Piercy shares lead at windy U.S. Open
Ex-bonanza High standout one of four to shoot 1 under par at Shinnecock Hills
SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — Five balls lost on four practice holes. That was enough for Scott Piercy, the former Bonanza High School standout.
So he cut Wednesday’s practice round short, went back to his rented house and studied some video of his golf swing that he had posted on Instagram.
Hey, whatever works, right?
Piercy found something, for sure, shooting 1-under 69 Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club for a share of the lead at the U.S. Open where the opening round offered strong wind, high anxiety and, for the most part, scores that made the Open feel like the Open again.
“You’ve got to ride the wave, figure out when you’re at the bottom of the wave how to get back to the top,” Piercy, 39, said. “Last night was a big regroup for me.”
Piercy had three birdies and two
PIERCY
bogeys — both on par-3s. Not bad for a guy who made the field as an alternate qualifier.
He’s atop the leaderboard with Dustin Johnson, Ian Poulter and Russell Henley. They were the only players under par.
Piercy said an early tee time and low, hard shots that cut through the wind on the back nine were keys to his round.
The early start allowed Piercy to hit into greens that were “perfect.” And for his first nine holes the winds that later would bedevil the field apparently were sleeping in.
His round surprised even himself. “I actually really struggled with my preparation this week,” he said. “I didn’t really see this coming.”
Johnson said he found the conditions challenging. “You had to focus on every single shot you hit — putts, everything. It was just difficult all day,” he said.
It was plenty tough for Tiger Woods, who started with a triple bogey and added a pair of double bogeys on the back nine for a 78.
Phil Mickelson, Rory Mcilroy and Jordan Spieth — the only three active players with three legs of the career Grand Slam — made only six birdies among them. They were a combined 25-over par, with Mickelson the low man in the groupat77.
Four players breaking par is a sharp contrast from last year at Erin Hills, where 44 players broke par in the opening round to set a U.S. Open record.
Jason Dufner nearly joined them. He settled for a 70 with
no complaints.
“I think it’s in fifth place,” he said. “So beat about 151 guys.”
Most everyone else felt beat up on a course where wind that gusted to 25 mph made the fairways shrink and the rough look even taller. Mcilroy needed a dozen people to help him find a tee shot in the rough. He found the next shot on his own because he advanced it only 6feet.
Mickelson asked an official if there was a rule that allowed a player to see the ball as he was trying to hit it.
“People talk about the fairways are ‘more generous’ for an Open,” Charles Howell III said after a 71. “When the wind starts blowing this way, they’re not generous.”
Henley was the only player to reach 3 under at any point, and he promptly gave that back with a double bogey on No. 10.
Even those at 71 felt as though they put in a hard day’s work, a group that included Justin Rose and Henrik Stenson.
“It’s a different kind of enjoyment, right?” Rose said. “I enjoy the battle. I enjoy the fight. I enjoy the grind, really. When you get a bit cut up and bruised, it can change pretty quick.”