U.S. Open Round 1 Recap: Oakmont Bites, Rahm Roars, and GGG Picks Get Tested

Round 1 at Oakmont Country Club is in the books—and in true Oakmont fashion, it came out swinging. Fast greens, tight fairways, and punishing bunkers delivered chaos across the board. While some of the game’s biggest names held steady, others got chewed up and spit out by this Pennsylvania monster.

Let’s break down the early headlines—and see how things are shaping up in Golf’s Greatest Gamble, where every stroke impacts the weekly payouts and, of course, the season-long Majors Side Bet.

Oakmont Delivers Brutality and Beauty

Oakmont didn’t disappoint. The average score hovered above 73, with players grinding to keep bogeys off their card. Only a handful found red numbers, and fewer still looked comfortable. With brutal pins and unforgiving greens, Thursday reminded everyone: the U.S. Open doesn’t give—it takes.

Top of the Board: Rahm, Koepka, Morikawa Make Statements

  • Jon Rahm silenced any pre-tournament doubts with a clinical 69. He looked locked in from tee to green, navigating Oakmont’s greens with the composure of a major champion.

  • Brooks Koepka once again proved that majors are his territory. A cool, confident 68 put him one shot off the early lead and very much in the hunt.

  • Collin Morikawa quietly delivered a sharp 70, positioning himself perfectly for a Friday charge.

  • Russell Henley, Xander Schauffele, and Ludvig Åberg also turned in solid 72s—keeping themselves in the mix while others fell away.

Trouble on Day One: LIV Struggles, Scheffler Fights

  • Scottie Scheffler, the world number one, posted a frustrating 73. While not out of it by any means, his putter once again betrayed him.

  • Bryson DeChambeau (+3) and Harris English (+3) both stumbled, while Hideki Matsuyama, Fleetwood, and Niemann shot +4 or worse.

  • Sepp Straka (+8) and Shane Lowry (+9) might already be turning their focus toward Royal Troon.

GGG Pick Breakdown: The League’s Eye for Talent

Here’s how the GGG field fared after Day 1, with some picks soaring and others… not so much:

SelectionOWGRRound 1
Brooks Koepka42568 🔥
Jon Rahm7769 🔥
Collin Morikawa470
Russell Henley770
Xander Schauffele372
Ludvig Åberg672
Ryan Fox3272
Sam Burns2272
Scottie Scheffler173
Bryson DeChambeau1073
Harris English1773
Tommy Fleetwood1374
Hideki Matsuyama974
Joaquin Niemann7975
Sepp Straka878
Shane Lowry1279 ❌

Mulligan Watch:

Matt played it smart, burning his mulligan early by switching from Joaquin Niemann (75) to Jon Rahm (69) after Round 1. That 6-shot swing could prove massive by Sunday evening.

What’s at Stake in the Majors Side Bet

With Alan and Dan riding two-for-two perfect major picks into Oakmont, pressure is building. If either landed on Rahm, Koepka, or Morikawa, their stranglehold could tighten. But a misstep—especially with a missed cut—could blow the race wide open for Karen, Mike, Nicole, and others lurking just a few million back.

Looking Ahead to Round 2

Expect the cut line to hover around +4 or +5. Friday will be all about survival and separation. Oakmont won’t ease up—and neither will the stakes in GGG. Whether you’re gunning for the win, clinging to a Rahm pick, or watching your major dream go up in smoke, one thing’s clear:

Round 2 will be ruthless.

Stay sharp, stay hopeful, and may your guy find the fairway.

— The Commish

Comments

Post a Comment