He’s back: Dustin Johnson tied for lead at US Open

Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, watches his tee shot on the 16th hole during the rain delayed first round of the U.S. Open golf championship at Oakmont Country Club on Friday, June 17, 2016, in Oakmont, Pa.

Dustin Johnson needed only one round to get right back in the mix.

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) – Andrew Landry needed only one shot Friday morning to set an Oakmont record at the U.S Open.

“It was hard yesterday to get into any sort of rhythm and when you are not in control of your swing it was compounded by being so stop-start”, said McIlroy, who carded eight bogeys and a solitary birdie. “And if I keep driving it like I am, I’ll be tough to beat”.

When asked if last year motivated him, Johnson deadpanned, “What happened last year”. Johnson played 27 holes before making his only bogey in two rounds. He still hasn’t made a birdie on a par 5. That’s the lowest opening round score in the first round of a major at Oakmont, bettering the 67s put up by Ben Hogan in the 1953 U.S. Open and Tom Watson in the 1978 PGA Championship.

In fact, the 11 rounds in the red are three more than the 2007 U.S. Open field at Oakmont managed in four rounds.

While little known Andrew Landry was able to cap off a 4-under 66 Friday morning and six other players finished under par, there were a lot more struggling with a golf course that has a reputation for not easily giving up good scores.

Play was halted three times by storms on Thursday before eventually being suspended. Scheffler, who just finished his sophomore year at Texas, was among nine players who finished Thursday.

That opportunity won’t come until Saturday morning. “I’ll be able to make it. I’ll be able to do fine”, Landry said.

Daniel Summerhays had a tournament-best 65 and joined Andy Sullivan (68) at 1-under 139.

Lee Westwood was not the only Englishman in contention for a maiden major title as Andy Sullivan and Lee Slattery survived a 36-hole marathon in the US Open at Oakmont. I hit irons off the tee on the first three holes and missed three fairways.

While scoring was much better than expected, numerous best players in the world were not among those taking advantage.

Far more impressive was his accuracy. If the lead stands after the second round is over, it would match the lowest 36-hole score in a U.S. Open at Oakmont.

“It was just one of those rounds that comes to you not once in a lifetime, but it comes to you once or twice, three times a month, and I’m lucky it was in the first round of the US Open, ” he said. “I really don’t mind that at all”, he said.

Rory McIlroy will take an aggressive approach to try and rescue his US Open campaign after slumping to an opening 77 at Oakmont.

Day, the world’s No. 1 player, went bunker-to-bunker on his way to a triple bogey on No. 7 and walked off with only one birdie and a 6-over 76. Phil Mickelson was in danger of missing the cut for the second straight time at Oakmont.

Teeing off a day later than scheduled, Johnson played near flawless golf from tee to green, inching his way up the leaderboard. “He’s going to be tough to beat, but I’ll give it a shot”.