Cantlay leads from Aberg as Woods grinds at US Open

Ryder Cup stars Patrick Cantlay and Ludvig Aberg group nan early gait connected time 1 of a challenging US Open astatine Pinehurst, North Carolina.

American Cantlay changeable an fantabulous five-under 65 to lead by 1 from Sweden's Aberg pinch Frenchman Matthieu Pavon a further changeable back.

Three-time victor Tiger Woods wobbled astir nan move pinch 5 bogeys successful 7 holes and ended astatine 4 complete par.

World number 1 Scottie Scheffler, US PGA champion Xander Schauffele and Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy are grouped together among nan later starters connected nan notoriously reliable Number Two course.

Last autumn, nan US defence of nan Ryder Cup was spearheaded by Cantlay but nan Californian has only managed 2 top-10 finishes connected nan PGA Tour this season.

Yet to triumph a major, his information ignited connected nan backmost 9 erstwhile he fired 3 birdies successful his last 5 holes to jump retired successful front.

Before April, Aberg had ne'er moreover played successful a awesome championship, contempt thrilling for Europe successful their triumph successful Rome.

A necktie for 2nd connected his Masters debut showcased his thrilling talent and 3 birdies connected nan beforehand 9 catapulted him up nan leaderboard again.

Trouble connected nan par-three sixth (his 15th hole) costs him a changeable but an outstanding tee changeable astatine nan short ninth group up a birdie and outright 2nd place.

One down astatine 3 nether par is Pavon, who won nan Farmers Insurance Open successful January, while American Tony Finau blotted his fantabulous commencement pinch a bogey astatine nan past to decorativeness 2 under.

Meanwhile, it was a mixed time for Cantlay’s well-fancied Ryder Cup team-mates Brooks Koepka and Collin Morikawa.

Five-time awesome victor Koepka concisely led astatine 3 nether par aft 10 holes but gave his shots backmost successful nan last 8 holes to decorativeness 5 disconnected nan lead astatine level par.

Morikawa has been successful good shape this season, finishing 4th and 3rd astatine nan erstwhile 2 fields and he tuned up for Pinehurst pinch a 2nd spot astatine past week's Memorial Championship.

The 2021 Open champion vanished his information successful style by holing a bunker changeable for birdie astatine 17 and past holed from 17 feet astatine nan past to lucifer Koepka's 70.

As usual, thousands of fans followed Woods astir nan people and, aft opening pinch a birdie, 5 coagulated pars anchored him successful nan apical 10.

His information threatened to unravel astir nan move but nan 15-time awesome champion rallied, offering a trademark fist pump erstwhile sinking a par astatine nan seventh, his 16th hole.

But a further bogey astatine his penultimate spread near him 9 shots disconnected nan lead.

Earlier this week, he said he expected "a warfare of attrition" connected a accelerated and patient people pinch upturned saucer greens that repel attack shots.

When nan US Open was past held present successful 2014, Martin Kaymer won by 8 shots but was 1 of only 3 players to sprout nether par for nan tournament.

Indeed, anterior to time 1 of this tournament, a specified 5 of 1,368 US Open rounds played connected Pinehurst's Number Two people person been bogey free.

Spain's Sergio Garcia, who only recovered retired he was playing connected Monday morning, made that six pinch 1 birdie and 17 pars successful his 69.