A pair of dramatic finishes has made for a three-way tie at the top Thursday in the U.S. Open, where friendly conditions are helping players go low.
Xander Schauffele made an eagle on the 18th hole to move into a tie with Rickie Fowler for the early lead, and Louis Oosthuizen plopped one in from the bunker on his final hole a few minutes later to join them at 5-under 66.
Fowler went low in the first round of the U.S. Open for the second time in three years. He had a chance to tie the lowest Open score at Pebble Beach — a 65 by Tiger Woods in 2000 — but his 8-footer on the final hole just slid by the cup.
Fowler shot a 65 and led after the first round in 2017, finishing in a tie for fifth at Erin Hills.
On a day when the wind was light and Pebble Beach was gettable, there were plenty of scores in the 60s as players took advantage of the soft greens and pristine conditions.
Fowler, Oosthuizen and Schauffele held a one-shot lead over Scott Piercy, while Rory McIlroy led a group of three players at 68. McIlroy bogeyed his first hole, then didn’t make a bogey the rest of the way.
Woods is a pairing with Justin Rose and Jordan Spieth in the second wave of players set to tee off in the afternoon.
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