Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele make history at US Open
Jul 3, 2021; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Rickie Fowler walks off the 18th tee box during the third round of the Rocket Mortgage Classic golf tournament. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY Sports
Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele made history during the first round of the US Open on Thursday at The Los Angeles Country Club.
Fowler and Schauffele shot 8-under 62s during the first round, which was the lowest score for a round in US Open history. The 62 from the golfers tied Branden Grace for the best round in major history. Grace shot a 62 at the 2017 Open Championship.
Fowler birdied 10 holes and bogeyed two. He rallied on holes 1-9 (which he played last), making five birdies and four pars.
Rickie Fowler!
The lowest round in U.S. Open history! 🔥 pic.twitter.com/1yL0mrKH96
— Golf Digest (@GolfDigest) June 15, 2023
Schaufele had similar success to Fowler on holes 1-9. He made five birdies and four pars as well. Schauffele was very consistent and did not bogey any holes the way Fowler did.
Seeing Fowler put up a record day and be at the top of the leaderboard at a major is a welcome sign for many fans.
The 34-year-old became a fan favorite earlier in his career. In 2014, he finished in the top five of all four majors, including two finishes where he tied for second. But in recent years, his play fell off, leading him to make some big changes last fall.
Fowler has shown he is capable of putting together an incredible round. Now the challenge will be achieving consistency over the rest of the tournament.
Like Fowler, Schauffele has not won a major despite having success at numerous big events. The 29-year-old has finished tied for second at two majors, and tied for third at the 2019 US Open. Schauffele won the gold medal at the 2021 Olympics.
