Reign of rain: One shot all Landry needs to stay atop leaderboard
Max Kieffer, of Germany, lines up his putt on the 18th hole during the rain delayed first round of the U.S. Open golf championship at Oakmont Country Club Friday.
Andrew Landry reacts after his birdie putt on the ninth hole during the rain delayed first round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club Friday.
Andrew Landry watches his tee shot on the seventh hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Thursday.
OAKMONT – How much chaos can rain cause at a major golf championship?
Consider this: Andrew Landry, a 28-year-old native of Texas, probably made golf history Friday morning when he walked out to the ninth green and sank a 10-footer for birdie to finish at 4-under-par 66 and assure himself the first-round lead in the 116th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country club.
Then, Landry left the course for the day.
He won’t be playing again until this morning, 7:11, when he starts his second round over the par-70, 7,219-yard course.
One stroke, one day’s work, leading the Open.
Not even the crack research staff at the USGA knew of any other golfer who took only one stroke in one day and led the first round of any major golf event.
Landry, 624th on the World Golf Rankings, took it in stride.
“I just kind of thought about it this morning a little bit,” he said. “I read the putt (Thursday). I knew what it was doing. I knew it was a cup and a half out to the right, so no big break. It was a pretty easy putt to make if you get the speed right.”
Landry was left in this position, thanks to three suspensions of play because of terrific thunderstorms that passed over the area. The final suspension ended play late in the afternoon Thursday and right before Landry’s final putt. So he went to his room, slept on it, got up, made the putt, then removed his cap and shook hands with his playing partners, D.J. Trahann and Matthew Baldwin, and the caddies.
“I’m going to go do some laundry and take a nap,” Landry said after the round.
And watch if anyone could catch him.
Dustin Johnson did, but he is one round ahead. Johnson shot 1-under 69 to go to 4-under after two rounds just as play was suspended at 8:42 because of darkness.
“It was a long day, but I was very pleased with how it went today,” said Johnson. “I hit so many good putts I thought were going in but burned the edge. That’s just the way it goes.”
Only a handful of players completed the second round, which will be picked up this morning at 7. Lee Westwood is one stroke back of Landry and Johnson but still has his second round to play.
Only 13 players are below par after two days, including Sergio Garcia, who was playing in Johnson’s group. Garcia saved par on the ninth and final hole by sinking a 40-footer.
“It’s tough,” said Garcia of the course. “Even though the greens are softer than the practice rounds, it’s still very challenging. You have to think your way around. I didn’t play that great, but I scrambled pretty well.”
Bubba Watson and Jim Furyk are in a group at 1-under. Furyk is one hole from completing his second round. Watson has an 8:06 a.m. tee time to start the second. Angel Cabrera, the champion of the 2007 tournament held at Oakmont, was at even par after the first round but 5-over with one hole left in the second round.
Defending champion Jordan Spieth was at 2-over after shooting 72 and starts his second round this morning.
The rain turned Oakmont softer than anyone expected it to be and it still chewed up the greatest golfers on tour. The top three – Jason Day, Spieth and Rory McIlroy – were a combined 14-over par. Phil Mickelson, chasing the only major he hasn’t won, is in danger of missing the cut line after going 7-over. Ricky Fowler was plus-6, Adam Scott was even par and Masters champion Danny Willett was 5-over.
McIlroy, at 7-over, is struggling with his swing, a difficult situation on a hard course and in one of the majors.
“I think for me the toughest thing is just trying to stay positive and not get too down on myself and try to go out there, whether it be (Friday night) for a couple of shots or get out there (Saturday) morning and try to play well and make it into the weekend. Yeah, I think right now I’m just trying to stay as positive as I can.”