LOS ANGELES — Rickie Fowler of the United States plays his shot from the seventh tee during the first round of the 123rd U.S. Open Championship at The Los Angeles Country Club on June 15, 2023. | Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Rickie Fowler’s game has been rounding into form as of late, but no one saw this record-breaking performance at the U.S. Open coming.
The U.S. Open is supposed to be the most demanding test in golf. But Rickie Fowler made it look easy Thursday.
He made ten birdies, setting a new U.S. Open record, and shot a superb 8-under 62—the lowest round in U.S. Open history.
His 62 at the Los Angeles Country Club breaks Jack Nicklaus’ U.S. Open record and ties the lowest round ever shot in a major championship. Branden Grace fired a 62 at Royal Birkdale during the third round of the 2017 Open Championship.
Fowler began his record-breaking round with a birdie on the 10th hole, a par-4 that has yielded plenty of scoring opportunities thus far.
He bogeyed the tough par-3 11th but bounced back with birdies at 12 and 14.
On the difficult 16th hole, Fowler poured in another birdie but gave it back with a bogey at 17.
Fowler then birdied 18 to go out with a 3-under par 32. His birdie at 18 marked the first of four straight as the Southern Californian went on to birdie 1, 2, and 3.
By the time he arrived at the drivable but tricky par-4 6th hole, Fowler sat at 6-under par and held the solo lead.
He proceeded to birdie the 6th, but his most interesting, and most impressive score came at the par-5 8th hole.
Fowler pushed his drive right of the fairway and ended up in the barranca.
No problem for Fowler, as he proceeded to chip out to the fairway. He hit his third to 15 feet and poured that putt in for his 10th birdie of the day.
Fowler was a magician with his putter Thursday, relying on the flat stick to launch himself to the top of the leaderboard.
If that round was not insane enough, Xander Schauffele, playing one group behind Fowler, managed to also post a record 62. They both hold a five-shot lead over the next closest, Bryson DeChambeau.
