Landry leads U.S. Open
Andrew Landry needed only one shot Friday to set an Oakmont record and lead the U.S. Open in a rain-delayed opening round that lasted more than 32 hours. Dustin Johnson needed only one round to get right back in the mix.
Landry warmed up by hitting about 50 putts, then finished his round with a 10-foot birdie for a 4-under 66, giving him a oneshot lead over Lee Westwood and Dustin Johnson. It was the lowest opening round in 10 majors at Oakmont, breaking the mark of Ben Hogan in the 1953 U.S. Open and Tom Watson in the 1978 PGA Championship.
“History is history,” Landry said. “I’m just playing golf.”
It was the first time in 30 years that a U.S. Open rookie had the sole lead after the opening round.
Landry, a 28-year-old qualifier ranked No. 624, was long gone when Johnson went to work. 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 nearly three inches of rain.
“It’s still playing tough,” Johnson said.
The numbers would suggest otherwise. Even par looked out of reach during practice rounds on a course that was firm and fiery. Lush and wet, Oakmont yielded 11 rounds in the 60s. That matches the number of first-round scores in the 60s from the previous four U.S. Opens combined at Oakmont.