Scottish Open winners Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele shoot record 62s in US Open

Talk about California Dreaming. Playing in their home state, Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele shot the lowest scores in the history of the US Open with matching 62s at The Los Angeles Country Club. They also now share the record for the lowest round in a major with Branden Grace following his 62 in the 2017 Open at Royal Birkdale.

The efforts from Fowler and Schauffele, both winners of the Genesis Scottish Open in the past decade, were exceptional but not the only eye-catching performances on the opening day of the event’s 123rd edition, which produced a scoring average of 71-38 - the lowest in an opening round of a US Open in the past 90 years.

Later in the day, 2016 winner Dustin Johnson and fellow American Wyndham Clark both signed for 64s while Rory McIlroy and Brian Harman carded 65s. McIlroy, the 2010 champion, had been majestic until dropping his only shot of the day at the par-4 18th.

Adding to the excitement on one of the best opening days in this event for a long time, world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and 2011 winner Bryson DeChambeau are also to the fore after 67s. An exciting second round lies ahead on Friday, when the heavily-fancied Brooks Koepka has ground to make up after he had to settle for a 71.

Rickie Fowler lines up a putt on the sixth green during the first round of the 123rd US Open at The Los Angeles Country Club. Picture: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images.

But back to Thursday, when Fowler was the first to make history with his sparkling eight-under effort before it was matched just 20 minutes later by Schauffele. In yet another sign that Fowler has emerged from the worst slump of his 15-year professional career, the 34-year-old signed for ten birdies on a testing course.

It provided further proof the changes he’s made with legendary swing instructor Butch Harmon are paying off. In 2014, Fowler became one of four players to finish in the top five of all four majors in a single year (joining Jack Nicklaus, Tiger Woods and Jordan Spieth), but the only one not to register a win (he tied for second twice).

Over the last few years, Fowler’s game took a bad turn, slipping to 182nd in the Official World Golf Ranking by the end of the 2021-22 PGA Tour season. Then he started the 2022-23 season in September with a tie for sixth in the Fortinet Championship in Northern California, and slowly he began seeing positive results.

The five-time PGA Tour winner is still searching for his first victory since the 2019 WM Phoenix Open, but, thanks to six top-10s, he has managed to climb back inside the top 60 of the OWGR to avoid going through US Open qualifying for a third straight year.

Xander Schauffele reacts to his shot on the 14th hole during the first round of the 123rd US Open in Los Angeles. Picture: Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images.

Admitting that he didn’t have the best practice sessions leading into the first US Open in Los Angeles in 75 years, Fowler, who grew up in Murrieta in California - he now resides in Jupiter in Florida - found something that clicked following what he called an average warm-up.

“It's definitely been long and tough,” said Fowler, who won the Scottish Open at Gullane in 2015, of his resurgence. “A lot longer being in that situation than you'd ever want. But it makes it so worth it having gone through that and being back where we are now.”

Schauffele, the current Genesis Scottish Open champion, has been a US Open machine since tying for fifth in his first start six years ago at Erin Hills. Until last year’s tie for 14th, the 2021 Olympics gold medalist had posted five consecutive top-7 finishes, including a share of third at Pebble Beach in 2019.

A seven-time PGA Tour winner, the 29-year-old San Diego native produced the day’s only bogey-free round. Like Fowler, he started on No. 10 and posted birdies on Nos. 10, 12 and 15, then added birdies on Nos. 1, 2, 5, 7 and 8.

“I'd say the sun didn't come out and it was misting this morning, so I'd say the greens held a little bit more moisture than anticipated,” said Schauffele. “It made the greens that more [manageable] speed, and then coming into greens you're able to pull some wedges back.

“I'm anticipating the sun to come out just as much as every West Coast person out here. I'm thinking the course is going to firm up a little bit.”

Bidding to complete a career grand slam, Phil Mickelson opened with a 69, which matched efforts from Masters winner Jon Rahm and Open champion Cameron Smith. Matt Fitzpatrick, the defending champion, had to settle for a 71 after a bogey-bogey start.

The day produced two holes-in-one – both at the 124-yard 15th. Frenchman Matthieu Pavon and America registered the 49th and 50th known holes-in-one in US Open history; Pavon with a gap wedge and Burns with a sand wedge. It was the first ace in a professional event for both players.