Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele equal the LOWEST-EVER round in a Major both shooting 62 in stunning US Open start
RICKIE FOWLER and Xander Schauffele combined for the most sensational scoring spree in Major history.
The Americans both shot 62 in the opening round of the US Open to match the LOWEST-EVER 18 holes in a Major set by South African Branden Grace in 2017’s Open at Birkdale.
And their eight-under scores on the par-70 layout were also the lowest recorded at a US Open.
The fact that Major maidens Fowler and Schauffele are both from California meant the crowds at the Los Angeles Country Club lapped up their birdie blitz.
Fowler said: “I knew it was close. I wasn’t sure of the exact number. I was really just trying to keep moving forward.
“I made a lot of good swings and it’s been a while since I’ve made some mid-range putts, so it was nice to make a lot of those.”
Fowler mixed two bogeys with his ten birdies, while Schauffele went bogey-free, continuing the X-man’s incredible love affair with his national championship.
Schauffele, 29, finished in the top seven in every one of his first five starts at the US Open.
And even when that run came to an end last year, a share of 14th was hardly something to be sniffed at.
Fowler’s coach Butch Harmon once berated his man for wanting fame like the Kardashians instead of chasing golf glory.
And it is ironic that the first US Open held in Los Angeles for 75 years is less than 20 miles from the publicity-hogging clan’s base in ultra-posh Calabasas.
He made a mockery of predictions that LACC would provide a fearsome test for the world’s top golfers as he went on the birdie trail, including four in a row around the turn.
That sent him storming to the top of the early leaderboard and continued his heartwarming comeback from the depths of despair.
Fowler, 34, plunged from fourth in the world rankings to 173rd and had missed out on the last two US Opens.
But the man who has finished as a Major runner-up three times found his form last year and shot back up the rankings to qualify for this tournament.
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler made a solid start with a 67 — but not everyone was finding it as easy as the early pace-setters.
Fowler’s playing partner, Justin Rose, was strongly fancied to repeat his 2013 US Open victory this week.
But he had his supporters shaking their heads in disbelief as he shot a six-over 76.
Fellow Englishman Tommy Fleetwood was also expected to be a big player after a near miss in last week’s Canadian Open, where he was edged out in a play-off.
But he could only scramble a 73 — although that was still a shot better than Ryder Cup team-mate Tyrrell Hatton, who has also been playing some eye-catching golf recently.