GOLF: Tough start for Scheffler in bid for career Slam, play suspended due to darkness at US Open

SOUTHAMPTON, New York — U.S. Open contender Scottie Scheffler endured a difficult opening round on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club, as Americans Sam Stevens and Max McGreevy shared the clubhouse lead with amateur Ryder Cowan, all posting two-under-par 68s before play was suspended due to darkness.

Scheffler, a two-time Masters champion, is making his latest push for a career Grand Slam after victories at last year’s PGA Championship and The Open. He opened with a two-over-par 72, leaving him off the pace after a day defined by strong winds and demanding conditions.

Gusts reaching up to 34 mph (54.7 kph) made scoring difficult across the field at the notoriously challenging Southampton venue. Scheffler recorded one birdie against several mistakes, including a double bogey on the front nine, where he struggled on the greens. He added three birdies on the back nine but also dropped shots, including a costly misread on the par-five 16th.

“Any time you get conditions like this, I think the scores are going to be high,” Scheffler said. “It’s an interesting golf course. Part of the challenge is judging the conditions and how the course is going to play. It can change pretty rapidly, and that’s part of the test.”

Starting on the back nine, Stevens suffered an early setback with a double bogey on the 10th hole before a fog delay halted play for more than two hours. He recovered with a birdie on the par-three 11th and remained steady as organizers softened greens to counter the wind.

McGreevy reached the turn at even par before birdies on the 13th and 17th holes, while Cowan impressed in his major debut with four birdies against two bogeys to remain in contention.

Former champion Wyndham Clark was atop the leaderboard at six-under with two holes remaining when darkness stopped play.

Golf’s toughest test

The U.S. Open again lived up to its reputation as golf’s most demanding major, with officials preparing softened greens ahead of forecasted wind conditions.

Logistical delays also affected the start, as heavy traffic in the upscale Long Island resort area slowed arrival times for spectators attending the 156-player field, which includes 12 former champions and 49 first-time participants.

World No. 2 Rory McIlroy mixed bright moments with early mistakes, including two birdies and two bogeys on the front nine. He later surged with an eagle on the par-five fifth hole and finished the round at one-under par.

“The greens are pretty slow and quite receptive, which they need to be,” McIlroy said. “It’s a challenging course already, and with 30-mile-per-hour winds, it really tests the best players.”

Veteran Adam Scott marked his 100th consecutive major appearance, finishing at three-over-par in a milestone start that began at the 2001 British Open.

Late starters included major winners Jon Rahm and Bryson DeChambeau, both among 13 LIV Golf players in the field, along with PGA Championship winner Aaron Rai and high-profile groups featuring Justin Thomas, Hideki Matsuyama and Xander Schauffele.

When Shinnecock Hills last hosted the championship in 2018, scoring conditions were among the most difficult in recent history, underscoring its reputation as one of golf’s ultimate tests.

The opening round will resume Friday at 6:35 a.m. ET (1035 GMT). -Reporting by Amy Tennery in Southampton, New York, and Frank Pingue in Toronto; Editing by Toby Chopra and Pritha Sarkar/Reuters