America’s Woodland finds inspiration at Pebble Beach too

England’s Justin Rose shot an inspired opening round of 65, 6-under par, to take the lead on day one of the 119th US Open at Pebble Beach Golf Links in California, USA (13-16 June).

 

An early tee-time on Friday, saw the Olympic Golf Champion play a solid second round of one-under par to get to 135, 7-under par for the tournament.  It was America’s Rickie Fowler who led the charge to snatch the lead from the 2013 US Open Champion Rose.  For much of the day Fowler was hovering on 5-under along with a handful of other players.  But it was fellow American Gary Woodland who succeeded in taking the leading role.  He rolled in six birdie putts to sign for an impressive 65 and take the halfway lead at Pebble Beach on 133, 9-under par.

 

Yes, do you remember Gary Woodland from the US PGA Championship at Bellerive Country Club, St Louis last year? He opened with two blistering rounds of 64 and 66 to lead the tournament from day one.  However, it was Brooks Koepka who walked off with the Wanamaker Trophy after closing out with two rounds of 66 to create a new championship record.  It looks like Woodland, the long-hitting 35-year old from Kansas, is out for revenge this week in California.

 

World Number One in the hunt

 

Koepka has been making rather a habit of winning Majors in the last two years.  Indeed, Koepka has won the last two editions of the US Open.  Fascinating to realise that at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, he won with a score of one-over par which was a mighty contrast to his first US Open victory a year earlier where he won with the score of 16-under at Erin Hills!

 

By the way, Justin Rose also won with a score of one-over par at the Merion Golf Club in 2013.  The USPGA is renowned for toughening-up the course for the US Open.  The weather often does the rest.

 

World Number One, Koepka, fresh from his latest Major victory in the US PGA Championship in May, lies in a share of sixth place after a 69 on Friday.

 

The spectacular setting of the Pebble Beach Golf Links on the Monterey Peninsula is already inspiring the best golfers in the world to give of their best in what is now the third Major of the season.  Pebble Beach has long been rated as ‘the number one public golf course in America’.  Rather fitting then that it should host the US Open for the sixth time in 2019 – their centenary year. The course has been lengthened to its limit for the crème de la crème in the golfing world.  The usual par of 72 for the likes of you and me, plays as a 71 for the players in a Major.

 

Europeans have fared well at Pebble Beach in the past.  Ryder Cup player Graeme McDowell from Northern Ireland won the last US Open that was played here back in 2010.  McDowell is showing signs of a return to form after a lack-lustre period.  The Majors can have that effect.  Playing with Dustin Johnson on day two, he made his first bogey of the week at the second hole.  In fact, it ended up back-to-back bogeys for ‘GMac’.  But the Northern Irishman fought back with four birdies on the trot to keep himself in the mix for Saturday at 3-under.

 

Yes, Justin Rose is not the only European featuring high on the leaderboard at Pebble Beach.  He is joined by a bunch of his Ryder Cup colleagues: T4th Rory McIlroy (-5);  T6th Matt Fitzpatrick, Francesco Molinari, Graeme McDowell, Jon Rahm and Henrik Stenson (-3).

 

Enjoy all the action of the US Open at the weekend – it’s going to be tremendous!

 

Wendy Hoad

 

PICTURED:  Olympic Golf Champion and 2013 US Open Champion Justin Rose.