Keith Mitchell recovered from a six-over 41 on his opening nine holes to shoot 29 on the front nine and finish with an even-par 70 in the first round of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Mitchell began with a double bogey on the 10th hole and dropped four more shots on the back nine amid blustery conditions and a two-hour fog delay. He then birdied the first, third and fourth holes before making eagle on the par-5 fifth to start a run of five straight threes.
He closed with a birdie on the ninth for a 29, becoming the first player in U.S. Open history to post 40 or worse on one nine and break 30 on the other in the same round. The score also marked the lowest nine-hole total on the front nine at Shinnecock Hills and tied the course's lowest nine in U.S. Open play.
Brooks Koepka, the 2018 champion at the venue, called it a difficult day, while Rory McIlroy said anything around even par was a good score given the conditions.
