Ah, Thursday of a major. Endless possibility awaits. Before history’s made, we embark on an adventure. The rush and fervor of early, superb rounds. Lesser-known players will introduce themselves to us. Perhaps a hole-in-one or some unlikely highlight. It’s all possible in Round 1.
We’re here to lead you through the biggest moments of Thursday at Winged Foot as the leader board begins to crystallize. Yes, we’re grateful this week is here—a second major championship in two months seemed unlikely a few months ago. Now we’re in the heart of a super season of golf playing the first of two U.S. Opens. How lucky are we?
8:15 a.m.: Rory McIlroy starts his day off with a strong birdie at the difficult par-3 10th hole, rolling a downhill 15-footer to get to 1-under. Well done by the new dad!
Meanwhile at the first hole, Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas hit stellar approaches. Particularly JT: He took the spin off his wedge perfectly, and his ball rolled within a foot of the hole. By far the best shot we’ve seen so far today. Perhaps the second-best shot was Tiger’s approach … which hit all the way on the back part of the putting complex and then rolled to within 12 feet or so. He’ll have an uphill birdie putt to try to start his day with a rare birdie at No. 1.
8:13 a.m.: Tyrrell Hatton is the first golfer to 2-under, starting his round with back-to-back birdies to grab the early outright lead. Don’t blink: We have a feeling the 2-under mark might not remain in the lead for long …
8:09 a.m.: The marquee group of the morning is on the course! Collin Morikawa, the recent PGA champion, misses the fairway left with his tee shot on the intimidating first hole. Tough that the youngster had to tee off first among this group … wasn’t it?
Tiger Woods and Justin Thomas, who came to Winged Foot a few weeks ago together before the Northern Trust, both hit the first fairway to start their days.
Up ahead, Jordan Spieth—2015 U.S. Open champ—also hit the fairway, but hit his approach slightly off line and it spun off the front of the green. That resulted in a bogey for Spieth … not the start he expected after the stellar tee shot, but it’s the kind of result we’re seeing recently from the struggling Spieth.
7:46 a.m.: Oh man, a tough result for Davis Thompson, an amateur from the University of Georgia, at the first hole. Thompson piped a drive, then hit his approach shot hole high, but it spun all the way off the front of the green. These firm-and-fast greens are not going to be forgiving at Winged Foot.
Another amateur, John Augenstein, has joined the leaders with a birdie at No. 11. So has Andy Sullivan and Tyrrell Hatton, who made a rare birdie at the 10th hole.
The highlight of the morning is still Brian Harman’s bunker hole-out at the iconic par-3 10th hole:
7:30 a.m.: Brian Harman, Curtis Luck and J.C. Ritchie have the early lead at 1-under (can you believe it, people are under-par!). It’s fitting that some of the first shots of the day shown on the Golf Channel are hack-outs from the rough advancing three feet (sorry, Rasmus Højgaard), missed seven-footers with about three feet of break. It’s going to be that kind of day at Winged Foot.
We’re here to celebrate the birdies … but also highlight the big numbers, too. They’re all important to crowning a champion this week at Winged Foot.