TITLE BITES DUST

DUSTIN JOHNSON blew his chance of making history with a stuttering opening 75 that almost certainly wrecked his hopes of hanging on to his US Open title. The World No.1 said: “I’m frustrated that I shot three-over because I didn’t play that bad. I just didn’t putt very well. This doesn’t change my approach to tomorrow. I’m playing good. I hit enough fairways today to shoot a good score, but I’ve definitely got to roll it better.”

Johnson (right) had been striving to become the first player in 27 years to defend the title, the last being Curtis Strange in 1989.