Wyndham Clark Is 6 Under Par and The USGA's Wind Gambit Just CRUSHED Half The US Open Field
Alright Seattle, listen up because the US Open just delivered a first round for the history books, and it was pure chaos out there! Wyndham Clark isn't messing around, folks, snagging a four-shot lead at 6 under par before play was even called for darkness in Southampton, N.Y. He's got the pack beat, but that's only half the story, because half the field got absolutely steamrolled by conditions that literally flipped a switch between morning and afternoon waves. Talk about a raw deal!
Conditions Went From Brutal to Barely There in a Flash
Seriously, if you started your round in the afternoon, you might not even know what the morning crew was griping about. Rory McIlroy, who posted a 1-under-par 69, knew it was tough, saying, "I think with the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score." And he was right, for a while.
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Play got delayed for two hours early Thursday because of persistent fog, which, get this, actually *helped* the later starters! Why? Because the whipping wind off Long Island's Peconic Bay, which the USGA apparently designed the course around, just decided to take a nap in the later hours. This made the USGA's setup, which included softer-than-usual greens and easier pin locations, play way softer than the U.S. Open's reputation. Clark himself admitted, "That two-hour fog delay was very helpful, and it was really nice (that the wind) laid down. So it definitely helped those last six, seven holes we played."
The numbers don't lie, either: the morning tee times averaged a brutal 73.87 on the par-70 course. Meanwhile, the late wave? Their collective average stood nearly a full stroke lower at 72.88. McIlroy and Keegan Bradley were both quick to point out the USGA's "prudent" setup, with Bradley adding, "The USGA did a great job setting the course up because, if the greens were any faster or firmer, we might not be playing right now." Imagine that!
Keith Mitchell's Rollercoaster Proves Just How Different It Was
Want a perfect example of this Jekyll and Hyde course? Look no further than Keith Mitchell. His tee time got pushed to around 11:20 a.m., so he started on the back nine right when that morning wind was howling. He opened with a double bogey and went out in a brutal 6-over-par 41. Ouch!
But then, the wind died down, and Mitchell turned into a completely different player. He surged on the front nine in the afternoon, posting a ridiculous 6-under 29, featuring an eagle at the par-5 fifth after his approach settled softly to 13 feet. That epic turnaround brought him to an even-par 70 he won't soon forget, proving his point: "If you hit the fairway, you had a chance." McIlroy, feeling the strength of the morning wind, even eagled the par-5 fifth, carrying a pitching wedge 190 yards for his second shot. The man had 194 yards to the pin and had to club down!
Clark, meanwhile, was just lights out, even saving par from a greenside bunker at the par-3 seventh. The dude is dialed in.
So, what does this mean for the rest of the US Open? Everything! Wyndham Clark is flying high, but can the rest of the field claw back after a day where the course basically played two different ways? Buckle up, Emerald City, because if day one was any indication, this tournament is going to be an absolute must-watch. Can't wait to see how this shakes out!
This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.