Back-to-back birdies to finish Koepka's day

New York Times

19 hours ago

Spaun fired a bogey-free 4-under-par 66 to hold a one shot lead. Two-time champion Brooks Koepka is tied for third Getty Images
J.J. Spaun (4-under) has the lead after he finished off a bogey-free 66 on the first day of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club near Pittsburgh.
Thriston Lawrence fired a 3-under 67 to sit alone in second place.
Two-time champion Brooks Koepka finished birdie-birdie for a 68 and is tied for third with Si Woo Kim and Sungjae Im.
Tournament favorite Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau (both 73s) and Masters champion Rory McIlroy (74) had disappointing rounds.
The second round will start at 6:45 a.m. ET on Friday.
GO FURTHER
U.S. Open 2025: Oakmont might be a slow burn, but high scores are still coming Connections: Sports Edition Spot the pattern. Connect the terms Find the hidden link between sports terms Getty Images
Welcome back to major championship contention, Brooks Koepka!
He follows up his birdie on No. 17 by sinking a much more impressive long birdie put on No. 18 to end his day at 2-under-par, and the 2017 and 2018 U.S. Open champion is suddenly right back in the hunt, two strokes off the lead. Getty Images
The U.S. duo of Sam Young and Cameron Burns stayed around the top of the leaderboard for most of Round 1, but likely won't end the day there.
Young bogeyed No. 5 to drop down to 1-under through 14 holes. Burns, meanwhile, dropped three strokes on Nos. 15 and 16 courtesy of a bogey and double bogey, respectively, dropping him all the way down to even-par.
Si Woo Kim, who's finished his round, is currently the only golfer at 2-under-par, two strokes off J.J. Spaun's lead. Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler had an easy par on No. 16 from short of the green after his second shot. He has two more holes to get anything going in this round and build some momentum for tomorrow. It has been an awkward round the entire way for the World No. 1. Getty Images
A beautiful approach on par-3 No. 16 sets up a short birdie putt for Viktor Hovland, and he avoids any drama with the putt.
He's back to 1-over on the day after quickly erasing a bogey on No. 15. Getty Images
It's been an eventful for Brooks Koepka, but his scorecard on the back nine is largely uneventful, which is a win by the standards of how this course is playing today.
Koepka is back to even-par after a nice birdie on No. 17. Can he finish strong and stay within striking distance of the top of the leaderboard? Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler was off the fairway again off the tee, but he hit a terrific second shot to just on the fringe off the 15th green. His pitch left him a short putt, but he missed it and had to settle for a bogey. Scheffler is at 3 over with six bogeys and three birdies. Three holes remaining to find any kind of momentum. Getty Images
Yikes, that short par putt on No. 6 wasn't even close for Jon Rahm. He's now 1-under with three holes left in his first round.
Matthieu Pavon had to have that short bogey putt, but he's the latest victim of these tough Oakmont greens. He doubles his 12th hole at No. 3 and has slipped to 1-under on the day. Imagn Images
The frustration is showing for Scottie Scheffler. After his pitch from 92 yards to the 14th hole spun back away from the hole, Scheffler smacked the ground with his club. He did two-putt for par, but it was another missed opportunity for the World No. 1. Imagn Images
Oh my, Sungjae Im. A human testament to how fleeting momentum is on this course.
After taking sole possession of the lead when back-to-back birdies on Nos. 1 and 2 brought him to 5-under, Im is back down to 3-under through 13 holes after back-to-back bogeys on Nos. 3 and 4. Getty Images
Another familiar face making a run up the leaderboard late in Round 1?
Jordan Spieth is at 1-under through 14 holes after a birdie. Meanwhile, playing partner Jon Rahm finally falls victim to these trecharous Oakmont greens as a short birdie putt goes wide for him at No. 5 (Spieth and Rahm started on the back nine today). Getty Images
Catching you up on some other leaderboard movement as the first round progresses...
Cameron Young has also crashed the 2-under party, joining Jon Rahm and Sungjae Im thanks to back-to-back birdies on his 11th and 12th holes of the day.
Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen is back to 3-under after a birdie on No. 9. Sam Burns is also at 3-under after birdies on Nos. 12 and 14. Imagn Images
Scottie Scheffler had his second three-putt of the day on the 13th hole, and he drops back to 2 over. Scheffler has been off the entire round, just missing his spots off the tee and just missing putts. This is the kind of round he just has to fight through to get the most out of it that he can and then find some answers on the range and the practice green after his round. Getty Images
Does Jon Rahm have some more U.S. Open magic in store?
The 2021 winner at Torrey Pines is surging up the leaderboard after a billiant approach on 13 set up a solid eagle putt, and Rahm proved immune to the short-game issues plaguing many of his rivals by draining the chance.
Suddenly, Rahm is at -2 with five holes left in his opening round... Getty Images
As if there weren't enough challenges for those braving Oakmont today, these greens look absolutely brutal.
Brooks Koepka sees two short putts rim out on back-to-back attempts on No. 14, turning a birdie chance into a bogey chance. If he can finally sink this next one, he'll drop back down to even par. Getty Images
Scottie Scheffler squeezed out a par on the par-5 12th, but it certainly wasn't easy. It has been a choppy round, but he's still at 1 over and in the fight. Getty Images
Oakmont giveth, Oakmond taketh away.
Sungjae Im can't hit a nearly 60-foot par putt on 12 and has to settle for a bogey. That drops him back down to -4 and a tie with J.J. Spaun on the early leaderboard.
That's one Collin Morikawa would like to have back. He misses a shot par putt on 12 and has to settle for a top-in bogey, dropping him back down to even par on the day.
Then Viktor Hovland follows up with a seeming tap-in birdie — and it spins out across the lip of the hole? He hits his next putt to stay at even part, but a rough missed opportunity for what would have been his fourth straight birdie. Getty Images
Sungjae Im is in the solo lead of the U.S. Open. He makes his consecutive birdie on No. 2, draining a six footer to improve to 5 under.
Im's best finish at the U.S. Open was 22nd in 2020.