The first round of the 2023 U.S. Open is underway, and Thursday has already been a historic day before the afternoon wave tees off — thanks to Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele breaking the U.S. Open scoring record.
Entering the tournament, no player had ever played an 18-hole round at the U.S. Open in fewer than 63 strokes, but Fowler and Schauffele broke that 18-hole scoring record by carding first-round 62s (-8) at Los Angeles Country Club today.
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Six players, including Tommy Fleetwood most recently at the 2018 U.S. Open final round, had shot a 63 in a U.S. Open before Thursday.
Entering the first round, Fowler had the 20th-shortest odds to win the U.S. Open at +5000 while Schauffele had the seventh-shortest odds at +1900 at bet365. As of writing, Schauffele (-8) is the outright betting favorite at +300 with Scottie Scheffler (-3) +550 and Fowler (-8) +600. No other golfers are shorter than 9/1 to win outright.
Fowler was a few groups in front of Schauffele, and with two holes remaining in his round, he was -7 when he stepped onto the eighth tee. As of writing at 5 p.m. ET, the 537-yard par-5 eighth hole has played as the easiest hole in the first round at an average of 4.638 strokes (-0.362 to par).
Fowler, however, sprayed his tee shot right of the first fairway and into the native area.
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He got an extremely lucky break to find a decent lie in a barranca where he was able to advance his ball up the fairway 129 yards (despite some trees and a bridge flanking his shot window), leaving himself 104 yards to get up-and-down to reach 8-under. Fowler hit a solid approach shot to 13 feet and drained the putt to get to -8.
He would then par the ninth hole (a 184-yard par-3) after two-putting from 57 feet out to shoot 62.
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Not only is shooting a 62 (-8) incredible, but considering Fowler’s recent history, it’s almost unfathomable. The former Oklahoma State Cowboy didn’t even qualify for this year’s Masters Tournament, and he hadn’t played in a U.S. Open since 2020. Including this week, he has played in just five of the 11 major championships since the beginning of 2021.
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Fowler’s game has bounced back this season as a putter change and a coaching change (reconnecting with Butch Harmon) have ignited his game. After ranking 133rd (-0.162) last season and 98th (0.103) in 2021 in Strokes Gained: Total on the PGA Tour, Fowler has improved to 11th (+1.53) in SG: Total this season on Tour. He rode into Los Angeles with 10 top-20 finishes in his last 12 starts.
Fowler was strong all around, but he currently leads the field in SG: Putting by gaining 4.746 strokes and ranks second in SG: Approach by gaining 2.890 strokes.
Schauffele was also elite with the flatstick and on approach as he sits third in SG: Putting (3.200) and first in SG: Approach (3.801). Schauffele entered with momentum after eight consecutive top-24 finishes, but like Fowler, he also is seeking his first ever major victory and first win on Tour this season.
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Schauffele sat at 6-under on the tee at the drivable par-4 sixth hole when he hit his ball 28 yards from the hole in a barranca. He drew a manageable lie and avoided disaster as he advanced the ball in the rough just off the green and under the hole location (and subsequently got up-and-down for par).
The San Diego State Aztec rode that momentum to back-to-back birdies on the seventh and eighth holes then sealed his historic round of 62 with a par on the ninth hole.
Despite their historic rounds at -8, Los Angeles Country Club is playing 1.634 strokes over par for the round as of 5 p.m. ET, and no golfers are within four strokes of their lead.
Schauffele and Fowler’s 62s tied the lowest round ever in a major championship with Brendan Grace’s third-round 62 at the 2017 Open Championship.
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