph, Koepka had been working his way back to full health following a partially torn left patella tendon that forced him to miss four months, including this year’s Masters, to start the season. He also had a streak of eight consecutive top 20 finishes come to an end.
“You go from playing some of the best golf I’ve ever played to probably being at the lowest point professionally that I’ve been,” Koepka said during his Tuesday news conference at Shinnecock Hills. “The lowest point was the fact I gained about 15 pounds. Looking in the mirror wasn’t quite fun.”
Koepka is rounding back into form, however, with a tie for 11th place at the Players Championship and solo second place at the Fort Worth Invitational. He’s ranked No. 9 in the world, two spots behind Fowler, who is widely regarded as the best player without a major championship.
World No. 4 Spieth, meanwhile, won the 2015 U.S. Open at Chambers Bay, beating Johnson and Louis Oosthuizen by one stroke.
Then there’s Tiger Woods, whose tee-to-green game has been on the upswing as the 14-time major winner begins pursuit of his fourth U.S. Open title. The last of his major championships came at the U.S. Open ten years ago, when, playing on a bum leg, Woods outlasted Rocco Mediate in an 18-hole Monday playoff at Torrey Pines.
This is the final year of Woods’s 10-year U.S. Open exemption. He missed the cut at his last U.S. Open in 2015 and finished tied for 17th when the event last was held at Shinnecock Hills in 2004.
Woods, 42, tied for 23rd at the Memorial this season, but putting has been an issue. He’s tied for 89th in strokes gained putting, and Shinnecock is infamous for its unforgiving greens.
“It feels good to be here,” Woods, ranked No. 80 in the world, said during a news conference earlier this week from Southampton, N.Y. “I’ve missed playing the U.S. Open.”
How to watch
FS1‘s early round coverage starts at 9:30 a.m. Thursday and 10 a.m. on Friday.
Fox will have live TV coverage Thursday and Friday, from 4:30 p.m. until 7:30 p.m. On Saturday the broadcast begins at 11 a.m. Sunday’s coverage will start at 10 a.m.
The Golf Channel has “Morning Drive” live, on TV and online, Thursday and Friday from 6 a.m. to 7 a.m., and Saturday and Sunday, from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. “Live from the U.S. Open” will air on TV and online Thursday and Friday, from 7:30 to 9:30 a.m. and 7:30 to 9:30 p.m., and Saturday, 8 to 11 a.m., and Sunday, 8 to 10 a.m.
USOpen.com will live-stream each round, beginning Thursday at 7:30 a.m., Friday at 8 a.m. and Saturday and Sunday at 11 a.m.
Tee times
Thursday (Round 1)
Tee No. 1
6:45 a.m. — Harold Varner, Matthieu Pavon, Scott Piercy
6:56 a.m. — Michael Putnam, Scott Gregory, Will Zalatoris
7:07 a.m. — Brendan Steele, Chesson Hadley, Harry Ellis
7:18 a.m. — Jhonattan Vegas, Dylan Frittelli, Doug Ghim
7:29 a.m. — Louis Oosthuizen, Jimmy Walker, Justin Rose
7:40 a.m. — Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka
7:51 a.m. — Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Ian Poulter
8:02 a.m. — Kevin Chappell, Andrew Johnston, Daniel Berger
8:13 a.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Matt Kuchar
8:24 a.m. — Thorbjorn Olesen, Shubhankar Sharma, Patrick Rodgers
8:35 a.m. — Lanto Griffin, Tom Lewis, Jacob Bergeron
8:46 a.m. — Kristoffer Reitan, Luis Gagne, Cole Miller
8:57 a.m. — Mickey DeMorat, Tyler Strafaci, Calum Hill
12:30 p.m. — Sam Burns, Brian Gay, Dean Burmester
12:41 p.m. — Chun An Yu, Wenchong Liang, Ryan Evans
12:52 p.m. — Russell Henley, Aaron Wise, Peter Uihlein
1:03 p.m. — Tony Finau, Luke List, Gary Woodland
1:14 p.m. — Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello
1:25 p.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Alexander Noren
1:36 p.m. — Cameron Smith, Kyle Stanley, Pat Perez
1:47 p.m. — Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
1:58 p.m. — Haotong Li, Si Woo Kim, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
2:09 p.m. — Jason Dufner, Braden Thornberry, Brandt Snedeker
2:20 p.m. — Ryan Lumsden, James Morrison, Rikuyu Hoshino
2:31 p.m. — Cameron Wilson, Will Grimmer, Philip Barbaree
2:42 p.m. — Rhett Rasmussen, Michael Hebert, Michael Block
Tee No. 10
6:45 a.m. — Scott Stallings, Sebastian Munoz, Matthew Southgate
6:56 a.m. — Trey Mullinax, Matt Parziale, Jason Scrivener
7:07 a.m. — David Bransdon, Eric Axley, Tyler Duncan
7:18 a.m. — Garrett Rank, Mackenzie Hughes, Aaron Baddeley
7:29 a.m. — Alexander Levy, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
7:40 a.m. — Paul Casey, Satoshi Kodaira, Branden Grace
7:51 a.m. — Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed
8:02 a.m. — Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson
8:13 a.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Rickie Fowler
8:24 a.m. — Charles Howell, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman
8:35 a.m. — Sungjae Im, Russell Knox, Matthew Wallace
8:46 a.m. — Shintaro Ban, Sung Joon Park, Timothy Wilkinson
8:57 a.m. — Dylan Meyer, Sulman Raza, Chris Naegel
12:30 p.m. — Matthew Jones, Ryan Fox, Shota Akiyoshi,
12:41 p.m. — Paul Waring, Theo Humphrey, Ted Potter
12:52 p.m. — Richy Werenski, Roberto Castro, Ollie Schniederjans
1:03 p.m. — Noah Goodwin, Richie Ramsay, Kenny Perry
1:14 p.m. — Keegan Bradley, Xander Schauffele, Emiliano Grillo
1:25 p.m. — Lucas Glover, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell
1:36 p.m. — Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
1:47 p.m. — Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer
1:58 p.m. — Kevin Kisner, Ross Fisher, Adam Hadwin
2:09 p.m. — Shane Lowry, Chez Reavie, Byeong Hun An
2:20 p.m. — Lucas Herbert, Brian Stuard, Stewart Hagestad
2:31 p.m. — Franklin Huang, Poway, Sebastian Vazquez, Michael Miller
2:42 p.m. — Christopher Babcock, Timothy Wiseman, David Gazzolo
Friday (Round 2)
Tee No. 1
6:45 a.m. — Matthew Jones, Ryan Fox, Shota Akiyoshi
6:56 a.m. — Paul Waring, Theo Humphrey
7:07 a.m. — Richy Werenski, Roberto Castro, Ollie Schniederjans
7:18 a.m. — Noah Goodwin, Richie Ramsay, Kenny Perry
7:29 a.m. — Keegan Bradley, Emiliano Grillo, Xander Schauffele
7:40 a.m. — Lucas Glover, Webb Simpson, Graeme McDowell
7:51 a.m. — Ernie Els, Steve Stricker, Jim Furyk
8:02 a.m. — Henrik Stenson, Adam Scott, Martin Kaymer
8:13 a.m. — Kevin Kisner, Ross Fisher, Adam Hadwin
8:24 a.m. — Shane Lowry, Byeong Hun An, Chez Reavie
8:35 a.m. — Lucas Herbert, Brian Stuard, Stewart Hagestad
8:46 a.m. — Franklin Huang, Sebastian Vazquez, Michael Miller
8:57 a.m. — Christopher Babcock, Timothy Wiseman, David Gazzolo
12:30 p.m. — Scott Stallings, Sebastian Munoz, Matthew Southgate
12:41 p.m. — Trey Mullinax, Matt Parziale, Jason Scrivener
12:52 p.m. — David Brandson, Eric Axley, Tyler Duncan
1:03 p.m. — Garrett Rank, Mackenzie Hughes, Aaron Baddeley
1:14 p.m. — Alexander Levy, Brian Harman, Patrick Cantlay
1:25 p.m. — Paul Casey, Satoshi Kodaira, Branden Grace
1:36 p.m. — Zach Johnson, Charl Schwartzel, Patrick Reed
1:47 p.m. — Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth, Phil Mickelson
1:58 p.m. — Hideki Matsuyama, Marc Leishman, Rickie Fowler
2:09 p.m. — Charles Howell, Bill Haas, Charley Hoffman
2:20 p.m. — Sungjae Im, Russell Knox, Matthew Wallace
2:31 p.m. — Shintaro Ban, Sung Joon Park, Tim Wilkinson
2:42 p.m. — Dylan Meyer, Sulman Raza, Chris Naegel
Tee No. 10
6:45 a.m. — Sam Burns, Brian Gay, Dean Burmester
6:56 a.m. — Ryan Evans, Chun An, Yu, Wenchong Liang
7:07 a.m. — Russell Henley, Aaron Wise, Peter Uihlein
7:18 a.m. — Tony Finau, Luke List, Gary Woodland
7:29 a.m. — Sergio Garcia, Jon Rahm, Rafa Cabrera Bello
7:40 a.m. — Tommy Fleetwood, Francesco Molinari, Alex Noren
7:51 a.m. — Cameron Smith, Kyle Stanley, Pat Perez
8:02 a.m. — Justin Thomas, Dustin Johnson, Tiger Woods
8:13 a.m. — Haotong Li, Si Woo Kim, Kiradech Aphibarnrat
8:24 a.m. — Jason Dufner, Braden Thornberry, Brandt Snedeker
8:35 a.m. — Rikuya Hoshino, Ryan Lumsden, James Morrison
8:46 a.m. — Cameron Wilson, Will Grimmer, Philip Barbaree
8:57 a.m. — Rhett Rasmussen, Michael Herbert, Michael Block
12:30 p.m. — Harold Varner, Scott Piercy, Matthieu Pavon
12:41 p.m. — Michael Putnam, Scott Gregory, Will Zalatoris
12:52 p.m. — Brendan Steele, Chesson Hadley, Harris Ellis
1:03 p.m. — Jhonattan Vegas, Dylan Frittelli, Doug Ghim
1:14 p.m. — Louis Oosthuizen, Jimmy Walker, Justin Rose
1:25 p.m. — Bubba Watson, Jason Day, Brooks Koepka
1:36 p.m. — Tyrrell Hatton, Danny Willett, Ian Poulter
1:47 p.m. — Kevin Chappell, Andrew Johnston, Daniel Berger
1:58 p.m. — Bryson DeChambeau, Matthew Fitzpatrick, Matt Kuchar
2:09 p.m. — Thorbjorn, Olesen, Shubhankar Sharma, Patrick Rodgers
2:20 p.m. — Lanto Griffin, Tom Lewis, Jacob Bergeron
2:31 p.m. — Kristoffer Reitan, Luis Gagne, Cole Miller
2:42 p.m. — Mickey DeMorat, Tyler Strafaci, Calum Hill
The weather report
Thursday’s forecast calls for plenty of sun with a high of 79 degrees and winds from the west between 10 and 20 mph. Friday looks to be partly cloudy and slightly cooler, with a high of 71 degrees.
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