After 36 holes of the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, tournament debutant Ludvig Aberg holds the outright lead at 5 under thanks to rounds of 66-69. The Swedish star missed the cut at the PGA Championship last month.
Bryson DeChambeau (67-69), Thomas Detry (69-67) and Patrick Cantlay (65-71) are tied for second at 4 under while Rory McIlroy (65-72), Tony Finau (68-69) and Matthieu Pavon (67-70) sit at 3 under, T-5.
The purse for the 2024 U.S. Open is $21.5 million with $4.3 million going to the winner. It’s the largest major championship purse.
Sepp Straka already had an ace on the ninth hole Friday but Molinari one-upped him.
Sepp Straka had a hole-in-one on the par-3 ninth hole at Pinehurst No. 2 on Friday and that was no doubt cool to see.
But Franceso Molinari one-upped him late in the day.
Playing the back nine first, Molinari stood on the tee box on the ninth hole, which was playing 194 yards, at 7 over. That had him two shots off the projected cutline.
One swing later, and Molinari booked himself a couple of weekend tee times at the 124th U.S. Open.
It was quite a sight, as Molinari hit a high cut left, his ball just barely reaching the green. But then, it started on its path toward the hole and found nothing but jar.
It’s the second ace of the week and the fourth one at No. 9 in U.S. Open history.
His playing partners Sergio Garcia and and Ryo Ishikawa were enjoying the moment, too.
“Yes, we saw it go in. I think from where we were standing, it looked like it just carried the bunker, plus the greens are getting firm, so it was the ideal shot,” Molinari said. “Then it started tracking, was going to break left to right at the hole, and we were joking with Serg and how it looked and on a great line the whole way, but what are the chances really. I don’t even know what to say. Just incredible.”
Having just bogeyed the eighth hole, Molinari’s ace came at the most opportune time.
Peter Jacobsen (2005) and Zach Johnson (2014) also aced the ninth during a U.S. Open. In fact, the ninth the only hole at Pinehurst No. 2 that has surrended an ace during the U.S. Open.
Sepp Straka gets lesson in yin and yang of golf at Pinehurst.
The golfing gods taketh away, and the golfing gods giveth. Just ask Sepp Straka after his hole-in-one on No. 9 in Friday’s second round of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Straka was the recipient of the worst kind of bounce early in the round. His approach shot on No. 3 was good … too good. It doinked off the flagstick and rebounded backward into a greenside bunker. From there Straka butchered his recovery, sending his bunker shot over the green and eventually making triple-bogey 7. Among the toughest of tough breaks.
He faced no such bad bounce on No. 9. The two-time PGA Tour winner’s approach to the 194-yard par 3 bounced perfectly on the line and rolled into the cup just like a putt for the ace. It was the first hole-in-one at this year’s U.S. Open and the third in the Opens held at Pinehurst, along with Peter Jacobsen (2005) and Zach Johnson (2014). All three aces have come on the ninth hole.
“Yea, 7-iron. Perfect number for me,” he said. “Tried to land at 185. It was a really good swing. Middle of the face, went right at it. Fortunately rolled out and went in the hole.”
Playing with good friend J.T. Poston made it even more special.
“Had one of my best friends playing with me today, J.T. He was there for my ace at Augusta during the Par 3, as well. Our celebration this time was a little bit better.”
Straka opened with an even-par 70 in the first round. The triple bogey had knocked him back substantially, but the ace got the Austrian back to 2 over for the week.
Late in the day, Francesco Molinari would ace the ninth as well to become the fourth hole-in-one there in U.S. Open history.
‘BAD’ book makes its way back to Bryson DeChambeau.
PINEHURST, N.C. – It’s always something with Bryson DeChambeau.
If he’s not putting his foot in his mouth or saying something outlandish then he’s usually got some new-fangled training aid or piece of equipment he’s testing. On Thursday, DeChambeau lost his yardage book ahead of the first round of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst Resort & Country Club’s No. 2 Course.
DeChambeau, arguably the player most devoted to data, guessed his yardage book, with his initials “BAD” on the cover, dropped out of his pocket in a courtesy car on the way to the 10th tee.
“Definitely it’s a bit of a comfort thing. It’s not a superstitious thing, but losing it was — that’s the first time I’ve done that in a long time. I just left it in the car,” he said. “Usually I’m not going into a car before playing my round. Must have fallen out when I got out. Is what it is.”
It didn’t seem to cause a problem for DeChambeau, who carded a 3-under 67 in the first round and shared third place with Matthieu Pavon. He noted that his caddie carried a backup yardage book. And his copy did surface and was returned to him. Who was the Good Samaritan?
“Luckily I got it back thanks to the officers,” DeChambeau said.
Asked if all his secrets remained intact, he replied, “Everything. All the secrets.”
The first round of the 2024 U.S. Open is in the books, and we’re ever closer to crowning a champion at Pinehurst No. 2.
Before we get to that point, there has to be a cut, which is the top-60 and ties at the U.S. Open. The USGA’s championship is smack in the middle of the majors when it comes to weekend cuts. The PGA Championship and Open Championship each allow the top-70 and ties to play the weekend while the Masters, which has the smallest field of the majors, is the top-50 and ties.
And after the opening day at the U.S. Open, there are plenty of notables who have work to do come Friday to make the weekend.
Pinehurst No. 2 is playing like a typical U.S. Open. Firm, fast, and there were plenty of scores over par on the opening day. Don’t expect there to be more birdies than bogeys over the next three days.
After the opening day of play, the cut is projected at 2 over with 64 players in position to play the weekend. Here’s who is on the outside looking in.
The 2022 U.S. Open champion played alongside Tiger Woods and Will Zalatoris in the opening round and had the best round of the group. But he has work to do to avoid only his second missed cut at the U.S. Open.
The defending U.S. Open champion has some work to do come Friday to make the cut, though he’s not too far back. He had only one birdie and four bogeys in the opening round while struggling with his irons, hitting only nine greens.
Big Cat is making his first U.S. Open start since 2020, but a poor stretch in the middle of his round that included five bogeys in seven holes means he has work to do.
The 2016 U.S. Open champion had five bogeys before his lone birdie of the day.
Many may forget Zalatoris came a couple shots away from possibly having two major titles in 2022. He has been up and down since return from back surgery, but a 5-over performance on Thursday has him behind the 8-ball.
Thomas, a two-time major champion, had nine bogeys in his first round, though two birdies helped offset the damage just a bit.
Considering Theegala was 7 over thru 6 holes, shooting even par the next 12 is a huge bonus. Possibly it’s some momentum heading into Friday?
It seemed as if Hovland may have figured out his slow start to the season with his strong showing at the PGA Championship. But on Thursday, he had as many doubles as birdies and had a lot of bogeys, too. The 78 is his worst round in a U.S. Open.
Mickelson has six runner-up finishes at the U.S. Open, the one major he hasn’t won in his career. And after one round, it’s likely that’s not happening this year after as many bogeys as pars (9 each) in the first round. He beat only two players Thursday.
Patrick Cantlay, who has struggled in recent months, opened at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina in 5-under 65, his best score in more than four months. Rory McIlroy, the 2011 U.S. Open champ, birdied two of his final three holes to tie Cantlay at 5 under.
Masters runner-up Ludvig Aberg shot 4 under. Bryson DeChambeau shot 3 under and is again on the first page of the leaderboard at a major.
The purse for the 2024 U.S. Open is $21.5 million with $4.3 million going to the winner. It’s the largest major championship purse.
As for Friday’s tee times, the top three players in the world tee off No. 10 at 7:29 a.m. ET on Friday with Scottie Scheffler, Xander Schauffele and McIlroy. Cantlay goes in the afternoon at 1:25 p.m. ET off the first, and the group before him at 1:14 p.m. features Tiger Woods, who opened in 4-over 74.
Here are the tee times and pairings for the second round of the 2024 U.S. Open:
Friday tee times
1st tee
Time
Players
6:45 a.m.
Greyson Sigg, Grant Forrest, Wells Williams
6:56 a.m.
Chesson Hadley, Mark Hubbard, Adam Svensson
7:07 a.m.
Beau Hossler, Victor Perez, Adam Schenk
7:18 a.m.
Robert MacIntyre, Nick Taylor, Mackenzie Hughes
7:29 a.m.
Tyrrell Hatton, Tommy Fleetwood, Tom Hoge
7:40 a.m.
Bryson DeChambeau, Viktor Hovland, Max Homa
7:51 a.m.
Sepp Straka, Peter Malnati, J.T. Poston
8:02 a.m.
Gordon Sargent, Jake Knapp, Cameron Young
8:13 a.m.
Chris Kirk, Billy Horschel, Adam Scott
8:24 a.m.
Ben Kohles, Denny McCarthy, Ben James
8:35 a.m.
Frankie Capan III, Andy Svoboda, Luke Clanton
8:46 a.m.
Harry Higgs, Hiroshi Tai, Brandon Wu
8:57 a.m.
Joey Vrzich, Chris Naegel, Otto Black
12:30 p.m.
Rico Hoey, Tom KcKibbin, Matteo Manassero
12:41 p.m.
Dean Burmester, Rikuya Hoshino, Seamus Power
12:52 p.m.
S.H. Kim, Justin Lower, Tim Widing
1:03 p.m.
Lucas Glover, Sam Burns, Cameron Smith
1:14 p.m.
Will Zalatoris, Matt Fitzpatrick, Tiger Woods
1:25 p.m.
Patrick Cantlay, Matt Kuchar, Russell Henley
1:36 p.m.
Tony Finau, Ludvig Aberg, Dustin Johnson
1:47 p.m.
Justin Rose, Gary Woodland, Webb Simpson
1:58 p.m.
Daniel Berger, Ryan Fox, David Puig
2:09 p.m.
Ben An, Sam Bennett, Edoardo Molinari
2:20 p.m.
Austin Eckroat, Adrian Meronk, Cam Davis
2:31 p.m.
Aaron Rai, Davis Thompson, Zac Blair
2:42 p.m.
Willie Mack III, Richard Mansell, Ashton McCulloch
10th tee
Tee time
Players
6:45 a.m.
Jason Scrivener, Brandon Robinson Thompson, Brendan Valdes
6:56 a.m.
Santiago de la Fuente, Sam Bairstow, Eugenio Chacarra
7:07 a.m.
Kurt Kitayama, Taylor Moore, Christiaan Bezuidenhout
Brooks Koepka found himself near the top of the leaderboard. But he didn’t want to talk. Why?
PINEHURST, N.C. — At one stage during the first round of the U.S. Open, Brooks Koepka found himself in a familiar spot: at the top of the leaderboard. But three late bogeys left him with an even-par 70. Afterward, he declined requests for media interviews. He says it wasn’t because he was irritated by the round getting away from him — he’s just bored by routine questions. I suggested an interview via text. He accepted and was everything you’d expect — forthright, combative and unfiltered.
Eamon Lynch text: You opted not to do media interviews after the first round. Why?
Brooks Koepka text: I opted not to do ‘em just because I didn’t feel like it. Same questions every week. The lack of creativity with questions is kinda boring. I know I’m not a media favorite either so it’s not like anyone will notice. LOL.
How creative should questions be when asking someone about a round of golf? Is this just your bulletin board material for the week so you can fire yourself up?
No, definitely not. It’s a major. I have enough self-motivation. I could think of way more creative questions than ‘Do you think the course is borderline? What happened on those bogeys? What went well?’ Then some LIV versus PGA Tour questions.
How creative are the post-round questions on LIV?
Really haven’t done much media, to be fair. PGA [Championship] was the last time I had media. It’s not a punishment thing. I always answer and didn’t really feel like it this week. Just to be clear.
Then what’s the first creative question you would have asked yourself after today’s round?
Do you think Bermuda has made this course easier or tougher? [Note: greens on No. 2 changed from bent grass to Bermuda grass for this Open.]
That’s not very creative. But anyway, were you pissed at the round getting away from you or happy with the even-par score?
Wasn’t trying to be creative. If you want me to get creative I can. Not my job, but if I get 10 I can think of something since the media has all day.
I was fine with it. Obviously could have been better but even par in a U.S. Open will not hurt you.
Any particular part of your game feel strong today? Or for that matter weak.
Felt in control of iron play. Brain fart on 13 and 15. Just didn’t do much wrong. Missed it where I wanted. Sixteen was my bad drive of day and didn’t get lucky in the native area, which is what you get when you hit it in there. Just part of Pinehurst and what makes it good.
It’s more I just don’t care about doing it. Everyone else turns interviews down. I never do. Would rather come back, rest up and spend time chilling. Not angry at all. Hope that’s clear. I declined my press conference too this week.
We’re back on that? It’s clear. So what are you doing post-round other than answering texts?
Hanging with Crew. He just went down for a nap. Jena is working out and I’m doing my routine. Have a dip and get ready for the hockey game.
Any issues with the course set-up today or do you foresee any problems with the heat coming?
I thought it was good today. I don’t see any problems if greens stay same speed. They will get firmer. It’s a U.S. Open. Just means you gotta hit fairways.
So if we hear anyone say the course was borderline then they’re just whining?
No, I don’t think they’re whining. The U.S. Open always comes close to the line. It’s just a matter of does it get crossed. It’s playable if you’re in fairways. Just can’t get much faster greens if it’s gonna be firmer. Gotta kind of pick one. Not sure which one they will pick. I’m assuming firmness. Greens can’t get much faster because it limits pin locations.
Brooks Koepka putts on the first green during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Katie Goodale-USA TODAY Sports
Do you have a score in mind you’d like to be at Sunday evening?
Yes, the best one. Tough to tell. Depends if wind picks up or it’s firmer. I’d say 4-under wins.
If you have the best score, will you be doing an interview?
Probably not. LOL. Who knows?
That might make the media root against you.
They already do.
Cry me a river.
I’m not asking for a pity party.
Sounds a little like it.
That’s a stretch. Rory didn’t talk to media at LACC [in the 2023 U.S. Open] and everyone was talking how it’s because he wants to focus. The second I do it, I’m mad at media, which isn’t true. I just didn’t want to do it. But my narrative will be I’m mad at media.
Maybe you need to smile more.
I’m working. When I’m finished I’ll smile.
Any LIV-PGA Tour questions you’d like me to ask before you go for a nap?
Not gonna nap, I’m not Crew. You’re the interviewer.
Do you think a PIF deal happens with the Tour?
I think it will but there is too much to figure out so it won’t happen for a while. Deal might be signed quick but it’s gonna take a while to iron out details. Just my opinion, I don’t know anything. You might know more than me.
By the way, Rory didn’t do a press conference at LACC or an interview after round one but he did do so the last three days. Will we hear from you tomorrow? Assuming you’re not in the air home.
If I feel like it, yeah. When you have five majors you can skip another day if ya want. LOL.
If you skip, we can do this again. I’m sure America needs to hear from you.
Nobody really cares what I have to say.
Pity party much?
No, I’m being honest. Most golf fans don’t live or die on my statements. I’m not Tiger Woods or Scottie Scheffler. And Rory. Everyone else is kind of an afterthought. I’m just not oblivious. Because that’s who I would wanna hear from. I wouldn’t be one I’d want to hear from. I’m good at removing myself from the situation and understanding as a fan.
We can test that theory tomorrow. Creatively, of course.
Miller in 2014: “I’m hoping Fox will do a good job of keeping it going.”
When Johnny Miller stepped down from the broadcast booth following the 2014 U.S. Open at Pinehurst, his body language seemed to convey that he understood this was likely the last time he’d call the national championship.
Miller, whose 1973 win at Oakmont is considered one of the most dramatic in light of a final-round 63 that saw him come from deep in the pack, was proud of the work he’d done on the event with NBC Sports. But since Fox Sports had inked a lucrative deal with the USGA, the 2014 event, which was won by Martin Kaymer, was expected to end NBC’s run with the tournament.
A Golfweek crew that included current senior writer David Dusek stopped Miller as he stepped down from the U.S. Open booth for the final time.
“The way I look at it, 20 years is a pretty dang good run,” Miller told Golfweek at the time. “I didn’t think we’d lose it because I thought we were doing really a good job, but money talks and Fox wanted to get into the golf business. It is what it is. We had a great run. If somebody would have said I could do 20 Opens I would have been very happy and I’m still happy.
“But I’m hoping Fox will do a good job of keeping it going.”
In 2020, the USGA announced that media rights for its championships moved back to NBCUniversal, breaking a 12-year deal with Fox Sports worth about $1 billion.
After COVID forced the USGA to move the dates of the 2020 U.S. Open from June to September, Fox Sports struggled to find the broadcast hours needed for the championship, USGA officials noted, given their additional commitments to the NFL, MLB and college football. Talks that began looking into how Fox Sports and NBC/Golf Channel might work together this year ultimately ended in NBC taking over entirely.
The current NBC Sports agreement runs through 2026, but Miller had already left the network in 2019 when the new deal was forged.
When pressed to recall some of his favorite U.S. Open moments in the booth, Miller talked about his first broadcast when Corey Pavin won the 1995 tournament at Shinnecock over Greg Norman, in which he called Pavin’s 4-wood approach on the 72nd hole the “shot of his life.”
And of course, Miller looked fondly back on Tiger Woods’ dominant victory at Pebble Beach in 2000. Miller knew Woods was clearly in his prime, but he told his NBC partner they were in for something even more special than anyone else anticipated.
“He had only played four holes and Dan Hicks said to me, ‘what do you think Tiger’s chances are?’ And I said, ‘I think he’s going to shoot a record score and win by a huge margin.’ And he looked at me like, what are you smoking?” Miller recalled.
Tiger Woods had a little bit of good, a little bit of bad and a lot of meh during his opening round Thursday of the 2024 U.S. Open.
The three-time U.S. Open champion opened in 4-over 74 on Thursday morning at Pinehurst No. 2 in North Carolina, a place his worst finish is T-3 in two previous starts.
Woods made birdie on his first hole and was tied for the lead throughout points of the morning, but struggles approaching the green, and throughout the middle of the round on them, resulted in a string of bogeys that slowly dragged him down the leaderboard.
“This golf course is all about the greens. The complexes are just so difficult and so severe that, I mean, I think 1-under par is only in fifth. There aren’t that many scores that are low,” he said after his round. “It’s hard to get the ball close. In most golf courses you play, you hit shots into where it’s feeding off of slopes into flags, whereas collecting. Here everything is repelling. It’s just hard to get the ball on top of the shelves.
“You know if you miss it short side, it’s an auto bogey or higher. Being aggressive to a conservative line is I think how you need to play this particular golf course.”
Woods started on the par-5 10th, and after a brilliant pitch from the native area he buried a birdie putt to begin his day. Then it was a string of five bogeys in seven holes, starting on No. 16, to move him to 4 over thru 13.
However, Woods had an eagle putt on the par-5 fifth before knocking in an easy birdie. He added another bogey on the eighth before a great up-and-down on the par-3 ninth to conclude his opening round.
Woods’ issue Thursday was his approach shots. He hit 12 of 14 fairways and was great off the tee. He hardly gave himself any opportunities for birdie with poor approach shots that often leaked high and right, leaving him constantly grinding for pars. That’s not surprising at a U.S. Open, but plenty of the mistakes seemed avoidable.
His putting was great to start, struggled in the middle and then at the end was so-so. Competitive rust is likely still a thing, and especially in his first U.S. Open round since 2020 at Winged Foot, there’s no surprise there were some up and downs.
Tiger isn’t out of it. He’ll need to sure up the approaches on Friday and make a few more putts to make the cut, but he’s not far off from what could’ve been an even-par or 1-over performance on Thursday.
“I’m physically getting better as the year has gone on. I just haven’t been able to play as much because I just don’t want to hurt myself pre, then I won’t be able to play in the major championships,” he said. “It’s pick your poison, right? Play a lot with the potential of not playing, or not playing and fight being not as sharp.”
We saw that in the first round of the 2024 U.S. Open on Thursday, with some golf balls that looked pretty good … until the hard, fast greens chewed them up and spit them out.
That happened to Collin Morikawa on the par-3 ninth hole, playing 186 yards in the first round. He hit out of a greenside bunker and watched as his ball didn’t bite at all.
Instead it rolled. And rolled. And rolled … all the way off the green.
After his round, he was asked if he was surprised that that happened.
“No. A lot of the bunkers, they’re very different. Some have a lot of sand, like the one on 17 had a lot of sand, the one on nine had less sand. I wasn’t surprised. I hit a bad shot,” he said. “I flew it halfway and I was trying to barely land it on the green are. But that’s just where any other circumstance you feel comfortable if you did fly it that far. This is one of those courses where you literally take your medicine, and if you have eight feet for par, you have eight feet for par, versus making double and I’m 30 yards away from the hole.”
He was 55 feet from the hole in the bunker but 77 feet away after his ball finally came to a stop. A two-putt from there gave him a double-bogey 5 on the hole.
The shot-by-shot of Collin Morikawa on the par-3 ninth hole during the first round of the 2024 U.S. Open.
