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TSN Senior Reporter

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OAKMONT, PA. - The happiest people at the U.S. Open on Thursday might be the players who didn’t hit a shot. While those with early tee times slogged around Oakmont Country Club, the afternoon group never even got to the practice range. And that could prove to be a huge bonus by the time the tournament is over.

The likes of Rory McIlroy, Jordan Spieth and Rickie Fowler had to stutter-step through three rain delays on Thursday, the last of which ended play for the day. Only nine golfers managed to finish 18 holes. The leader, unheralded Andrew Landry, has only an eight-foot birdie putt remaining to complete his round at four-under par.

Seven players were in red figures, but only one of those was in the clubhouse. That was amateur Scottie Sheffler, who finished up at 69, one stroke into red numbers.

McIlroy, one of the pre-tournament favourites, looked rather unspooled on his day. Despite using a two-iron to tee off the first three holes, he found the rough each time.
His round also included a lackluster chip on the seventh hole, a drive on the par-5 12th that ended up in the deep stuff, and some mediocre putting. All in all, it was not the start he was looking for.

Spieth, meanwhile, held his round together with some good saves with wedges and the putter, and some patience on a day that was more than a little frustrating.

There was some emotion from the 22-year-old that showed up when a wedge shot past the pin on the 17th green sucked back into a deep bunker. Television caught an angry Spieth trying to make sense of how a near-perfect shot ended up in the sand.

But it was a day of adjustments, of trying to figure out how a course could change so drastically. After practicing for three days on rock-hard fairways and greens, players were met with soggy, unpredictable conditions after heavy overnight rain that dropped more than an inch of liquid. Instead of bouncing balls on the greens, they were sticking, even sucking back. And that gnarly rough? It was still there but now it was even nastier thanks to being soaked. Game plans went out the window, guessing took over as golfers tried to figure out just what would happen when they hit a shot.

Now those soggy golfers will return at 7:30 ET to finish up Round One and those who were back at the hotel – including Jason Day, Dustin Johnson and Phil Mickelson - will head out to Oakmont after that, having seen the conditions, seen the playability and with a forecast of perfect weather ahead. They will have a long day on Friday, but it should be somewhat easier than what the other half of the draw faced.

It’s still a tough course with lots of teeth, but for those who didn’t swing a club, it appears there’s a big advantage at a tournament that isn’t known for offering many.
Don’t be surprised if the top of the leaderboard after 36 holes is populated with those who had the late-early starting time. It may not be fair to have such different conditions for different sides of the draw, but no one can control Mother Nature.