It was only one round, but it was a record-setting one for Justin Thomas.
Thomas seized the early lead at the 120th U.S. Open on Thursday at venerable Winged Foot with a 5-under-par 65 on a golf course many expected would yield very few rounds below par this week with the fairways narrow and the rough ankle-deep.
Thomas’ 65 was the lowest score ever posted in the six US Opens played at Winged Foot.
“Yeah, 65 is fun no matter where you play, especially at Winged Foot,” he said. “It’s one of the best rounds I’ve played in a while tee to green. I was in a really good frame of mind and I was focused. I just was sticking to my routine and playing every shot, as opposed to getting ahead of myself.
“It’s one of those rounds where it’s just kind of like, next thing you know, you make the putt on 18, you’re done for the day.”
Thomas put an exclamation point on his round with a long birdie putt on 18 to take the solo lead among the first wave of players in the first round. That birdie gave him a one-shot lead over Patrick Reed, who had a hole-in-one on the seventh hole. Rory McIlroy was two shot back at 3-under par.
Thomas was hardly basking in the lead after one round, though.
“It’s helpful with three days left, but it’s not even remotely close to being over,” he said. “As great of a round and fun as it was, it’s over with now, and I need to get over it because I got 54 more holes to try to play well and shoot some good scores.”
McIlroy, who hasn’t won a major championship since 2014, felt pressure to get off to a good start.
“The first round of a major you’re always anxious to play well, and maybe I’ve overthought it at times,” he said. “I just went out today and just took what was given to me a little more relaxed and played really nicely.
“I played the par-3s really well, played those in 3-under for the day,’’ he went on. “I drove the ball better. I put the ball in play much more than I have done in the previous few weeks. That bodes well. Hopefully, I can keep that going over the next three days.”
Among the other players from the morning wave of tee times Thursday who put themselves in contention were Brendon Todd, Jason Kokrak and Harris English, all of whom shot 2-under-par 68.
