In its own way, this 116th US Open has turned the clock back - to the ‘60s and beyond - when playing 36 holes of golf in a day was de rigueur, as fashionable as horrid psychedelic shirts. This throwback retro golf was unintentional, with the weather gods rather than any planning instrumental in decreeing that half the field condense their first and second rounds into one day.
Needs must, as they say. And after the numerous deluges of Thursday which played havoc with arrangements, players got on with playing catch-up yesterday: some fared better than others.
If the biggest surprise was the presence of unheralded Texan Andrew Landry atop the leaderboard when the first round finally wound its way to completion, the other - perhaps even more significant - detail was the travails encountered by the so-called "Big Three" from the world rankings: Jason Day, Jordan Spieth and Rory McIlroy all struggled.
Of the trio, Spieth’s 72 - spread over two days - was the closest to staying in touch. But pre-championship favourite Day - who had bunker troubles on the seventh in running up a double-bogey six - shot a 76, and McIlroy, his shoulders slacking as his round unravelled, had a 77. In all, the three were a combined 15-over-par for the first round.
“I know at the end of the day the USGA is going to try to have even-par win the golf tournament and I know that I can shoot two-under in the remaining 54 holes no matter how the course plays. I know I’m capable of it. I’m (still) in it,” said Spieth, the defending champion.
Others, though, also have intent. Dustin Johnson - seeking redemption for his final green woes of the final round a year ago which allowed Spieth to pip him to the post - demonstrated a developing maturity in posting the only bogey-free opening round, signing for a 67, to prove the course was not as brutal as it seemed.
Johnson’s fine effort left him tied in second place with Lee Westwood, a stroke behind surprise leader Landry. Only 12 players in all managed to break par in the weather disrupted first round, but the weather for the weekend is for dry conditions and sunshine which should at least enable matters to move more purposefully towards a conclusion.
The USGA face a logistical issue to complete the championship on schedule, but, weather permitting, or unless there is a need for a Monday play-off, a champion should be lifting the trophy on the 18th green on Sunday night.
For the three Irish in the field, there were contrasting fortunes: Shane Lowry opened with a fine 68, to jump into the business end of affairs, but Graeme McDowell's three-putt bogey on the final green left him signing for a 72 and McIlroy's 77 has left him with an uphill battle to survive the cut.
Although one shot shy of Landry, Johnson’s round was impressive on many fronts, not least the fact that he hit 16 of 18 greens in regulation. Johnson used his prodigious length off the tee to good effect, his drives averaging 320 yards against a field average of 283 yards.
“I like the golf course. I’ve liked it since the first time I saw it last Tuesday. I just think it’s a good, challenging golf course. It’s fun to play, you’ve got to hit a lot of different shots,” said Johnson, who had a short break between rounds, and a birdie on the 13th (his fourth) of the second round whre he hit a pitching wedge on the 164 yards Par 3 to ten feet moved him to four-under alongside Landry.
All in all, the European challenge on this opening play was strong: Lee Westwood - still seeking a maiden Major title to add to an otherwise glittering CV - shot a 67 to share second place after the first round with Johnson, whilst Sergio Garcia joined Lowry on the 68 mark.
“It’s not as brutal as it was so it gives you a bit more playability,” observed Garcia of the course, which softened due to the storms that hit the western Pennsylvania area in recent days, adding: “I didn’t play great early on. I made a couple of bad swings early on, on 1 where I made par, then 2 and three-putted 3, so it was nice to hit two good shots on 4, get it on the green and make a nice easy birdie. That settled (me) a little bit. I gave myself a few chances and made some putts.”
Garcia, like Westwood, has yet to savour success in a Major. But experience could yet provide a 15th club in the bag heading forward in this championship, especially with the likes of McIlroy and Day forced into playing an unfamiliar game of catch-up.
Is this the championship best suited to a possible win for Westwood? “People have always said that because I drive pretty straight and my irons are accurate . . . .but, if you look, I’ve had my chances at the Masters. At first, I didn’t think that would be a course that suits me but I’ve gotten used to it. I’ve had my chances at the (British) Open. But, if you look at my game, I suppose the US Open should suit me more than most.”
