JJ Spaun uses Players confidence to shoot lowest-ever US Open opening round at Oakmont

Spaun’s bogey-free 66 matched the lowest-ever opening round for a US Open at the hallowed Pittsburgh course. It’s been that kinda year. And it all began where it could have ended

J.J. Spaun was the early clubhouse leader at the US Open. Picture: Charlie Riedel/AP

JJ Spaun knows what it takes to drag Rory McIlroy into deep waters. On opening day at Oakmont, as his Sawgrass foe was slowly pulled below the surface, the softly-spoken world No.25 was the only man finding buoyancy. It turns out McIlroy played his part.

Spaun, the 34-year-old Californian with just one PGA Tour win to his name, is in the midst of a career year. On Thursday he turned in the most sparkling major round of his life, riding a wave of focused and faultless play to lead the US Open by two shots as the afternoon wave set out to chase his clubhouse lead.