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Agence France-Presse

American Russell Henley sank an 11-foot birdie putt to close a four under-par 67 opening round and seize the early clubhouse lead Thursday at the US Open while Phil Mickelson struggled in his bid to complete a career grand slam.
Henley, who hasn’t won a PGA title since the 2017 Houston Open and has never managed a top-10 major finish, made three birdies and a bogey on both the front and back nines to set the pace at Torrey Pines.
“Over the last year, I’ve played the best golf I’ve played consistently in my career. I feel like I have more of a complete game,” Henley said.
“But I haven’t finished top 10 in majors or anything. Haven’t really been in the majors. I want to play better in the majors. I feel good.”
Phil Mickelson seals stunning PGA Championship win at 50, becomes golf’s oldest major champ
Italy’s Francesco Molinari, the 2018 British Open champion, and Spain’s Rafa Cabrera Bello, a back-nine starter who holed out from just inside 60 feet to eagle the 18th, shared second on 68.
Four-time major winner Brooks Koepka was in the clubhouse sharing fourth on 69 with local favourite and world No 6 Xander Schauffele.


World No 63 Henley opened with a bogey after finding a greenside bunker, but answered with a nine-foot birdie putt at the fifth, an eight-footer at the seventh and another birdie from just outside 14 feet at the par-3 eighth.
Henley began the back nine with a birdie on a 12-foot putt and answered a bogey at 12 with a three-footer to birdie 15 and his key closing putt.
American Bryson DeChambeau muscles his way to six-shot victory at US Open
“You just have to pick a shot and commit to it,” Henley said. “For me, I think it’s just being comfortable.
“I putted nice. It was a good way to finish off a good day. It’s just a tough test. You’ve got to hang around.”
A day after his 51st birthday, hometown hero Mickelson stumbled to a 75 with three bogeys in his first six holes. He recovered with a 10-foot birdie putt at the 17th but bogeys at six and seven saw him into the clubhouse eight off the pace.
“Fought hard, made a lot of short putts to kind of keep myself in it and then I ended up bogeying six and seven,” Mickelson said. “I’m a little disappointed about that.
“I feel like I’m close to putting together a good round.”
Mickelson became golf’s oldest major winner last month by taking the PGA Championship at Kiawah Island to capture his sixth career major title.
But the US Open has eluded the 30th-ranked left-hander, who has settled for a record six runner-up showings.

Mickelson hopes to join career grand slam winners Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, Ben Hogan, Gary Player and Gene Sarazen.
World No 10 Koepka, who underwent right knee surgery three months ago, seeks his third US Open win in five seasons.
Koepka rolled in a 20-foot birdie putt at the 12th, holed a 42-foot bomb at the 17th and closed his first nine with a tap-in birdie at 18.
Koepka seized the lead with a nine-foot birdie putt at the par-5 second but bogeys at the par-3 third and par-4 seventh dropped him back.
“The wind picked up,” Koepka said. “It made it quite difficult. It made it quite interesting for sure.”
Early morning fog rolled in off the Pacific Ocean to delay the start by 90 minutes as a field of 156, with Mickelson the eldest, tested the formidable 7,652-yard layout.

Such late-starting stars as fifth-ranked defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, four-time major winner Rory McIlroy, world No 1 Dustin Johnson and third-ranked Jon Rahm could be racing the darkness to complete their rounds.
Johnson, last year’s Masters champion, could be overtaken in the rankings if No 2 Justin Thomas or Spaniard Rahm win the US Open.
To be dethroned, Johnson would need to finish worse than solo 17th if Thomas won or worse than a two-way share of 18th if Rahm won.


Who is Bryson DeChambeau’s rumoured girlfriend, Lilia Schneider? The Trump-supporting US Open winner is believed to be seeing the young college golfer who’s been dubbed the ‘new Paige Spiranac’

8 of the richest Olympians at the 2024 Paris Games – net worths, ranked: from golf’s Rory McIlroy and tennis’ Novak Djokovic, to NBA’s Steph Curry and LeBron James

Meet the amazing, athletic Korda family, from golfers to tennis pros: Nelly is No 1 in the golf world, elder sis Jessica is a 6-time LPGA winner, and younger brother Sebastian ranks 21 in the ATP

US Open: DeChambeau tops leaderboard after record-breaking first three rounds at Pinehurst

US Open (golf)

US Open: Russell Henley grabs early lead at Torrey Pines while Mickelson struggles

Russell Henley plays a shot from a bunker on the 17th hole during the first round of the US Open at Torrey Pines. Photo: USA Today

epa09281746 Bryson DeChambeau of the US reacts on the sixteenth hole during the first round of the 2021 US Open golf tournament on the South Course of the Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego, California, USA, 17 June 2021. EPA-EFE/ERIK S. LESSER

SAN DIEGO, CALIFORNIA - JUNE 17: Phil Mickelson of the United States waves after making birdie on the 17th hole during the first round of the 2021 U.S. Open at Torrey Pines Golf Course (South Course) on June 17, 2021 in San Diego, California. Ezra Shaw/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Who is Yuka Saso? Philippine-Japanese teen US Open champion on the cusp of Olympic qualification

Yuka Saso of the Philippines celebrates with the Harton S. Semple Trophy after winning the 76th US Women's Open Championship at The Olympic Club in San Francisco. Photo: AFP

Phil Mickelson seals stunning PGA Championship win at 50, becomes golf’s oldest major champ

Phil Mickelson has won the 2021 PGA Championship. Photo: AP

KIAWAH ISLAND, SOUTH CAROLINA - MAY 23: Phil Mickelson of the United States celebrates on the 18th green after winning during the final round of the 2021 PGA Championship held at the Ocean Course of Kiawah Island Golf Resort on May 23, 2021 in Kiawah Island, South Carolina. Patrick Smith/Getty Images/AFP == FOR NEWSPAPERS, INTERNET, TELCOS & TELEVISION USE ONLY ==

Sport

Golf

Henley made three birdies and a bogey on both the front and back nines to set the pace


Henley, who hasn’t won a PGA title since 2017 and has never managed a top-10 major finish, made three birdies and a bogey on both the front and back nines to set the pace at Torrey Pines.


PGA Tour

Bryson DeChambeau

Jon Rahm