Golf-Tough start for Scheffler in bid for career Slam at windy US Open

SOUTHAMPTON, New York - Scottie Scheffler endured a rough start in his bid to complete a career Grand Slam with a three-over par in early first-round U.S. Open action on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, where Masters champion Rory McIlroy was at even par through the nine holes.

World number one Scheffler could not get his putter going as he had one birdie against a pair of bogeys and a double bogey on the front nine, as windy conditions with gusts up to 34 mph (54.7 kph) tested the field at the famously tricky Southampton course and a thick blanket of fog forced a two-hour delay early in the opening round.

Scheffler, a two-time Masters winner, is making his first attempt at completing the career Grand Slam of golf's four majors after winning last year's PGA Championship and British Open.

He missed a pair of early birdie putts and appeared off his usual level as he misjudged a putt on the par-four eighth hole en route to double bogey.

Scheffler set off alongside amateur Mason Howell and defending champion J.J. Spaun, who rolled in a monster 65-foot birdie putt at the final hole last year to edge Scotland's Robert MacIntyre by two strokes.

GOLF'S TOUGHEST TEST

The U.S. Open is known as the toughest test in golf and the par-70 layout at Shinnecock Hills upheld that reputation, even as USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer told reporters this week that measures were in place to slow down the greens.

The event got underway as standstill traffic in the fashionable beach town held up ticketholders for the 156-player tournament, which included 12 former U.S. Open champions and 49 debutants.

McIlroy, who clinched his own career slam a year ago in Augusta and retained the Masters title in April, started on the back nine and grinned as a gust of wind knocked his hat off at the 13th tee, appearing at ease even as a pair of bogeys offset his two early birdies.

Adam Scott was playing one group ahead of Scheffler's threesome and competing in his 100th consecutive major this week, a streak that started at the 2001 British Open. The 45-year-old Australian was two over par through nine holes.

Former champions Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, two of the 13 LIV Golf competitors in the field, have afternoon tee times.

Among the other late starters are PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai, and the high-profile threesome of Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele.

When Shinnecock Hills last hosted the U.S. Open in 2018, the field scoring was 74.65, which is the highest scoring average relative to par for the tournament over the last 18 years.

(Reporting by Amy Tennery in Southampton, New York, and Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Chopra and Pritha Sarkar)

Copyright Reuters or USA Today Network via Reuters Connect.

This story was originally published June 18, 2026 at 1:39 PM.