PINEHURST, N.C. — Golf is maddeningly difficult but also, sometimes, incredibly simple.
Corey Conners had a fairly straightforward gameplan Thursday at Pinehurst No. 2, and he executed it to perfection.
Conners shot a 1-under 69 after birding his last hole of the day. He missed just one fairway and let his elite ball-striking take care of the rest.
“Certainly would have taken a 1-under par round to start the day,” Conners told Sportsnet. “Feel like I’ve worked hard. But it was a solid day and happy with the result.”
The Canadian, who has never made the cut at the U.S. Open in his career, was tied for sixth as the morning wave wrapped up. He was eighth in strokes gained: off the tee and perhaps more impressively, was seventh in strokes gained: putting.
Conners said he’s “found a feeling that clicked” with his set up over the last few weeks with the flatstick. Even though he confirmed these were the fastest greens he has putted on all year, his start line has been good, and he’s felt he can stroke it freely.
“I’ve had some really good putting rounds over the last few weeks and definitely feeling good with it and taking some confidence and trying to hit putts to make them — it was nice to see some go in,” Conners said. “It was definitely all-around good day but a solid day on the greens and hopefully more to come.”
The combination of hitting fairways, greens and putting it well has meant Conners is firmly in the mix through 18 holes — and that was the plan all along.
“I just struck it really solidly. I was a little bit off with a couple of iron shots but hit a couple of really good ones. When I did miss, I did miss it in the right spots. Really solid day off the tee, got in the fairway a bunch,” Conners said. “When I’m playing well, I feel like I hit a lot of fairways — that was the plan and the expectation for today.”
Conners had an early stumble, making a double bogey on the par-4 2nd. He quickly got those strokes back, though, rolling in a 26-foot eagle on the par-5 5th. Conners said that helped to settle him down and it was smooth sailing after that. He bogeyed No. 9 but made two birdies coming in, including on the final hole of the day to get into red figures.
While the golf course is absolutely set to get more difficult as the week goes on — with hot temperatures in the forecast — but Conners said having scoring clubs in his hands on Thursday meant he had an opportunity to attack the pins.
“I think it’s going to continue to get more challenging. That being said, it’s possible to hit good shots. It’s possible to make birdies and give yourself looks,” Conners said. “Similar game plan for tomorrow — hit it on the fairway. Try to find the green. And see if we can knock it in.”
Conners sits four back of Patrick Cantlay, who shot a 5-under 65 to take the early lead. This was Cantlay’s lowest-career round at a U.S. Open.
“I knew going off at 7:40 in the morning it was going to play maybe the easiest it will play all week with the lack of wind and probably the softest we would see it,” Cantlay said. “I’m really happy with the round I played today.”
Ludvig Aberg, who is making his U.S. Open debut, sits second at 4 under.