BROOKLINE, Mass. – The top five players in the world Rory McIlroy, Jon Rahm and Justin Thomas were all who overcame parity in Thursday’s opening round of the US Open. Adam Hadwin shot 4 under 66 in the afternoon to take the lead alone.
Still, scattered across the front page of the ranking table at The Country Club, there are some lesser-known names who haven’t fought for a PGA TOUR title in a long time, if not.
It’s part of the mystique of the U.S. Open, as the world’s elite compete on the same playing field as dozens who won their tee times by qualifying for the final 36-hole. After all, the Country Club is where Francis Ouimet, a 20-year-old fan, beat hardcore British Harry Vardon and Ted Ray at the 1913 U.S. Open.
Here’s a look at four lesser-known names in the mix after Thursday’s opening round.
MJ Daffue (3-under 67)
The South African met two-time U.S. Open champion Retief Goosen when he was in high school, and the two are still close.
Now, after a late decision to try to qualify for the U.S. Open due to crossing the security point threshold to secure their first PGA TOUR card via the Korn Ferry Tour, Daffue (sounds like Duffy ) is in the Country Club standings.
He played collegiate at Lamar University, became a professional in 2012, and after a series of agonizing failures in the Second Stage of Q-School, got the start guaranteed by Korn Ferry Tour for the first time. through the Final Stage Q-School last fall.
Money has been adjusted at times for the 33-year-old man, who has struggled with depression amid uncertainty and job loss: in 2013, his wife Kamie’s mother, Jill, tragically died. after stumbling into a corner and being hit by a car. .
“My life is very good,” Daffue said after the opening round. “I have a big family and everyone is healthy, and I think just being grateful for things has taken me a step back, and looking from the outside in … in the end, this is just a game.
“We’re playing against the best in the world,” he added, “and that’s just a privilege to be here.”
Callum Tarren (3-under 67)
The Englishman played collegiate at Radford University in Virginia and went back on several smaller tours before earning Korn Ferry Tour status through the No. 1 spot on the PGA China Order of Merit. TOUR 2018. He returned to the Korn Ferry Tour Q-School in 2019, where after losing his swing for a 7 out of 42 in the second nine of his starting round, he scored a 65 in the final round to win guaranteed starts. to the number.
After missing the cut at the Pinnacle Bank Championship that ended the regular season of the Korn Ferry Tour 2021 last August, Tarren flew home for the birth of his first son, his daughter Sofia. He arrived just in time, spent a few days at home in England and returned to the United States for the finals of the Korn Ferry Tour, where he got his PGA TOUR card.
He secured his place at the Country Club by final qualifying in Toronto, where he played in two with Brandon Hagy. They completed the second round in 2 hours and 55 minutes, returning Tarren to a comfort zone of playing quick rounds as a child. His clubs arrived in Boston a day late, but according to his first returns to Brookline, he was not baffled.
“I’m pinching myself a little bit,” Tarren said as he realized he shared the lead of the U.S. Open through Thursday morning’s wave. “I’m excited about my start, and we’ll see what happens in the coming days.”