The 122nd U.S. Open gets underway Thursday with the national championship taking place at one of the oldest golf courses in the United States. The Country Club in Brookline, Massachusetts, received the honor of hosting its fourth U.S. Open and first since Curtis Strange defeated Nick Faldo back in 1988.
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Instead, the golfing world will watch with great fascination those golfers — such as Phil Mickelson — who have defected from the PGA Tour and signed with the LIV Tour fresh off its inaugural event in London (won by Charl Schwartzel for his first victory since the 2016 Valspar Championship).
U.S. Open 2022 live updates (all times eastern):
11:58 a.m.: It's a par at the ninth for Callum Tarren for an opening 67. Playing parter Hayden Buckley finishes right behind him posts 68. Not bad for the first group off the 10th tee, setting the pace here at The Country Club.
With respect to that duo, the biggest star of the group—at least for this week—was 57-year-old Fran Quinn. The journeyman is the most unlikely competitor in the field this week, having signed up for local qualifying on a whim. He opened with 76, which may not be in contention, but is an incredible feat nonetheless.
11:47 a.m.: During Rory's adventurous trip around the fifth hole (his 14th of the day), we had a change at the top of the leaderboard. Hagestad bogeyed the 12th and Callum Tarren, an Englishman who qualified by finishing second in Canada's Final Qualifying tournament, eagled the par-5 eighth to tie David Lingmerth at three under. Tarren has one hole to play.
11:39 a.m.: Oh no! Rory goes for the short par-4 fifth off the tee and finds a wicked lie short and right of the green. With both feet struggling to settle into the face of a bunker McIlroy is forced to take a baseball swing at waist height and it, um, does not go well. His ball settles in the greenside bunker a few yards in front of his current location and Rory takes it out on the bunker, giving the sad a couple big hacks on this way out.
His third is better, but not great. He'll have about 12 feet down the hill to save his par. Quite the bummer, really. He came to the tee with dreams of an eagle two. Now he'll count his blessings if he leaves with a par to stay within one of the lead. Aaaand he makes it! Those are the kinds of saves that can make or break rounds and tournaments, even on Thursday morning.
11:29 a.m.: David Lingmerth hath risen. Remember this guy? He dueled with Tiger at the 2013 Players and outlasted Justin Rose in a playoff at the 2015 Memorial for his one and only PGA Tour win. Anyway, seven years later, he's tied for the lead in the U.S. Open, bogey-free and three under par through 14 holes.
11:18 a.m.: Well, it is the U.S. *Open* for a reason. Two-time U.S. Mid-Amateur champion Stew Hagestad is two under through 10 with a great look for birdie on the short par-3 11th ... and he drains it. At the site of the first amateur victory in the U.S. Open, another one has a share of the lead.
After a bogey from Matthew NeSmith on 15, Hagestad leads alone at three under.
10:56 a.m.: Solid Thursday showing for defending champ Jon Rahm, who's still at a one over thru 12. The Spaniard will look not to drop a shot on 13 like his playing-partner Collin Morikawa just did. And ... that'll be a par. Survive and advance to the next hole. Rahm's clean so far on the back nine. That'll do.
10:52 a.m.: Max Homa is not happy with a bad missed par and bogey to drop to T-13. That one will hurt, as the groan from the commentator signifies.
10:47 a.m.: Hayden Buckley with a great birdie chance on the par 4 fifth. He's even so far and playing well after sinking the first birdie of the 2022 U.S. Open.
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