Wyndham Clark took advantage of calmer evening conditions to build a four-shot lead before darkness suspended the opening round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills on Thursday.
The former champion was 6 under through 16 holes after producing a birdie-birdie-eagle run on his second nine. He was among 50 players who were unable to complete the round and were scheduled to return at 6:35 A.M. Friday.
“Everything was kind of clicking,” said Clark, who entered the tournament in strong form. “We were definitely fortunate with the wind laying down. Overall a good round.”
Clark had initially feared that his late tee time would leave him facing difficult conditions. Morning fog, however, caused a two-hour delay, pushing his start further into the afternoon. As the sun began to set, the strong winds that had challenged the early starters gradually weakened.
The USGA had prepared Shinnecock Hills for the forecast by keeping the greens slower and more receptive while selecting reasonable hole locations. The adjustments helped prevent the course from becoming unplayable in gusts that exceeded 30 mph.
Once the wind eased, Clark capitalized.
He began on the 10th hole and opened with consecutive birdies before completing his first nine in 32. After missing a birdie opportunity on No. 1 and dropping a shot at the par-3 second, he responded with a wedge to 5 feet for birdie on No. 3.
Clark then made a 20-foot birdie putt on the fourth and hit his second shot from 207 yards to 3 feet at the par-5 fifth, setting up an eagle that moved him clear of the field.
“I would say when I got my tee times on Tuesday, I was like, ‘Oh, could be a tough draw,'” Clark said. “That two-hour fog delay was very helpful, and it was really nice [the wind] laid down. So it definitely helped those last six, seven holes we played.”
Clark can set a Shinnecock record by finishing with two pars Friday morning. No player has opened a U.S. Open at the course with a score lower than 66.
Seven players were tied for second at 2 under, including amateur Ryder Cowan, Max McGreevy, Sam Stevens and four former U.S. Open champions.
Cowan, a 21-year-old University of Oklahoma player, birdied his final hole for a 68. He briefly held the lead in his major championship debut and matched the lowest round by an amateur at Shinnecock.
“Through nine, I looked up and I was 3-under par,” Cowan said. “I definitely looked at that leaderboard, and I saw it up there. … I hit it good all day, put myself in good positions throughout the day.”
Dustin Johnson also reached a share of the lead after making four consecutive birdies. His challenge faded when he missed an opportunity at the par-5 fifth and then three-putted from close range for a double bogey on the sixth.
Johnson was joined at 2 under by fellow major winners Matt Fitzpatrick, Gary Woodland and Jon Rahm, with each still having holes to complete. Rahm was the only bogey-free player Thursday, highlighted by a 60-foot birdie putt on the par-3 17th.
Stevens recovered from an opening double bogey to make six birdies and shoot 68 despite playing in the stronger morning wind.
“The greens haven’t been too firm, the fairways haven’t been too firm, so I’ve really felt like it’s pretty scorable,” Stevens said. “Obviously, it’s difficult, but overall, it’s an awesome place. I think the setup is great right now.”
Rory McIlroy posted a 69 in the more demanding part of the day, while Scottie Scheffler relied on his short game to salvage a 72. Scheffler, seeking the U.S. Open title to complete the career Grand Slam, recorded his 10th consecutive round in the championship without breaking par.
The scoring improved significantly as the wind weakened. The afternoon field played at least one stroke easier than the early starters, and 17 players were under par when play was suspended.
Keegan Bradley, who shot 70, praised the USGA’s course preparation.
“It was tough around here without wind, and then it was blowing pretty hard — really hard,” Bradley said. “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.”
The Associated Press contributed to this report.
