JJ Spaun is surprise US Open leader as Oakmont trips up the favourites

Three years after winning his only PGA Tour title at the 2022 Valero Texas Open, J.J. Spaun found himself the surprise leader with an error-free 4 under par 66 on day one of the 125th US Open in Oakmont, Pennsylvania, on Thursday.

The venerable course, which is hosting a record tenth US Open, lived up to its fearsome reputation, enhanced by thick roughs and glassy greens to inflicted early damage to the hopes of pre-tournament favourites including world number one Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau who ended the day seven shots behind Spaun.

South Africa’s Thriston Lawrence was another unexpected name high on the leaderboard, riding six birdies to within one stroke of the leader in sole second place while 2017 and 2018 winner Brooks Koepka shared third place on 1 under 69 with Koreans Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.

Spaun played smart and steady golf to grab the early advantage but Oakmont’s formidable reputation was very much on his mind after his round, only the eighth bogey-free card in US Open history at the Pennsylvania venue. 

"I was actually pretty nervous. But I actually tried to harness that, the nerves, the anxiety, because it kind of heightens my focus, makes me swing better,” the Californian,, who teed off from the back nine and made all four of his birdies before the turn, said.

"I kind of get more in the zone, whereas if I don't have any worry or if I'm not in it mentally, it's kind of just a lazy round or whatever out there. It was a nice way to start the day, and I obviously kind of rode that momentum throughout the day.

“I putted really well. I think today was one of my best putting days I've had maybe all year, especially inside  the makeable range putts, inside 12 feet or so. That's huge for momentum and keeping a round going, and that's kind of what happens here at US Opens.

“It's such a blur when you're playing. But I hear a lot of like, ‘Go J.J.’ chants and stuff like that. It's really cool to see the magnitude of this championship and at such a historic venue, and to see the beautiful clubhouse in the background.” 

DeChambeau had a difficult start to his title defence on Thursday with some erratic hitting and unsure putting despite solid recent form including top five finishes at the year’s first two majors.

"This golf course can come up and get you pretty quick and you've just got to be on your game, and it got me, and I wasn't fully on my game," he rued. "Pretty disappointed with how I played.

"It was tough. It was a brutal test of golf. But one that I'm excited for tomorrow. If I just tidy up a couple things and get some momentum going my way, we'll see where it goes. It's not too far off. Just got to get the putting a little bit more dialled in, and I'll be right there because three-over could have easily been two-under today."

LIV Golf superstar DeChambeau was not the only one in the wars on Oakmont’s narrow fairways, multitude of bunkers, high rough and fast greens.

In all, just 10 in the 156-strong field broke par on the opening day of the year’s third major championship, including former champions Koepka (2 under 68) and Jon Rahm (1 under 69), while Masters winner Rory McIlroy was left with a 4 over 74.

The 7,372-yard, par-70 course bullied the field despite clear skies and calm conditions. Jordan Speith, the 2015 champion and major winners Adam Scott and Collin Morikawa returned level par 70s. World no. 3 Xander Schauffele was 2 over 72, 2019 champion Gary Woodland had a 73 while past winners Wyndham Clark (74), Matt Fitzpatrick (74), Lucas Glover (74), Dustin Johnson (75) and Justin Rose (77) were well off the pace.

Noted four-time DP World Tour winner Lawrence, 28, “Birdies on this golf course are nice. Doesn’t matter if it's easy or tough. There is a lot of chances if you're playing well, but I don't think it's going to happen too often, especially when it firms up. To make a couple birdies was quite fun.

“I feel like it fairly suits me. A lot can change, obviously. It could firm up. It could go soft again. I'm hitting the driver really well. I'm putting decent. Iron play has always been fairly good. I like a tough test, and I feel like from the tee, just the distance I hit it… my targets are quite big for the distance I hit it off the tee.”

Im, who held the lead briefly on Thursday, and Players champion Kim made it the first time since 2011 that two Koreans were in the top 5 at a US Open on any of the four days.

“Honestly, I don't even know what I'm doing on the course,” Im said later. “Kind of hitting good but feel like this course is too hard for me. So kind of like no expectation, but I played great today.”