Wyndham Clark charged into a four-shot lead after a weather-disrupted first day of the US Open, as Rory McIlroy made a solid start and Scottie Scheffler stayed in career Grand Slam contention.
Only six of the morning wave were able to break par in gusty conditions at Shinnecock Hills, where fog forced an early two-hour suspension in play, but Clark took advantage of the calmer afternoon weather to charge to the top of the leaderboard.
The 2023 champion reached the turn in 32 before cancelling out a bogey at the par-three second with back-to-back birdies on his next two holes. He then produced a stunning approach into the par-five fifth to set up a close-range eagle.
Clark was six under for his round with two holes remaining when play was suspended due to darkness at 8.25pm local time (1.25am UK time), with the American having the chance to create major history when play resumes at 6.35am (11.35am BST) on Friday.
He needs to birdie one of his remaining two holes to post an opening-round 63 and equal the course record, while a birdie-birdie finish would see him match the lowest round in men's major history.
"Birdieing the first two was really nice," Clark said. "Then I had a little bit of a lull, but made some great par saves. It was great birdieing 18. Then a little mishap, missed a shorty on one and then a bogey on two, but then got into a nice rhythm. Everything was clicking."
Sam Stevens was the pick of the morning starters as he set the clubhouse target with a two-under 68, only for compatriot Max McGreevy and amateur Ryder Cowan to match it later in the day, with four former US Open champions also sitting on two under with holes to complete.
Matt Fitzpatrick has two holes to play, and both Dustin Johnson and Gary Woodland have three remaining, while two-time major winner Jon Rahm completes the group and is tied-second with five holes to complete.
Masters champion McIlroy temporarily held a two-shot lead earlier in the day when an eagle at the fifth lifted him to three under, only for the world No 2 - chasing a second major win of the season - to make a bogey-bogey finish to his opening-round 69.
"With the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score," McIlroy said. "It was a day to really keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here [opening-round 80].
"Went out with the mindset that pars were going to be good and if you could pick up a couple of birdies here and there, that's always a bonus. Really just minimising the mistakes and I did that for the most part today."
McIlroy's playing partner Ludvig Ă…berg also finished on one under, with Tommy Fleetwood a further stroke back, while world No 1 Scheffler was four strokes back after opening with a two-over 72.
Scheffler was joined on two over by Players champion Cameron Young, while Brooks Koepka - the champion the last time the US Open was held at Shinnecock Hills in 2017 - posted a three-over 73 and defending champion JJ Spaun struggled to an opening 77.
"It was a really challenging day," Scheffler said. "If you told me when I was staring at my par putt on the ninth that I would post two over today, I would definitely have taken it at the time. Overall, it was a good battle."
Those in the afternoon wave got the best of the conditions and will be the early starters on Friday, where tee times have been pushed back to 15 minutes later than originally scheduled.
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