Reed takes the lead as the real U.S. Open gets started

MAMARONECK, N.Y. » Every shot required full attention. Every hole was a test. Every par was valued.

Patrick Reed embraced every aspect of it Friday when the U.S. Open lived up to its reputation as the toughest test in golf, and so did Winged Foot.

“I love the grind,” Reed said, barely unable to contain a grin.

From the bunker, he twice saved par. From ankle-deep rough behind the green to back pins, he walked off with two more pars. Throw in five birdies to offset the inevitable mistakes, and Reed had an even-par 70 that gave him a one-shot lead going into a U.S. Open that feels as though it’s just getting started.

“It’s almost like they set it up

to ease our way into it, and then showed us what it’s supposed to really be like,” Reed said.

So does Bryson DeChambeau, the former U.S. Amateur champion and current muscleman who powered

and putted his way to a 68, the lowest score on a day Winged Foot played to an average score of 75.25.

After an opening round in which 21 players broke par, Winged Foot allowed only three players under par. Nine others shot even. Everyone else was hanging on for dear life.

Reed was at 4-under 136, and only five other players remained in red numbers. DeChambeau is the only player to be under par in both rounds, the easier one and the brutal one.

“When I play well in these conditions, it’s a lot more enjoyable,” he said. “If I had to look back on it, I would say that this today is a more enjoyable test after I’m done because it shows who executed the shots the

best, for sure.”

This was the Winged Foot everyone has heard about. This is the U.S. Open everyone expected.

Rafa Cabrera-Bello of Spain and Harris English each had a 70 and were at 2-under 138.

They were joined by Justin Thomas, who opened with a 65 — the lowest ever at Winged Foot for a U.S.

Open — and lost all those shots to par after 10 holes. Thomas then delivered a 5-wood from 228 yards into the wind on the par-3 third hole and made a slick, 15-foot, double-breaking birdie putt to steady himself. He scratched out a 73 and is right in it.

Jason Kokrak (71) was the only other player under par at 1-under 139.