US Open: Wyndham Clark builds four-shot lead at windy Shinnecock Hills with Rory McIlroy chasing Scotty Scheffler | golf news

Wyndham Clarke took a four-shot lead after weather disrupted the first day of the US Open, as Rory McIlroy got off to a strong start and Scotty Scheffler stayed in career Grand Slam contention.

Only six of the morning’s waves managed to break par in gusty conditions at Shinnecock Hills, where fog forced an early two-hour suspension of play, but Clarke took advantage of calm afternoon weather to charge to the top of the leaderboard.

The 2023 champion made it to 32 before canceling out a bogey on the par-three second with back-to-back birdies on his next two holes. He then made a stunning approach on the fifth par to set up a close-range eagle.

Clarke was on six under for his round when play was suspended at 8.25pm ​​local time (1.25am UK time) due to darkness with two holes remaining, with the American having a chance to make major history when play resumes at 6.35am (11.35am BST) on Friday.

He needs to birdie one of his remaining two holes to post an opening round 63 and equal the course record, while a birdie-birdie finish would see him match the lowest round in men’s major history.

“The first two birdings were really nice,” Clark said. “Then I calmed down a bit, but made some great par saves. It was great birding 18. Then a little mishap, a short miss on one and then a bogey on two, but then got into a nice rhythm. Everything was clicking.”

Sam Stevens was the pick of the morning’s starters as he set the clubhouse target with a two-under 68, only for compatriot Max McGreevy and amateur Ryder Cowan to match it later in the day, with four former US Open champions also sitting on two under with holes to play.

Matt Fitzpatrick has two holes to play, and Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland both have three remaining, while two-time major winner Jon Rahm completes the group and is tied for second with five holes to complete.

McIlroy is impressed by Scheffler’s slow start

Masters champion McIlroy temporarily held a two-shot lead earlier in the day when an eagle on the fifth lifted him to three under, only for the world No. 2 – chasing his second major win of the season – to finish bogey-bogey in his first-round 69.

“With the conditions today, anything under par or even around par is a good score,” McIlroy said. “It was a day of really putting myself in the tournament and not shooting myself out of it, which I did here eight years ago (opening round 80).

“The pars came out with the mindset that it was going to be good and if you can pick up a few birdies here and there, that’s always a bonus. Just really cut down on the mistakes and I did that for the most part today.”

McIlroy’s playing partner Ludwig Åberg also finished at one under, with Tommy Fleetwood a further stroke back, while world number one Scheffler was four strokes back after opening with a two-over 72.

Scheffler was joined at two over by The Players champion Cameron Young, while Brooks Koepka – the last US Open champion held at Shinnecock Hills in 2017 – posted a three-over 73 and defending champion JJ Spahn struggled with an opening 77.

“It was a really challenging day,” Scheffler said. “If you had told me when I was looking at my par putt on the ninth that I would post two over today, I would have taken it at the time. Overall, it was a good fight.”

Those in the afternoon wave got the best conditions and will get an early start on Friday, with tee times pushed back 15 minutes from the original schedule.

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