Landry’s tee time now 6:11 a.m. Saturday
Published 10:10 pm Friday, June 17, 2016
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — One year after Dustin Johnson let the U.S. Open slip away from him at Chambers Bay, he drove his way to the top of the leaderboard Friday at Oakmont.
Immaculate from tee-to-green, Johnson endured a marathon day of 36 holes with a game that makes him look tough to beat. He didn’t make a bogey in his opening round of 3-under 67, and he dropped only one shot in his 69 that ended just as the siren sounded to stop play because of darkness.
Johnson was at 4-under 136, two shots ahead of anyone else who completed the second round in the rain-delayed U.S. Open.
More than just his long ball, one of Johnson’s greatest assets is a short memory. He already has squandered chances in four majors, none more crushing than last year when he was a 12-foot eagle putt away from winning and three-putted to finish one behind Jordan Spieth.
Asked if he was motivated by Chambers Bay, Johnson deadpanned, “What happened last year?”
Port Neches-Groves alumnus Andrew Landry had a much shorter day.
The 28-year-old qualifier only had to hit one shot Friday when he returned in the morning to make a 10-foot birdie putt for a 66 and the lead. It was the best opening round in 10 majors at Oakmont, beating a record shared by Ben Hogan and Tom Watson.
Landry, who now lives in Austin, also became the first player in 30 years to have the sole lead after his first U.S. Open round. He will tee off today at 6:11 a.m. CDT.
Three storm delays Thursday left a disjointed schedule and no clear picture of who’s in control. The nine players who completed the opening round Thursday, including 19-year-old Scottie Scheffler and his 69, had the entire day off Friday.
Those who had to return to finish the first round initially were given tee times deep into the evening until the USGA decided it best that everyone from that half of the field — including Spieth at 2 over — start Saturday morning.
Johnson went 27 holes without a bogey in a U.S. Open held on its toughest course.
The streak finally ended when he found a deep bunker left of the first fairway, advanced only 40 yards and narrowly missed a 20-foot par putt. He missed plenty of other birdie chances along the way, not alarming because Oakmont’s greens are difficult to putt.
Far more impressive was his accuracy.
Johnson missed only three fairways in the second round, and he has missed only five greens through two rounds. If the lead stands after the second round is over, it would match the lowest 36-hole score in a U.S. Open at Oakmont. And he still hasn’t made a birdie on a par 5 in two rounds.
“It was a long day today, but I felt like I played really solid all day for all 36 holes,” he said. “I drove it really well.”
Sergio Garcia, who also knows his share of heartache in the majors, stayed with Johnson as best he could. He made a tough par on No. 4 by playing his third shot from the fifth fairway. And he finished his round with a 50-foot par save for a 70.
Garcia was at 2-under 138, along with Scott Piercy, who also went 68-70.