Sawt Falasteen - Clark leads by three as US Open second round begins

Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, parred two holes Friday morning to complete a six-under par 64 opening round after a Thursday fog delay left 50 players to finish the first round Friday at windy Shinnecock.

Johnson, the 2020 Masters and 2016 US Open winner, birdied two of three morning holes to finish a 66 with past US Open winners Gary Woodland of the United States and Matt Fitzpatrick of England on 67.

Round two began as the final groups from round one ended, with Clark and Johnson opening with back-to-back pars before Johnson missed a 13-foot par putt and made bogey at the third to fall to three-under while Clark parred to stretch his lead.

Woodland and Fitzpatrick were also three off the pace along with American amateur Ryder Cowan, who sank a 10-foot birdie putt on the par-five fifth to reach three-under.

Clark set the lowest first-round score in a US Open at Shinnecock, breaking the old mark of 66 by Angel Cabrera, Shigeki Maruyama and Jay Haas in 2004 and Nick Price in 1995.

A group on 68 included two-time major winner Jon Rahm of Spain plus Americans Max McGreevy, Spencer Tibbits and Sam Stevens.

Six-time major winner Rory McIlroy was in a pack on 69 that included American Brian Harman and Sweden's Ludvig Aberg among others.

Clark's first round was one off the lowest round shot in a US Open at Shinnecock, the 63 by England's Tommy Fleetwood in 2018.

"Got into a nice rhythm," Clark said. "Everything was kind of clicking."

Clark said the US Open brings a chance at redemption after he smashed a locker in the clubhouse at Oakmont last year after missing the US Open cut.

He was banned from Oakmont until undergoing anger management therapy or counseling and paying for repairs.

"That was a really challenging time and something I've deeply regretted and feel awful that I did that," Clark said Monday.

"But there were so many good lessons in that that really taught me a bunch. I've really come a long way and I'm excited for this year's Open for some redemption and to move forward."

The US Golf Association announced Friday a two-stroke penalty on Chile's Joaquin Niemann for throwing a club on the sixth hole on Thursday, declaring the toss a serious misconduct.

The South American made an 11 at the par-four hole on his way to shooting 78 in round one.

H.Nasr--SF-PST