Tiger Woods was among a host of contenders chasing sixth-ranked Ludvig Aberg, who grabbed the early US Open lead with two morning birdies on Thursday at Pinehurst.Woods added a 10-foot par putt at the 12th and another from just inside nine feet at 13 to stay in a pack at 1-under, but missed an 11-foot birdie putt at 14 to grab a share of the lead.
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Top-rankedScottieScheffler,right,talkswithputtingcoachPhilKenyonafterhisfinalpracticeroundforthe124thUSOpenatPinehurst(DAVIDCANNON)TigerWoods,CollinMorikawa,BrooksKoepkaandSweden’ssixth-rankedLudvigAbergwereamongthosesetforamorningchargeasthe124thUSOpenbeganThursdayattreacherousPinehurst.
The7,543-yardsandhillslayoutwithitsdomedgreens,sandywasteareas,nativebushesandwiregrasswassettoofferaformidablechallengetoafieldof156golfers.
AmericanMichaelMcGowanandFilipinoRicoHoeyhitopeningshotsoffthefirstand10thtees,respectively,tobeginthe1,000thchampionshipeventinUSGolfAssociationhistory,datingtothefirstUSOpenin1895.
WorldnumberoneScottieScheffler,second-rankedXanderSchauffeleandthird-rankedRoryMcIlroy
