Sam Stevens shot 2-under-par 68 to hold the first-round lead among golfers who played in the morning wave at the U.S. Open Thursday in Southampton, N.Y.
Two-time reigning Masters champion Rory McIlroy was in first place for a portion of the afternoon before bogeys on his final two holes at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, where the competition was off schedule following a morning suspension of play.
The six-time major champ from Northern Ireland settled for a 1-under 69.
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler sat at 2 over through 17 holes, while more than 50 golfers had yet to begin the round by the time McIlroy finished.
Stevens began the round with a double bogey on the 10th hole but recovered and had four birdies in a seven-hole stretch bridging the back and front nines.
McIlroy began on the back nine and then got rolling on the front, boosted by an eagle on the par-5 fifth hole. He fell back with bogeys on Nos. 8 and 9, the latter coming off after a greenside chip left a par putt that he was unable to convert.
McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Md.
Sweden’s Ludvig Aberg, who was in McIlroy’s playing group, also shot 69.
Sam Burns, who contended in recent weeks on the PGA Tour, posted birdies on two of the first four holes but ended up at 1-over 71 for the day.
Northern Ireland’s Graeme McDowell birdied the first two holes but didn’t maintain that, finishing at 76.
Play was suspended early Thursday because of fog and wind, with only 18 golfers having begun their rounds. At that point, there had been seven bogeys and no birdies recorded.
With adjustments, some golfers in the afternoon wave were slated to tee off as late as 4:42 p.m., so that will make finishing the first round unlikely by the end of the day.
–Field Level Media
