Spaun grabs early U.S. Open lead, McIlroy two back
Jun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Andrew Novak plays his shot from the tenth tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Bill Streicher-Imagn Images REUTERS
Jun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Matt Vogt plays his shot from the first tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images REUTERS
Jun 12, 2025; Oakmont, Pennsylvania, USA; Bryson DeChambeau plays his shot from the tenth tee during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images REUTERS
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - J.J. Spaun emerged as the surprise early first-round U.S. Open leader on Thursday at Oakmont Country Club where Rory McIlroy was two shots back, defending champion Bryson DeChambeau opened with a bogey and Scottie Scheffler had yet to start.
Spaun, who started on the back nine and completed 11 holes on the notoriously challenging Oakmont layout, was four under on the day without a bogey on his card and sat one shot clear of 2019 U.S. Open champion Gary Woodland (through eight holes).
McIlroy reached the turn bogey-free at two under and was part of a five-player group who were in a share of third place while DeChambeau was a further two shots adrift.
Much of the talk ahead of the U.S. Open was how Oakmont, with penal rough framing narrow fairways that lead to slick greens, would keep scores in check, and while many players struggled there was more red on the leaderboard than expected.
McIlroy picked up his first stroke at his second hole, the par-four 11th, where he walked in a 27-foot birdie moments after getting a good read on the putt from playing partner Justin Rose, who missed his attempt to the left.
The Northern Irishman followed that with his longest drive of the season, a monstrous 392-yard strike down the 12th fairway that got a helping hand by a generous bounce en route to a birdie that gave him a share of the early lead.
McIlroy followed that with a string of six pars.
DeChambeau got his title defence off to a shaky start with a bogey, got back to even par with a birdie at the fifth, moved into red figures with a birdie at the seventh where his approach shot settled six feet from the cup and then bogeyed the ninth.
Australian Adam Scott, whose 96th consecutive major start this week is the longest streak among active players, was two under through his first 10 holes and part of the group in a share of third place.
Tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler, who counts the PGA Championship among his three wins in his last four starts, will head out at 1:25 p.m. ET alongside two-times major winner Collin Morikawa and world number 14 Viktor Hovland. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Veteran Tatjana Maria delivers Queens masterclass to oust Madison Keys and march into final
Germany's Tatjana Maria celebrates after winning her semi-final match against Madison Keys of the US. PHOTO: REUTERS LONDON - German veteran Tatjana Maria defied the odds to move into the biggest final of her career when she stunned second seed and Australian Open champion Madison Keys 6-3 7-6(3) at the Queen's Club Championships on June 14. Unseeded Maria came into the tournament carrying the burden of nine straight losses with many wondering if the 37-year-old mother of two was a spent force. But she put those doubts to bed on the lush green surface at the Andy Murray Arena, where she has now knocked out two Grand Slam champions in back-to-back matches. Having upset former Wimbledon champion Elena Rybakina in the quarter-finals, Maria will now play either top seed Zheng Qinwen or Amanda Anisimova in the final. 'Oh my god, to be honest, I cannot believe it. It's a dream come true. It's amazing to play here in front of you all, it's such a special place. I could not wish a better tournament to be in the final and I'm so, so proud,' a smiling Maria said. 'You never can stop, doesn't matter how it goes. I think I'm a really good example for this. I had my ups and downs, but you always have to keep going. 'I love to play tennis. I love this sport and we live for these special moments. That's why it's amazing... To be here with my family, my team. It makes it so special that they are here and watching me. We live this dream together.' Keys unleashed raw power, hammering 41 winners to Maria's modest 11. But the German countered with crafty low slices that skidded treacherously off the grass, forcing the American second seed into 37 unforced errors while committing just six herself. The only time Maria really struggled was when Keys approached the net, where the American won several points, especially on serve. However, that ultimately proved to be Keys's undoing on match point when she sprinted up to the net, only for Maria to loft a perfectly weighted lob into an empty court to move into just her second grasscourt final of her career. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
Markram's match-winning ton earns him place in South African sporting folklore
Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 South Africa's Aiden Markram lifts the ICC Test Championship Mace on the podium with teammates after winning the final Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS Cricket - 2025 ICC World Test Championship Final - South Africa v Australia - Lord's Cricket Ground, London, Britain - June 14, 2025 South Africa's Aiden Markram raises his bat to acknowledge the crowd and walks back to the Lord's Pavilion after losing his wicket, caught out by Australia's Travis Head off the bowling of Josh Hazlewood Action Images via Reuters/Andrew Boyers REUTERS LONDON - South Africa's batting hero Aiden Markram has taken longer than expected to deliver on his promise, but a match-winning century against Australia in the World Test Championship final is being hailed as the biggest in the country's cricketing history. The 30-year-old captained South Africa to success at the U-19 World Cup a decade ago but his senior career had only seen occasional glimpses of immense potential. However, his 136 for South Africa in the second innings at Lord's took the country to their first major cricketing triumph after decades of failure and ensured Markram a place in South African sporting folklore. Markram made his test debut at age 22, heartbreakingly run out on 97, and has since scored eight centuries and 13 fifties. But his average of 36.50 has been below expectation. He came into the WTC final without a century in his last 16 test knocks and failed to get on the board in the first innings. But when Markram returned to the crease on Friday, it was with an air of authority, albeit playing with circumspection and making the use of the sudden change in conditions after two days of dominance by the bowlers. 'I haven't scored more important runs. It's weird how things worked out after a duck in the first innings. You need a bit of luck, spending time in the middle and finding runs. I'm glad things worked out,' he told reporters as South Africa celebrated on Saturday. His plan in the second innings was to absorb the pressure but maximise scoring off loose balls, he added. There was also an early crisis to navigate when captain Temba Bavuma struggled with a hamstring strain as the pair began to put together what turned out to be a match-winning partnership. But Markram insisted Bavuma stay on despite it slowing down the accumulation of runs. 'Aiden is unbelievable, people have questioned his place, but he has character. He played in true Aiden fashion,' said Bavuma, whose 66-run contribution was also a factor. Markram looked to be in tears after reaching three figures late on Friday. 'Lord's is the place every test cricketer wants to play,' he explained. 'To play a final here is incredibly special. It's one of the most special days.' REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Third round of US Open underway at soggy Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pennsylvania - The third round of the U.S. Open got underway at a soggy Oakmont Country Club on Saturday with the early starters trying to close in on halfway leader Sam Burns on a treacherous course that was saturated by overnight rain. Burns, a five-times winner on the PGA Tour seeking his first major title, is three under for the week and will head out in the day's final pairing at 3:35 p.m. ET (1935 GMT) with a one-shot lead over playing partner J.J. Spaun. Viktor Hovland, who is two shots off the pace and the only other player under par, will be in the penultimate pairing with Australian Adam Scott, who is a further shot adrift in a share of fourth place with Ben Griffin. Thriston Lawrence, who was looking at a three-foot par putt on his final hole Friday when lightning forced a stoppage in play with 13 players on the course, completed his second round early on Saturday and is four shots back with Victor Perez. Lurking five shots off the pace in a four-way share of eighth place is LIV Golf's Brooks Koepka, who counts two U.S. Open titles among his five majors. Koepka will head out at 2:51 p.m. ET with Kim Si-woo. All players inside the cut line, which landed at seven over on the week, entered the weekend within 10 strokes of Burns. Pre-tournament favourite Scottie Scheffler, who was visibly frustrated while working on the range after a second-round 71 that left him seven shots off the lead, will set off at 1:02 p.m. ET alongside Cameron Young. "Around this golf course I don't think by any means I'm out of the tournament," Scheffler said on Friday. Former Masters champion Hideki Matsuyama, who made the cut on the number, went out early and bogeyed the opening hole. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.
