ERIN, Wis. _ The U.S. Open fans sitting in the grandstands that line the par-5 18th hole Thursday at Erin Hills clapped as Marc Leishman concluded his round with a routine par putt.
For the next group, the fans roared after amateur Scottie Scheffler holed one for birdie.
During the opening round of the U.S. Open, the roars were a theme at the closing hole.
Although it was set up at 632 yards _ the longest of any hole at Erin Hills _ No. 18 ranked easiest with an average score of 4.634. And for the 156 players that played the hole, there were four eagles, 62 birdies and 72 pars. Only eight bogeys and three double-bogeys made in onto scorecards.
"A lot of guys were going for it in two," said Leishman, who drove the ball into the rough, laid up to a manageable yardage and two-putted for his par. "I could've easily gotten there in two if it wasn't in the rough."
In Keegan Bradley's group, which also included Kevin Na and Willie McGirt, all hit fairway metals from a swell below a bunker on the right-hand side of the hole in attempt to go for the green in two shots. No player reached the green, but all three birdied.
McGirt finished with a 2-under 70 total, Bradley shot an even par 72 total and Na, like Leishman, finished with a 4-under 68 total.
A day prior to the tournament, Mike Davis, the director of the United States Golf Association, said the hole "lends itself a little bit more to be a risk-reward hole."
On Thursday, there wasn't much risk.
Along with the fact the pin was placed in an accessible spot on the front right of the green, Leishman pointed to the fact that the tee was moved up (the hole typically plays 670 yards) as an advantage for the players.
Scheffler, who shot a 3-under 69 total, said the yardage may have made the difference, but added with a laugh: "It's still a long hole."
After hitting a towering tee shot, Scheffler smoked a second from the fairway, which gave way to an eagle try that missed.
"It was playing a little bit down wind, so I felt more comfortable on the tee," Scheffler said.
Like the wind, the yardage will change as the tournament progresses. How it plays the rest of the tournament remains to be seen.
