Golf-Tough start for Scheffler in bid for career Slam at windy US Open

By Amy Tennery

SOUTHAMPTON, New York, June 18 (Reuters) – Scottie Scheffler endured a shaky start in his bid to complete a career Grand Slam in first-round U.S. Open action on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, while Masters champion Rory McIlroy finished one stroke adrift of clubhouse leader Sam Stevens.

Scheffler, a two-time Masters winner, is making his first attempt at completing the career Grand Slam of golf’s four majors after winning last year’s PGA Championship and British Open but trails the top of the leaderboard with a two-over par 72. 

The American had one birdie against a pair of bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine, where he struggled with his putter. He put three circles on the back half of the course against two bogeys, including another misjudged putt on the par-five 16th hole.

Windy conditions with gusts up to 34 mph (54.7 kph) tested the field at the famously tricky Southampton course, where the Northern Irishman McIlroy started on the back nine and grinned as a gust of wind knocked his hat off at the 13th tee,  appearing at ease even as a pair of bogeys offset his two early birdies.

He marched up the leaderboard with an inspired performance on the par-five fifth hole, draining an 11-foot putt for eagle after another birdie on the par-four third hole. He finished one-under par.

The American Stevens, who has scarce experience at the majors, recovered from a confidence-rattling double bogey on the par-four 10th hole to card a 68.

GOLF’S TOUGHEST TEST

The U.S. Open is known as the toughest test in golf and Shinnecock Hills upheld that reputation, even as USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer told reporters this week that measures were in place to slow down the greens in anticipation of the windy weather.

The event got underway as standstill traffic in the fashionable beach town held up ticketholders for the 156-player tournament, which included  12 former U.S. Open champions and 49 debutants. Play was delayed for two hours early in the day due to fog. 

Adam Scott was playing one group ahead of Scheffler’s threesome and competing in his 100th consecutive major this week, a streak that started at the 2001 British Open. The 45-year-old Australian finished at three-over par. 

Former champions Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, two of the 13 LIV Golf competitors in the field, were among the late starters, which also included PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, and the high-profile threesome of Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele.

When Shinnecock Hills last hosted the U.S. Open in 2018, the field scoring was 74.65, which is the highest scoring average relative to par for the tournament over the last 18 years.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Southampton, New York, and Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Chopra and Pritha Sarkar)