US OPEN: Little-known Landry leads disrupted first round

BY JOHN HUGGAN AT OAKMONT CC

From an Australian point of view, the opening round of the 116th US Open was, to put it mildly, a bit of a wash-out. Three times torrential downpours laced with thunder and lightning forced the 156-man field to leave the Oakmont Country Club course. The first delay lasted 79 minutes; the second just under two-and-a-half hours; and the third, which came at 3.51pm (5.51am AEST) local time, was devastating enough to bring a premature end to proceedings.

Only two of the seven Aussies here set foot on the course. Aaron Price, in the first group off the 1st tee, got round in 76, six over the strict par on what most observers view as the toughest course in America. Already irritated by the insistence of United States Golf Association officials that he and playing partners Denny McCarthy and Mikael Lundberg must complete the round in no more than four hours and 42 minutes, Price was further annoyed by what he deemed a “disappointing” performance.

“I’m not happy with my score,” he claimed. “I hit the ball well enough to have kept myself in contention. But my putting let me down badly. Now, even if I play well tomorrow I’m probably too far back. Plus, I’ll still be thinking about all the shots I left out there today.”

Marc Leishman hits his approach into the 10th green during the first round.
PHOTO: Christian Petersen/Getty Images.

On a brighter note, Marc Leishman was a more promising one-over-par for the 11 holes he completed. For the other five Aussies – Geoff Ogilvy, Adam Scott, Jason Day, Cameron Smith and Steven Bowditch – it was a day of watching and waiting and ultimately frustration.

“It’s a shame the weather has hit but at least we know what’s ahead of us tomorrow,” said Day, who will likely have to play at least 27 holes. “It will be good to get underway for what I know will be a long day, but I’m really looking forward to it.”

US OPEN LEADERBOARD

That feeling of anticipation will, no doubt, be shared by the unlikely figure at the top of the leaderboard. As is so often the way of things in America’s national championship, the early pace is being set by someone no one was talking about before the start.

Leader Andrew Landry sits near the clubhouse after play was suspended because of dangerous weather.
PHOTO: David Cannon/Getty Images.

Step forward Andrew Landry, the 624th-ranked golfer on the planet. After starting on the back nine, the 28-year old Texan got himself to five under par through 15 holes. Two late bogeys saw him on the last green with a six-foot birdie putt for what would be a four under 66 when the arrival of yet another storm system led to the third delay that, 40-minutes later, would morph into a complete abandonment of the opening round.

To say Landry’s score represents a surprising development is understating things more than a little. In 11 appearances on the PGA Tour this year, the Texan – a three-time ‘All-American’ college player during his time at the University of Arkansas – has missed six cuts. His best finish came just last week in Memphis, where he finished T41. Only once this season has he been under par at the end of 72 holes.

Following up his recent runner-up finish in the Masters, Lee Westwood was one of the seven names in red figures when play was called. Helped by an eagle two at the 358-yard 14th hole – his fifth of the day – where he holed out a wedge from 128 yards, the former World No.1 sits one under the card with five holes to play.

“It’s obviously been a frustrating day having to keep coming off, but there’s nothing you can do about the weather,” said the Englishman. “I’m playing nicely though. Yes, I’ve dropped shots when I’ve missed it in the wrong spots, but there have been some nice birdies too. The eagle on 14 was obviously a nice shot. The course is playing nicely and the greens are fast. I don’t know how it is going to hold up after this rain though.”

The 18th green and fairway was awash after heavy rain swept across the course.
PHOTO: Keyur Khamar/PGA Tour.

The long-term effects of such brutal weather remains to be seen. But it is safe to assume that the narrow fairways will now play “wider” than before and that the super-slick greens – reputedly running at 14 on the Stimpmeter – will be slower and more receptive to approach shots than they were. Perhaps the only downside is that the already cloying rough will now represent an almost impossible “prison” for balls.

“The more the course softened up, the more playable it became,” said Irishman Shane Lowry, who has played 11 holes in regulation figures. “I can see guys shooting in the 60s now. I wasn’t thinking that yesterday.”

All of which, on paper at least, should have suited the World No.3, Rory McIlroy. The four-time major champion’s record on soft courses far outweighs his achievements on those starved of precipitation. But, not for the first time this season, McIlroy made a tentative start, bunkering his tee shots on both the 2nd and 3rd holes. When the hooter blasted for the final time, he was a disappointing four over through 13 holes.

Play is set to resume at 7.30am local time on Friday (9.30pm AEST).