US Open backup likely for final three rounds as Tiger Woods predicted

Golf

By Mark Cannizzaro

PINEHURST, N.C. — Let the backup begin.

Through the first 18 holes of the 124th U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, some 14 players are in red figures.

Expect those numbers to begin fading to black as the second, third and final rounds are played.

Before the tournament began, Tiger Woods — who’s won 15 major championships, including three U.S. Opens — predicted that the winning score by Sunday evening would be no better than the leading score after Round 1.

That leading score after the first round is the 5-under-par 65 Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay posted Thursday.

If we’re to believe Woods, who knows a thing or two about these things, expect the next three rounds to look like a backup on the Belt Parkway at rush hour.

Expect the winning score to be no better than 5-under par.

“With the weather cooperating, it being warm, I imagine they can get the golf course as difficult as they want,’’ Cantlay said after his round. “I expect the golf course to play very difficult in the next few days.’’

The players know the course was as score-able Thursday as it’ll be all tournament.

“I knew going off at 7:40 in the morning, it’s going to play maybe the easiest it will play all week, with the lack of wind and probably the softest we will see it,’’ Cantlay said.

“It’s a grind,’’ said Collin Morikawa, who salvaged his round with birdies on his final two holes, including a holed-out bunker shot on 17. “You can’t label a lot of these holes as, like, screaming birdie opportunities.’’

There figures to be a lot of screaming before the end of the week.

There was the requisite carnage that comes with almost all U.S. Opens on Thursday.

Phil Mickelson, who’s been chasing his first career U.S. Open win to complete a career Grand Slam, shot a 9-over-par 79 and needs a miracle to make the cut.

Justin Thomas shot 77.

Viktor Hovland, one of the top players who entered the week in good form, shot 78.

“It’s really diabolical out there,’’ Bryson DeChambeau said after shooting 67. “It was a testament to the patience. I would say from a mental exhaustion perspective, this was probably the most difficult that I’ve had in a long, long, long time.’’

Added Ludvig Aberg, who also shot 67: “Pinehurst is hard as it is. It’s going to be difficult. It’s going to be tricky.’’/

Let the backup begin.

Jackson Suber — the last player in the field, getting in when Jon Rahm withdrew — took advantage by shooting a 1-under-par 69 to stand tied for ninth.

“It’s been a crazy couple weeks,’’ Suber said. “To hear Jon Rahm was withdrawing Tuesday … I didn’t sleep very well after getting the news. But I’ve kind of calmed down, and after the first couple holes I felt at ease … and it felt like a normal golf tournament.’’

Suber, who plays on the Korn Ferry Tour, said he was playing a practice round and was on the eighth hole Tuesday when he got word that Rahm withdrew and he was in.

“I was freaking out,’’ he said. “That was just a really cool moment.’’

Because Rahm was in a marquee group, Suber, playing in his first career major, was paired with Jordan Spieth and Hideki Matsuyama.

“Jordan probably, after Tiger is the most popular golfer in the world, and Hideki is a global superstar,’’ Suber said. “It was really cool to play with them and be up close with them and talk to them.’’

Defending champion Wyndham Clark shot 73.

Martin Kaymer, the 2014 U.S. Open champion the last time it was played at Pinehurst, shot 70.