Phil’s Mickelson’s bad day, Rory McIlroy’s good day and what comes next at the U.S. Open

SAN DIEGO — The primary spherical of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines acquired off to a gradual begin. Fog delayed issues by 90 minutes. However as soon as play started, there was loads occurring. From Phil Mickelson’s unhealthy begin to Rory McIlroy chasing a remaining birdie at midnight, Thursday was full of drama with extra anticipated Friday.

We have a look at the large happenings within the first spherical and what to regulate in Friday’s second spherical.

What mattered in Spherical 1

Schauffele likes being dwelling
If San Diego golf followers don’t get to cheer for Phil Mickeson this weekend — he opened with 4-over 75 — they will nonetheless root for native son Xander Schauffele. Schauffele, who tied for runner-up on the 2018 Open Championship and 2019 Masters, opened with 2-under 69 as he makes an attempt to win his first main.

He began utilizing an arm-lock placing fashion final month on the Memorial. And now he’s studying greens by laying on his abdomen. He was third in strokes gained placing within the morning wave on Thursday.

“I feel I’m an actual green-reader and typically once I get even decrease I’ll choose up one thing that I missed simply sort of hunched over or crouched over,” he stated. “Identical to the arm-lock, I’m looking for any approach to get myself a bonus.”

Like Jon Rahm by no means left
It’s been a busy run for Jon Rahm of late, having examined constructive for COVID-19 on the Memorial, inflicting him to withdraw with the 54-hole lead. Then he needed to keep in isolation till he was cleared.

On Thursday, in his first spherical since leaving the Memorial with a 6-shot lead, Rahm made 4 birdies and three bogeys over his first 9 holes earlier than settling down and ending with seven straight pars to shoot 2-under-par 69.

“Any time in a U.S. Open you’re beneath par it’s an excellent begin and [Thursday] was simply that,” he stated. “It was a little bit of up-and-down begin — plenty of birdies and bogeys. That’s what occurs at a golf course like this. I used to be hitting good pictures, it’s simply bogeys can occur rapidly.”

Rahm is looking for his first main championship victory.

Dustin Johnson in search of a one good main in 2023
World No. 1 Dustin Johnson hasn’t finished a lot since profitable the Masters in November. In truth, he missed the lower at Augusta Nationwide in April after which once more on the PGA Championship in Might, turning into the primary world No. 1 since Greg Norman in 1997 to not make the lower at two consecutive majors. Johnson appeared to show issues round final week on the Palmetto Problem at Congaree in his native South Carolina. He completed tied for tenth.

His opening spherical on the U.S. Open went easily. He had one birdie and one bogey in capturing even-par 71. He did proceed to battle together with his driver, hitting solely 5 of 14 fairways. He additionally ranked simply 71st in driving distance at 307.7 yards. Nonetheless, he walked off simply 4 pictures off the lead together with his first spherical within the books.

The Bros. Molinari
Francesco Molinari and his older brother, Edoardo, needed to wait 18 months to see one another due to journey restrictions brought on by the coronavirus pandemic. Edoardo, 40, nonetheless lives of their hometown of Turin, Italy; Francesco, 38, and his household moved from London to California final summer season. They hadn’t seen one another in individual since earlier than Christmas 2019.

“It’s good, clearly, to see him,” Francesco stated. “Yeah, wasn’t anticipating the U.S. Open perhaps to be the event, nevertheless it was nice to see him play nicely and qualify. Hopefully I can return to Europe this summer season and spend a while with the remainder of the household, too.”

Their reunion may final by the weekend. Francesco shot 3-under 68; Edoardo was two pictures behind him at 1-under 70. They’re the primary brothers to interrupt par in the identical spherical on the U.S. Open since Bobby and Lanny Wadkins did it within the third spherical in 1990. Jumbo and Joe Ozaki have been the final brothers to make the lower on the U.S. Open. That occurred in 1993 at Baltusrol.

Who’re these guys?
There have been some not-so-familiar names on the leaderboard for the not-yet-complete first spherical, together with chief Russell Henley, who’s a co-leader with Louis Oosthuizen, who didn’t end his spherical and has two extra holes to play early Friday morning.

Henley, 32, is a three-time winner on tour however hasn’t gained in 4 years. The previous Georgia star hasn’t been a lot of an element on the U.S. Open since sharing low-amateur honors with Scott Langley in 2010 at Pebble Seashore, the place he tied for sixteenth. That’s his greatest end in seven begins.

England’s Richard Bland, 48, is 3 pictures again. He earned his first European Tour in his 478th profession begin on the British Masters in Might. He has now performed in three majors in three a long time; he missed the lower on the 2009 U.S. Open and tied for twenty second on the 2017 Open Championship.

Hayden Buckley, who made the sector by the Atlanta qualifier, shot 2-under 69 in his U.S. Open debut. He performed at Missouri and gained his first Korn Ferry Occasion on the LECOM Suncoast Traditional in February.

What to look at in Spherical 2

Can Phil bounce again?
He should if he desires to play the weekend at his hometown U.S. Open. Phil Mickelson, who turned 51 on Wednesday, had excessive hopes of contending at Torrey Pines, a course he labored arduous to get reacquainted with within the run-up to the match.

However regardless of having a good break day the tee — 8 of 14 fairways — Mickelson had few birdie possibilities, making only one. He acquired distracted by a rogue cellphone consumer on his fourth gap, resulting in a bogey. And he made two sloppy bogeys coming in, one a three-putt on the seventh gap. It added as much as 4-over-par 75 and a few work wanted with a purpose to make the 36-hole lower, which is for the highest 60 and ties.

“I’m hitting sufficient fairways to present myself possibilities, and I’m optimistic that I’ll put collectively spherical [Friday],” Mickelson stated.

Can Rory again up begin?
Since profitable the final of his 4 main titles in 2014, Rory McIlroy has usually gotten off to poor begins in main championships, making his quest to contend all of the tougher.

The primary spherical Thursday maybe was a breakthrough, as McIlroy — ending at midnight — knocked a wedge shot to five toes on the 18th gap for a closing birdie, giving him a rating of 1-under-par 70.

“I acquired off to a extremely good begin with a birdie on the first,” he stated. “I performed nicely. I performed strong.”

Together with Thursday, McIlroy is a mixed 35 over par within the first rounds of main championships relationship to the 2015 Masters. He’s a mixed 60 beneath par within the second by fourth rounds.

Getting off to a greater begin ought to definitely assist. McIlroy trails chief Russell Henley by 3 pictures. He gained’t must be in chasing mode when he begins his second spherical on Friday.

Nonetheless, McIlroy might stand to enhance on the par 5s. The closing birdie helped him play the three par 5s in even par. That birdie offset a bogey on the thirteenth gap. Final month on the PGA Championship, McIroy performed the par 5s in 2 over par, with six bogeys and 4 birdies.

Who has work to do?
It’s the U.S. Open, so there are going to be some large numbers. Nonetheless, there are some large names in want of a robust Friday.

Collin Morikawa, coming off a playoff loss on the Memorial Event, shot 75. Gary Woodland, who gained the 2019 U.S. Open, shot 74. So did Tony Finau. Justin Thomas, ranked No. 2 on this planet, couldn’t get something going and shot 73.

Jordan Spieth made only one birdie. His remaining 9 holes — the entrance aspect of Torrey Pines — have been horrific. He had a double bogey on the par-4 sixth and a bogey on the par-5 ninth, together with a missed 4-footer. He shot 77.

After which there’s Webb Simpson. The 2012 U.S. Open champion managed only a single birdie and had 79.

The return of Matthew Wolff?
Thursday’s first-round 70 was begin. He improbably made eight birdies at Torrey Pines. He additionally made three bogyes and two doubles.

“There was plenty of good and plenty of unhealthy, however I loved myself which was most essential,” Wolff stated.

It’s the primary time that Wolff performed because the New Orleans occasion in April, when he determined to step away from the sport which had grow to be a burden to him.

Wolff completed second on the U.S. Open in November, enjoying within the remaining group with Bryson DeChambeau. He was ranked twelfth on this planet. Then he fell off a cliff, an damage contributing to some excessive scores, together with a withdrawal on the WGC-Workday Championship. He was disqualified for signing an incorrect scorecard on the Masters.

A brutish U.S. Open course isn’t precisely the kind of place to construct confidence, however Wolff confirmed the abilities are nonetheless there. He must hit just a few extra fairways however he nonetheless managed to hit 13 greens in regulation. That’s not unhealthy for a man who’s rusty.

Will Torrey Pines toughen up?
The primary spherical isn’t but full, however there are greater than 20 gamers beneath par, with eight posting scores within the 60s. A marine layer of fog delayed play by 90 minutes Thursday. That moisture doubtless made issues a tad simpler. The greens weren’t fairly as agency as they’re prone to recover from the weekend.

In 2008, the final time the U.S. Open was performed at Torrey Pines, there have been simply 11 scores beneath par the primary day. The profitable rating ended up being 283 — 1 beneath par — with Tiger Woods and Rocco Mediate enjoying off.

It is likely to be a bit decrease this time, however not by a lot. The course isn’t prone to get simpler.