US Open: Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele set records and equal major history with brilliant 62s

Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele card record-breaking 62s on historic opening day at Los Angeles Country Club; both post the lowest round ever at a US Open and match Branden Grace's all-time men's major record; watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf

By Ali Stafford

A look at Rickie Fowler's best shots for the record-breaking lowest score in the US Open

Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele ripped up the record books by equalling the lowest rounds in men's major history during a low-scoring opening day at the 123rd US Open.

Fowler became the first player to card a '62 round' at a US Open, mixing 10 birdies with two bogeys to move to eight under in benign conditions on the par-70 layout at Los Angeles Country Club.

The former US Open runner-up equalled the lowest round recorded in a men's major, matching the 62 set by Branden Grace during the third round of The Open in 2017, only for Schauffele to move alongside him shortly afterwards after also making an impressive start.

Xander Schauffelle gives greater insight into how he broke the US Open record and equalled the major record alongside Fowler

Schauffele - playing two groups behind - carded a bogey-free 62 to join Fowler at the top of the leaderboard, with the pair breaking the previous record US Open low of 63 held by six players and most recently set by Tommy Fleetwood in 2018.

How Fowler made a record-breaking start

Beginning on the back nine, Fowler saw a seven-foot birdie at the 10th cancelled out by a bogey at the next before rolling in from 20 feet at the 12th for the first of three birdies in a five-hole stretch.

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Fowler responded to a bogey at the long par-four 17th by holing from 15 feet at the next, with the American then getting up and down from the greenside bunker to take advantage of the par-five first and move into the solo lead.

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The prospect of a record-low round increased when Fowler added to his tally at the second and third, then produced a spectacular save from the sand at the par-three fourth, with an eight-foot birdie at the short sixth hole taking him to seven under for his round.

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Fowler recovered from a wayward drive and being forced to lay up at the par-five eighth to make a 15-foot birdie, bringing further major records into play, before a two-putt par from 60 feet at the par-three ninth - his final hole - completing a sensational opening-round 62.

"It was close to a dream start, in a way," Fowler told Sky Sports. "I wasn't swinging great coming into the week, I had some work to do. I felt like I finally got a couple of things going yesterday. I did a good job of managing my way around.

Fowler set a new US Open record, equalled by Schauffele, after shooting an opening-round eight-under 62 in LA

"I wasn't sure exactly what the number [record] was. I really didn't see a scoreboard on my back nine - until I got to the ninth green and I saw that Xander was at seven [under]. It was cool to see us tagging along."

Schauffele also rips up the record books

Schauffele, who has posted top-15 finishes in all six previous US Open appearances, made the dream start when he made a 40-foot birdie at the par-four 10th for the first of three birdies in five holes.

A run of two-putt pars was ended when Schauffele converted from 15 feet at the first, the first of successive birdies, with the Olympic gold medallist then making a 60-foot putt from the fringe at the fifth to get to six under.

Schauffele followed a six-foot birdie at the seventh by taking advantage of the par-five next to also threaten the lowest round in men's major history, only to also two-putt the par-three ninth and join Fowler in putting his name in the record books.

Schauffele sinks a sublime 60-foot putt from the fringe for his sixth birdie on day one of the US Open

"It was close to a dream start, in a way," Schauffele told Sky Sports. "It's a great start. I hit a lot of really good shots. Rickie was just right in front of me - I saw him marching up the leaderboard - and I was playing really good golf, so I figured 'why not just chase him?'

"[The US Open] it just plays hard and you have to think your way around the property, take your medicine when you can and try to capitalise when you can as well. I played some really good golf and kept making birdies.

Watch the 123rd Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 3pm on Sky Sports Golf.

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