1:20 p.m.
Matthew Wolff already has experienced the ups and downs in golf at age 22.
Wolff was 1 under through 15 holes. He’s made just three pars. He three-putted three holes. He answered with three straight birdies.
When last seen in the U.S. Open, the emerging celebrity from California needed a two-shot lead going into the last round at Winged Foot.
Wolff has fought since then, within the ropes and within his head. He skipped the PGA Championship.
Wolff says he had time to sort out the equilibrium of life and golf and that he’s just wishes to be happy.
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12:30 p.m.
The fog lifts, a major championship gets underway, also Brooks Koepka shows up.
Koepka was among those off to a solid start at the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. He shot 33 on the back nine of the South course and made it look easy.
Koepka has got the reputation as”Big Game Brooks” for his performance in the majors, which includes four titles. He missed the cut last week at South Carolina. No matter.
He had been the first to reach 4 under until dropping his first shot in the par-3 third. Patrick Rodgers was 4 under through the 13th hole, while San Diego native Xander Schauffele was at 3 under. Phil Mickelson, the famous local and reigning PGA champion, was at 2-over par.
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12:15 p.m.
The thick kikuyu rough got most of the focus prior to the U.S. Open started.
Just ask Max Homa.
The 30-year-old from up the shore in Burbank started the U.S. Open with a pair of pars before running into trouble on the par-4 12th hole.
Homa ran a chip shot from left of the green beyond the pit to approximately 21 feet and saw his first putt examine the edge of this pit. His next putt, from 3 ft, violently lipped out and spun away, leaving him about 5 feet coming back up the hole.
Homa missed that putt before eventually knocking in a 3-footer for triple-bogey 7. In addition, he three-putted that the par-4 14th for double bogey.
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8:15 a.m.
The U.S. Open is finally underway after a 90-minute delay because of fog.
The USGA can rely on dry weather when it comes to California. The wild card has at all times been the marine coating since the temperature warms, and that is what caused the delay Thursday.
The lengthy delay makes it certain the first round won’t be finished till Friday morning.
It was reminiscent of the fog waits at Pebble Beach for its 2000 U.S. Open. Tiger Woods played without delay on Thursday morning. He waited a few 30 hours before hitting his next shot Friday afternoon.
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6:45 a.m.
And then it waited a little more.
The opening round Thursday was postponed by two words: June Gloom. That’s what locals refer to as the sea level which covered the South course and led to a 30-minute delay.
The prediction is dry and perfect for the week, even though fog around the Pacific shore as summer approaches is obviously a concern.
Sahith Theegala, raised up the street in Orange and a Pepperdine alum, is set to hit on the opening tee shot in the very first hole. Andy Pope, who has made it through qualifying four of the last times for your U.S. Open, is first to play off No. 10.
Phil Mickelson and Brooks Koepka are one of those playing at the morning.