LOS ANGELES – The leaderboard at the 123rd U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club looks more as if it was the Bob Hope Desert Classic down the road in Palm Springs.
Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele set the pace, each shooting record-breaking 8-under 62s to share the first-round lead.
The only other PGA Tour event with multiple 62s this season? The Butterfield Bermuda Championship.
“Seeing Rickie and Xander take it deep out there, it’s like, well, this isn’t your typical U.S. Open mindset of like I’m just playing for par,” said Harris English, who shot 67. “I mean, you got to make some birdie to keep in line with those guys.”
Typically, 2-under 68 might lead the opening round but at the 123rd U.S. Open it is six back and isn’t even in the top 10 (T-13). The six scores of 65 or lower Thursday were the most in a single round in U.S. Open history.
It wasn’t just the leaders who went low. This marks the first time in U.S. Open history that no player shot 80 or higher in the first round. It was the lowest first-round scoring average by a U.S. Open field all-time – by nearly a full shot, shattering the record of 72.29 at Baltusrol in 1993.
“This is probably the easiest that it could have played today,” English said. “I’m sure when we see those scores, a couple 8 unders, they’re not going to like it too much. But, yeah, it was probably the shortest it could play today. No crazy, crazy pins. So I think it can only get harder from here.”
Dustin Johnson plays from a bunker on the 9th hole during the first round of the 2023 U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club. (Photo: Michael Madrid-USA TODAY Sports)
Dustin Johnson, the winner of the 2016 U.S. Open, made bogey at the last, his only dropped shot, and posted 6-under 64, his lowest round at the U.S. Open. He matched Tiger Woods for the most rounds of 65 or better in a major championship all time, surpassing Jack Nicklaus, who had nine.
Wearing his LIV Golf 4 Aces logo on his shirt, Johnson did his damage with strong iron play. He lead the field in Strokes Gained Approach-the-Green (+4.085). Consider that he ranked 111th in that category at the PGA Championship last month (-.814 per round), where he finished T-55.
“You just have to drive it well here or you have no chance,” Johnson said. “If you play well and hit it in the right spots and you can be aggressive, you get a few wedges in your hand, but you’ve still got to hit a really good golf shot if you…
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