'Major Man' Kepka "2-Under Start"... What About Mickelson's 'Career Slam'?

121st US Open First Day Tied 5th, Henry Tied Lead at 4 Under Par, Mickelson Faces Tough Road at 4 Over Par

Brooks Koepka is teeing off on the 14th hole on the first day of the 121st US Open. San Diego, USA - Photo by Getty Images/Multibits

[Asia Economy Golf Specialist Reporter Kim Hyun-jun] ‘Major Man’ Brooks Koepka’s early sprint.

On the 18th (Korean time), at the Torrey Pines Golf Course South Course (Par 71, 7,652 yards) in San Diego, California, USA, the first day of the 121st US Open, a PGA Tour major with a total prize of $12.5 million, Koepka shot 2-under par to tie for 5th place. With some players’ rounds postponed to the next day, Russell Henley (USA) and Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) led the field at 4-under par, while Francesco Molinari (Italy) and one other shared 3-under par in third place.

Koepka is the two-time defending champion of this tournament from 2017 to 2018. He won by 3 strokes in 2017 and by 1 stroke in 2018, successfully defending his title for the first time in 29 years since Curtis Strange (1988?1989). Interestingly, he also achieved back-to-back victories at another major, the PGA Championship, in 2018 and 2019. Among his 8 career wins, 4 are majors, showing his exceptional strength in big matches. After struggling following knee surgery in December 2019, he returned to the winner’s circle at the Phoenix Open this January.

On this day, Koepka recorded 4 birdies and 2 bogeys. Starting at the 10th hole (par 4), he made a birdie at the 12th hole (par 4), followed by consecutive birdies at the 17th and 18th holes, creating momentum. He added a 2.5-meter birdie putt at the 2nd hole (par 4) on the back nine. However, bogeys at the 3rd and 7th holes late in the round were unfortunate. His maximum drive reached 334 yards with a fairway hit rate of 57.14%, iron shots hitting the green at 72.22%, and most notably, an average of 1.50 putts per hole showcasing his ‘stingy putting’. He expressed confidence, saying, "Majors definitely increase my concentration."

‘Top favorite’ Jon Rahm (Spain) also posted 2-under par. Having won the Farmers Insurance Open at Torrey Pines in 2017 and finished second in 2020, he is drawing attention for his perfect compatibility with the course. World No. 1 Dustin Johnson (USA) is tied for 22nd at even par, joined by 2011 champion Rory McIlroy (Northern Ireland). Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau is tied for 60th at 2-over par.

Phil Mickelson’s (USA) attempt to become the sixth ‘Career Grand Slammer’ in global golf history is proving difficult. He is tied for 96th at 4-over par. He has collected three major titles: the 2004 Masters, the 2005 PGA Championship, and the 2013 Open Championship. The problem is the US Open. He has finished runner-up six times?in 1999, 2002, 2004, 2006, 2009, and 2013?leaving the final puzzle piece missing. From Korea, Kim Si-woo (26) is at even par, Im Sung-jae (23) at 1-over par, Kang Sung-hoon (34) at 4-over par, and Lee Kyung-hoon (30, all from CJ Logistics) at 5-over par.