Reporting from OAKMONT, Pa. — On the surface, Bubba Watson’s sometimes thin patience and sometimes wild driving wouldn’t seem much a fit for the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.
But check the records: In the last Open played at Oakmont in 2007, the two-time Masters champion finished fifth — easily his best result in the national championship. He had missed three of the last four Open cuts going into this year.
In a wild first round Thursday, Watson made only two pars on the front nine, but overcame three bogeys with five birdies and was at two under par through 14 holes when the final horn sounded to stop play.
Watson was tied for second with Danny Lee (who was through 13). In the stretch from Nos. 3 through 10, Watson went bogey, birdie, birdie, bogey, bogey, birdie, birdie, birdie.
“I just kept fighting,” Watson said. “You don’t really think about the mistakes or the bogeys because everybody is going to have bogeys out here. The golf course is that difficult.”
After the first weather delay, Watson came out and made three straight birdies at the eighth through 10th. He had four straight pars after that.
“I guess it helped me rather than hurt me,” Watson said of the weather and delays.
“The weather didn’t affect my play. The golf course affects the play more than anything. We always got off the golf course before the rain. So the rain had no chance to affect us or anything.”
Sis on the bag
Scottie Scheffler, the 19-year-old University of Texas sophomore who held the clubhouse lead at one under, has a calming presence on his bag this week: his sister, Callie, who plays golf for Texas A&M.
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Dustin Johnson, right, gets a congratulatory hug from his caddie and younger brother Austin after making a birdie on the 18th hole Sunday at the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson celebrates with partner Paulina Gretzky and son Tatum after winning the U.S. Open on Sunday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Dustin Johnson hoists the U.S. Open winner’s trophy alongside Jack Nicklaus on Sunday evening at Oakmont Country Club. (Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)
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Dustin Johnson reacts after saving par at No. 16 on Sunday during the final round of the U.S.Open. (Andrew Redington / Getty Images)
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Shane Lowry reacts after missing a putt on the seventh hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Sergio Garcia hits out of the bunker for a birdie on the eighth hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Jim Furyk reacts after making a birdie putt on the 17th hole Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open. Furyk finished with a 66.
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Dustin Johnson plays an approach shot on the third hole Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open.
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Scott Piercy lines up his putt at No. 17 on Sunday during the final round of the U.S. Open.
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Lee Westwood plays his approach shot on the first hole during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday.
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Dustin Johnson prepares to putt on the fourth green during the final round of the U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club on Sunday. (Ross Kinnaird / Getty Images)
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Branden Grace of South Africa preapres to drive at the first hole during the final round of the U.S. Open on Sunday.
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Lee Westwood walks down the 15th fairway during third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Andrew Landry listens to caddie Kevin Ensor as he checks the yardage from a row of bunkers on the third hole Saturday during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Lee Westwood plays a shot from a bunker at the 11th hole Saturday during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Shane Lowry reacts after making a birdie at No 7 during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson hits his drive at No. 4 during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday. (Christian Petersen / Getty Images)
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Louis Oosthuizen, right, is congratulated by Lee Westwood after making a birdie putt at No. 10 during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Jason Dufner hits a shot from the church pew bunkers on the third hole at Oakmont Country Club during the third round of the U.S. Open.
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Andrew Landry plays a shot on the first hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
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Lee Westwood of England celebrates his eagle on the fifth hole during the third round of the U.S. Open on Saturday.
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Sergio Garcia hits his tee shot at No. 8 during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Fans leave the prepare to leave grandstand seating at Oakmont Country Club after play Friday.
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Justin Thomas hits his approach shot at No. 15 on Friday during the second round of the U.S. Open.
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Dustin Johnson hits an approach shot at the third hole during the second round of the U.S. Open on Friday.
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Dustin Johnson watches his tee shot on the fourth hole during the rain-delayed second round of the U.S. Open on Friday. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
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Fans cheer after Jason Day hits his tee shot at No. 18 on Friday during the continuation of the first round of the U.S. Open.
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Jason Day hits his approach shot at No. 14 during the continuation of the first round of the U.S. Open on Friday at Oakmont Country Club.
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Fans cross the third fairway during a rain delay on Thursday at the U.S. Open. Play was suspended at Oakmont Country Club with only nine golfers completing the first round.
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Fans wait inside during a rain delay Thursday at Oakmont Country Club on the first day of the U.S. Open.
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Andrew Landry follows through on his tee shot at the seventh hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
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Jordan Spieth (white cap) and caddie Michael Greller (standing) prepare to leave the course during a delay at Oakmont Country Club on Thursday.
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Andrew Landry watches his tee shot at the fourth hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday at Oakmont, Pa. (Charlie Riedel / Associated Press)
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Zach Johnson plays a shot from the Church Pews bunker on the third hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
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Bubba Watson watches his approach shot at No. 9 during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday. (David Cannon / Getty Images)
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Amatuer Scottie Schefflertalks with his caddie and sister Callie Scheffler on Thursday during the first round of the U.S. Open.
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Bryson DeChambeau hits out of a bunker on the third hole during the first round of the U.S. Open on Thursday.
(Charlie Riedel / Associated Press) “The comfort level is huge and she’s caddied for me in a couple of pro events before,” Scheffler said. “We both kind of knew the drill. Definitely the preparation between those events and coming to this one, it really helped.
“I’m glad she was able to get the week off to come help me out. She’s a week into an internship, and she’s already asking for a week off. Hopefully she doesn’t get in trouble.”
Scottie Scheffler, 17 at the time, played in the PGA Tour’s 2014 Byron Nelson, made a hole in one and finished tied for 22nd. He also competed in the 2014 St. Jude FedEx Classic, missing the cut, and won the 2013 U.S. Junior Amateur.
Schedule scrambling
Scrambling to complete the tournament Sunday, and with a favorable forecast, USGA officials put together a schedule they think will work for the rest of the week.
According to the USGA’s Andy Hall, the first round is to resume at 7:30 a.m. on Friday, starting with the 69 golfers trying to complete play, followed by the 78 who have yet to start teeing off at 8 a.m.
The second round is expected to begin at about 1:45 p.m., meaning the second wave won’t tee off until 7:15 p.m.
The second wave will finish the second round on Saturday morning, beginning at 7:30 a.m., with the third round starting at 1:45, with threesomes going off both tees. Hall said they hope to complete the third round Saturday.
The goal, he said, is to have twosomes play the final round Sunday.
Hall said the weather forecast for Friday projects some early-morning rain without lightning, while weekend should be “perfect.”
tod.leonard@sduniontribune.com
