World No 25 Gary Woodland compiled a bogey-free 65 to lead the US Open at Pebble Beach by two shots over Justin Rose and by three over Louis Oosthuizen at the halfway mark of the year’s third men’s Major.
Out in the morning, overnight leader Rose set the target with a grinding one-under 70 and saw off all his early challengers on a chilly day. But as the sun sank into the Pacific Ocean, American Woodland rolled in a monster 50-foot birdie putt at the last to get to nine-under 133 and take a two-shot lead over the Englishman.
The 65 equalled the lowest round ever at a US Open held at Pebble Beach set by Tiger Woods in 2000 and matched by Rose on Thursday. Only three times in 26 rounds at the US Open had Woodland scored under 70 but the 35-year-old American hardly put a foot wrong at the Pebble Beach Golf Links.
Lurking three back was Oosthuizen, who shot a 70 for 136, with Cape Town-born Aaron Wise and Northern Irishman Rory McIlroy one shot further adrift at five under.
Oosthuizen had another eventful round. When he whipped in a 9-iron into the heart of the 18th green and two-putted for par, it left him signing for a 70 that featured only one par (at No 18) on the back nine and only the second in his last 14 holes. In total he had seven birdies, six bogeys and five pars in his 18 holes and from hole 10-18 he went bogey, birdie, bogey, bogey, birdie, birdie, bogey, birdie, par. However, he remains right in contention as he looks to secure that elusive second Major title.
McIlroy, the US Open winner in 2011, had a heart-stopping afternoon plunging up and down the leaderboard before signing for a two-under 69. The wild ride began when he picked up two birdies on an error-free outward nine and another at 11 to get within one of the lead.
Without a bogey since his opening hole on Thursday, McIlroy picked up his second on the 13 and disaster struck at 14 when he took a double-bogey. The 30-year-old quickly pulled out of the tailspin with back-to-back birdies at 15 and 16 to get back into contention.
Brooks Koepka, winner of four of the last eight Majors and bidding to become the first player in over a century to win three consecutive US Opens, signed for a second successive 69 to leave him on four-under 138, five behind the leader.
No discussion would be complete without mentioning Tiger Woods. The 15-time Major champion bogeyed the last two holes of his round for a 72 that left him on level par and nine shots behind Woodland heading into the weekend.
‘I’m a little hot [angry] right now,’ he told media. ‘Right now I’m still in the ball game. There’s so many guys with a chance to win. We’ve got a long way to go.’
Of those who in contention after the first round, one big name who went backwards was Rickie Fowler.
Following an opening 66, the 30-year-old had five bogeys and a double-bogey in a six-over 77 to fall off the pace.
