Pan Cheng-tsung, the first Taiwanese golfer to qualify for the US Open since 1988, shot a respectable three-over 74 in the first round of the year’s second major, giving himself a chance to play this weekend.
Pan was tied with the likes of world No. 1 Luke Donald, No. 3 Martin Kaymer, No. 5 Phil Mickelson, No. 19 Jim Furyk and No. 20 Hunter Mahan in 62nd place, nine shots behind leader Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland at the Congressional Country Club Blue Course in Bethesda, Maryland.
Those with the top 60 scores (along with ties) or within 10 shots of the lead were set to make the cut after yesterday’s second round and Pan’s regular caddie Kuo Kuan-hsiu thinks the 19-year-old amateur has a chance get past the hurdle.
Photo: AFP
“If he can do better off the tee tomorrow and hit fairways, he should be able to shoot an even better score,” the caddie said.
Kuo said the late rain that fell on Thursday softened the greens and could give Pan an advantage because of his early tee time at 7:11am.
In Thursday’s first round, Pan birdied the second hole, but then had bogeys on the third, fifth, seventh and 10th holes, before finishing with eight pars.
“He was rushing a little at the beginning, pretty much teeing off right after he stepped into the tee box,” Kuo said. “On the second nine, he slowed down and maintained a steady rhythm, and decided not to attack or play risky shots.”
The soon-to-be University of Washington freshman, who moved from Taiwan’s Miaoli County to the US just four years ago, said prior to the event that he did not feel any pressure because of his amateur status.
He was fourth among the 12 amateurs in the field after the first round, two shots behind top amateur Peter Uihlein of the US.
Meanwhile, McIlroy showed some major resiliency at the US Open, bouncing back from a -final-round meltdown at the Masters to dominate Thursday’s opening round with a dazzling six-under-par 65.
The 22-year-old Northern Irishman put on a brilliant display of ball-striking as he hit 17 of 18 greens in a bogey-free round at Congressional Country Club that put him three shots clear of the 156-man field.
“I didn’t really put a foot wrong,” McIlroy said. “I feel like I’m driving it well. I’m hitting my iron shots good, holing a few putts. So it’s a nice combination.”
Tied for second were former PGA winner Yang Yong-eun of South Korea and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel of South Africa on three-under 68.
For fast-starting McIlroy, it will be all about how he finishes after taking the first-round lead for the third time in the last four majors, but failing to win.
At last year’s Open, he fired an opening 63 at St Andrews, but followed with an 80.
At Augusta National in April, he carried a four-shot lead into the final round, but soared to an 80 that left him 10 shots behind winner Schwartzel.
“I took the experience from Augusta and I learned a lot from it,” McIlroy said about bouncing back at the Congressional. “I feel like these good starts in the majors are very much down to my preparation.”
Only two other first-round leaders at a US Open have enjoyed a bigger cushion — Tommy Armour’s five-shot lead after an opening 68 in 1933 at North Shore and a four-stroke edge held by Olin Dutra after a 69 at Fresh Meadow in 1932.
SAINT-OMER OPEN
AP, SAINT-OMER, FRANCE
George Coetzee of South Africa shot a five-under 66 to lead the Saint-Omer Open by two strokes after the first round on Thursday.
Ranked 79th on the European Tour, Coetzee made six birdies and only one bogey.
Thomas Norret of Denmark, the only player to record a bogey-free round, was tied for second at three-under with Matthew Zions of Australia, Eirik Tage Johansen of Norway, Andrea Perrino of Italy and Benoit Teilleria of France.
Coetzee had a rocky start as he bogeyed his fourth hole in the morning.
Sam Hutsby of England was tied for seventh place with six other players.
Defending champion Martin Wiegele of Austria was in 84th place after carding a four-over 75.
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