Brooklyn, Mass. Adam Hadwin was not officially at the US Open until eight days ago. He left the country club on Thursday with the best score in the Majors for a one-shot lead.
Focusing on who is dropping out of the Saudi-backed rival League LIV Golf Invitational Series and who is staying on the PGA Tour, Hadwin opened a not-so-profitable but extremely penal day with a 4-under 66 at Brooklyn.
Rory McIlroy did not bogey until his final hole and was one of four players on 67 runs. England’s Callum Teren, Sweden’s David Lingmarth, South Africa’s MJ Dafeu and Joel Dahmen.
On the opposite end was Phil Mickelson, who celebrated his 52nd birthday with a four-put double bogie on the way to 78 – on the golf course.
Hadwin hit three straight birdies to complete the lead nine in 31, and in the last nine he dropped just one shot for 66 runs. His previous lowest score in the major was 68 three times, most recently in the first round of the 2020 PGA. Championship at Harding Park.
Even with a good start, it doesn’t seem easy for Hadwin or anyone else. The country club can be friendly all week long, with moderate winds and cloud cover so that the sun does not become crisp and harsh.
And the best that anyone could do was 66.
The 68 group included two-time major winners Dustin Johnson, Justin Rose and Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the US Amateur Championship at Brooklyn in 2013.
No other major is more open – about half of the 156-humans must qualify – and it turned out. Seven of the top 13, including Hadwin, came from the qualifying round. He was the first substitute from the Dallas division and came on when Paul Casey withdrew due to illness.
Dehman debated whether to go to the 36-hole qualifier in Ohio 10 days ago. The US Open is tough and lost due to travel and pedestrian consequences. Besides, it was going to rain. But still he went and he qualified with one shot left.
Lingmarth was in the same qualifier and had to play 36 holes and then play some for last place due to 1-5-1 playoffs. He went to Hayden Buckley – he was 68 on Thursday – and Lingmarth was the first option. He arrived when Martin Kemer took it back.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
