Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele tie majors record with first-day 62s at U.S. Open
Co-leader Rickie Fowler hits out of the sandy rough on the ninth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on Thursday.He finished with an eight-under-par 62.
Sunshine and celebrities accompany L.A sports spectacles. Attending the Rose Bowl under blue skies, watching the Dodgers in shirt sleeves on a summer evening, rooting for the Lakers along with actors and entertainers. Those images endure and recur.
The first day of the U.S. Open at L.A. Country Club offered neither. It drizzled in the morning and remained overcast. Celebrities are famously unwelcome at LACC, and none were prominent Thursday even as paying customers.
Instead, the U.S. Open provided record golf. Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele both shot morning rounds of 62, tying the mark for low round in a major with Branden Grace of South Africa, who shot a 62 at the 2017 Open Championship at Royal Birkdale.
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Xander Schauffele watches his tee shot on the 17th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
(Marcio J. Sanchez / Associated Press)
In addition, Fowler and Schauffele broke the record for lowest round at a U.S. Open that had stood for 50 years — Johnny Miller’s 63 at Oakmont in 1973. LACC, like Royal Birkdale, is a par 70; Oakmont is a par 71.
Golfers were nearly unanimous in their praise and expectation of difficulty during practice rounds at the LACC North Course, but Fowler and Schauffele slayed it, holding a five-stroke lead over a cluster of golfers at three under as the afternoon groups teed off.
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Dustin Johnson, Wyndham Clark and Rory McIlroy made serious attempts at joining the record-breakers as evening fell, but difficulties at the end of the round kept Johnson and Clark at six-under with a 64 and McIlroy at five-under with a 65. Brian Harman was also at five under.
Still, the course was conquered surprisingly easily, at least for one day.
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Wyndham Clark holds the U.S. Open championship trophy after winning at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark celebrates immediately after winning the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits from the 10th tee during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy gets a ruling from a golf official after lodging a ball into the side of a greenside bunker on the 14th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy looks at his golf ball on the 12th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler hits from the 13th-hole fairway during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark chips out of the rough and on to the sixth green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler looks at his golf ball while on the 12th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler reacts after hitting seventh-hole tee shot during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits out of the rough on the 14th hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark hits from the second tee during the final round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark celebrates with his caddie after winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark, right, celebrates with his caddie after winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark covers his face with his hat immediately after winning the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 18. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Fans cheer after Xander Schauffele sinks a 35-foot put on the second hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler hits from the 10th hole tee during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark reacts while putting on the 10th hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits from the third tee during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark hits from the eighth tee during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Harris English watches his shot from the 15th tee during the third round of the U.S. Open on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Day chips out of a greenside bunker on the 14th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler hits from the eighth tee during the third round of the U.S. Open at Los Angeles Country Club on June 17. (Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler hits from the 11th tee during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark hits from the seventh tee during the second round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Austin Eckroat, left, and Wyndham Clark walk though the rough on the fourth hole during the second round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Jon Rahm hits out of the rough on the 15th hole during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Wyndham Clark chips onto the second green during the second round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Joaquin Niemann hits out of the rough near the sixth green during the second round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler walks to the 18th green during the second round of the U.S. Open on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Alex Noren hits out of a greenside bunker on sixth hole during the second round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 16. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Tony Finau hits out of a greenside bunker on the 16th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler consults with his caddie before hitting out of the sandy rough on the ninth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits from the 16th tee during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Despite the gloomy weather, spectators walk along the North Course at the Los Angeles Country Club during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Jason Day hits out of a greenside bunker on the eighth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler walks on a bridge to the ninth green during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15. Fowler shared the lead with Xander Schauffele after the first round following a stellar eight-under-par 62. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler hits out of the rough on the ninth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Golfers Gary Woodland, Corey Connors and Adam Scott check the slope of the green and their putting lines on the 14th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rickie Fowler, third from left, walks with Jason Day to the seventh green during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Brooks Koepka, left, and Rory McIlroy walk up to the ninth green during the first round of the U.S. Open. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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An excited golf fan tries to get an autograph from Xander Schauffele as he walks to the 17th tee box during a practice round at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Golfers line up their putts on the 11th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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June gloom shrouds the downtown L.A. skyline as the first round of the U.S. Open gets underway at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Rory McIlroy hits from the 16th tee during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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With the downtown L.A. skyline in the background, Rory McIlroy walks along the 14th fairway during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Spectators walk the course near a grandstand during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Golf fans watch Rory McIlroy putt on the second hole during a practice round for the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
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Golf fans cross a bridge over Wilshire Boulevard to exit the course after attending a practice round for the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“The sun didn’t come out and it was misting this morning, so I’d say the greens held a little bit more moisture than anticipated for myself at least,†Schauffele said. “It made the greens sort of that much more of a hole-able speed, and then coming into greens you’re able to pull some wedges back.â€
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Schauffele’s group teed off 22 minutes after Fowler’s group, and both began with the back nine.
“Got off to a nice start making three on No. 10 and just never really thought about a score or necessarily what I was trying to do out there,†Fowler said.
Here’s a closeup look at all 18 holes of the North Course at Los Angeles Country Club, the site of the 2023 U.S. Open, which begins Thursday.
Fowler, from Murrieta, and Schauffele, from San Diego, have never won a major. Fowler led the 2017 U.S. open at Erin Hills after a first-round 65 but finished tied for fifth. Schauffele is the only player to finish in the top 20 of the last five majors, and a tie for 10th at the Masters two months ago was his best.
A key for Fowler was leading the field with 4.73 strokes gained putting. His game on the greens has improved significantly since changing to a putter used by his caddie, Ricky Romano, early this year.
“This week is off to a good start, but there’s still plenty of golf to be played,†Fowler said. “It’s going to be tough tomorrow afternoon. But at least I got out of the gate and we’re off to, like I said, a good start.â€
Schauffele was equally subdued about the significance of tying the record. After all, Grace set the record in the third round of the Open yet finished tied for sixth, eight strokes behind winner Jordan Spieth. Oddly, 38 rounds of 63 have been recorded in majors.
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“I mean, I don’t know ... it’s literally just the first day of a tournament,†Schauffele said. “I’m anticipating the sun to come out just as much as every West Coast person out here. I’m thinking the course is going to firm up a little bit.â€
Matthieu Pavon and Sam Burns shot holes-in-one on the three-par No. 15, putting spin on wedge shots from 124 yards that hit the tiny, peninsula-shaped green long and curled back into the cup. Pavon doffed his cap and thrust his arms skyward. Burns tossed his club in the air.
Steve Henson is a breaking news and enterprise reporter at the Los Angeles Times. He previously served as an editor and reporter in the Sports department. Henson was a leader in digital-only newsrooms from 2007-19 as a senior editor and columnist at Yahoo Sports and as senior editor at the USA Today Sports Media Group. This is his second stint at The Times, having covered the Dodgers and UCLA as well as doing enterprise, investigative and features writing from 1985-2007. Henson was awarded first place in sports features in 2023 and in 2021 by the L.A. Press Club. He has been honored several times by APSE — most recently in 2023 and 2021 — and also by the California News Publishers Assn., the Football Writers Assn. of America and U.S. Basketball Writers Assn.
