McIlroy faces uphill task at Oakmont after carding a 77

OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) – Storms that took plenty of bite out of Oakmont wound up shutting down the U.S. Open on Thursday.

That’s about the only thing that’s assured after the first round of the year’s second major was suspended Thursday after three rain delays at Oakmont Country Club.

Defending champion Jordan Spieth was furious for other reasons, the world number two’s group having already been warned for slow play before he saw his approach to the 17th spin back off the green into a deep bunker.

Landry’s opening round was the lowest ever in a US Open played at Oakmont, eclipsing the 67s shot by Ben Hogan in 1953 and Gary Player in 1973.

– The first U.S. Open champion, Horace Rawlins, got $150 for winning in 1895. The U.S. Open is just the ninth event the former world No. 1 has entered in 2016.

“I was trying to get it in”, said Landry, a three-time All-American for the Razorbacks. He’s one of just 27 players in this week’s field who advanced through both local and sectional qualifying.

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. Johnson, the heartbreak story from Chambers Bay when he lost the U.S. Open with a three-putt from 12 feet on the final hole, played bogey-free on an Oakmont course still soft from almost 3 inches of rain.

Ironically, the U.S. Open is the only major to retain an 18-hole Monday playoff, so further lengthy delays could extend play into Tuesday. “I felt like I just used that momentum to my advantage and it worked well”.

“You really need to be in control of your golf swing though and today, or over the last two days, I haven’t been, so I need to work on that”, said McIlroy, who bogeyed five of his last seven holes on one of the toughest courses in golf. It started with him twice hitting into the rough on the par-5 12th hole for bogey.

With only nine players having completed the opening round on Thursday, organisers are scrambling to get the tournament back on track and hope to get the second round finished by early afternoon on Saturday.

The 21-year-old Thompson played the front nine – her final nine at Blythefield – in 6 under. He’ll have to digest shooting a 4-over 74 before heading out to play again on Oakmont Country Club.

“It was good to just kind of be by myself and just take it all in”, he said.

Lee was at 2 under through 13 holes, along with Bubba Watson, who made only two pars in his opening holes. I know I’m capable of it.

Masters champion Danny Willett, who has dealt with an assortment of back injuries in his career, also seemed surprised players weren’t given a chance to warm up before being sent back out. “That’s such crap”, fumed Spieth, whose mood was at least improved by saving par from the sand when play resumed. Willett had a 75, while Fowler had a 76 and will try to avoid missing a third straight cut.

Rory McIlroy’s quest for a second U.S. Open title is off to a bumpy start.

“Just making putts”, Landry told reporters when asked what had been the key to his impressive start in his first U.S. Open.