Little Fred McLeod makes his mark at difficult Winged Foot
Fred McLeod proved during his career that you don’t have to be big to be a great golfer. In the first round of the Virtual 2020 U.S. Open, he proved it again.
McLeod, who stood just 5-4 and barely broke 100 pounds during his professional peak, posted a seven-under par 65 at Winged Foot Thursday to take a one-stroke lead over a powerful field. Playing steadily and aggressively, McLeod made eight birdies against just one bogey on the classic 7,258 yard par 72 course.
He was one of just 31 players who broke par on a day when Winged Foot showed why it is considered among the most challenging of U.S. Open layouts. The field scoring average was 72.63 strokes, more than a half stroke above par.
McLeod fired a three-under 33 on the front side, then hit a groove. His 4-iron at the 190 yard 10th hole stopped just three feet from the flag for a tap-in birdie, and he followed that with birdies at the par four 11th and par five 12th. Both came thanks to his precise iron play, which set up short birdie putts.
His only error occurred at the short 467 yard par five 16th when McLeod three-putted. He made up for it by birdying the 449 yard par four 17th, throwing a 4-iron within six feet and knocking that putt in as well.
Despite his consistently strong first round, McLeod will confront a loaded field of challengers when he takes the tee for Friday’s second round. Byron Nelson will begin one stroke behind thanks to a 66 highlighted by an eagle 3 at the 521 yard par 5 ninth. Nelson reached with a solid drive and a long iron, then holed a 20-foot putt.
Four players are tied for third at 5-under 67, including two-time U.S. Open champion Lee Trevino. The others included 1928 champion Johnny Farrell, 1958 champion Tommy Bolt and 2005 champion Michael Campbell, one of the longest longshots in the field.
Behind that group, however, the immortals were well-positioned. Pre-tournament favorite Ben Hogan and three-time champion Tiger Woods joined 1973 champion Johnny Miller at 4-under 68, three behind McLeod. Gene Sarazen and Walter Hagen were both among a group of six finishing at three-under 69.
Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus and Gary Player were all at 2-under 70. Bobby Jones and Willie Anderson, both four-time champions, finished their first round at even par 72.
Although the favorites generally did well, there were disappointments. Tom Watson, the 1982 champion at Pebble Beach, managed no better than 76 and stood tied for 63rd. Lloyd Mangrum, 1946 champion, shot 75 and was tied for 54th.
Nobody had a worse day, though, than 2013 U.S. Open champion Justin Rose. He took a quadruple bogey 9 at the par 5 12th and wound up at 8-over par 80, dead last in the field.
Here are the leaders’ cards fore the first round.
Winged Foot    4 4 3  4 5 4  3 4 5  3 4 5  3 4 4  5 4 4 – 72
McLeod        3 4 3  4 4 3  3 4 5  2 3 4  3 4 3  6 3 4 – 65
B Nelson       4 4 3  4 5 3  2 4 3  2 5 5  3 4 3  5 4 3 – 66
Farrell         4 4 3  4 5 3  3 4 4  2 4 5  2 4 3  5 4 4 –  67
Campbell      4 4 3  3 5 4  2 3 5  4 3 5  3 3 3  5 4 4 –  67
Bolt           4 4 3  4 4 3  3 4 4  3 4 5  2 4 4  4 4 4 — 67
Trevino        4 4 3  4 4 3  3 3 4  3 4 4  3 5 3  5 3 4 — 67
Here are the first round scores.
Fred McLeod                    33-32-65
Byron Nelson                    32-34-66
Lee Trevino                       33-34-67
Tommy Bolt                       33-34-67
Michael Campbell           33-34-67
Johnny Farrell                   34-33-67
Tiger Woods                      34-34-68
Johnny Miller                    33-34-68
Ben Hogan                         34-34-68
Jim Barnes                         36-33-69
Walter Hagen                   36-33-69
Cyril Walker                       36-33-69
Gene Sarazen                   35-34-69
Willie Macfarlane            34-35-69
Curtis Strange                   32-37-69
Ernie Els                              34-36-70
Hale Irwin                           38-32-70
Gary Player                        37-33-70
David Graham                  35-35-70
Jack Nicklaus                     37-33-70
Arnold Palmer                  33-37-70
Gene Littler                       37-34-71
Payne Stewart                 37-34-71
Tony Manero                    34-37-71
Graeme McDowell         36-35-71
Jordan Spieth                   36-35-71
Andy North                       37-34-71
Rory McIlroy                     37-34-71
Lew Worsham                  34-37-71
Dick Mayer                        36-35-71
Bobby Jones                     36-36-72
Brooks Koepka                 38-34-72
Corey Pavin                       36-36-72
Tom Kite                             35-37-72
Willie Anderson         36-36-72
Alex Smith                         38-34-72
Angel Cabrera                  36-36-72
Ken Venturi                       34-38-72
Tommy Armour        35-38-73
Cary Middlecoff        37-36-73
Billy Casper                        37-36-73
Willie Smith                       36-37-73
Lawson Little                     39-34-73
Olin Dutra                           36-37-73
Lucas Glover                     35-38-73
James Foulis                      36-37-73
Billy Burke                          38-36-74
Johnny Goodman           38-36-74
Dustin Johnson                36-38-74
Gary Woodland         38-36-74
Raymond Floyd                36-38-74
Lee Janzen                         35-39-74
Hubert Green                   38-37-75
Lloyd Mangrum        37-38-75
Ed Furgol                            37-38-75
Ralph Guldahl                   39-36-75
Fuzzy Zoeller                     39-36-75
Julius Boros                       37-38-75
Horace Rawlins                37-38-75
Chick Evans                        37-38-75
Geoff Oglivy                      36-39-75
Tom Watson                     40-36-76
Lou Graham                      36-40-76
Jack Fleck                           39-37-76
Alec Ross                            40-36-76
George Sargent         38-38-76
Steve Jones                       42-34-76
Retief Goosen                  38-38-76
Jim Furyk                            35-41-76
Laurie Auchterlonie     35-42-77
Jerry Pate                           37-40-77
Scott Simpson                  36-42-78
Larry Nelson                      38-40-78
Sam Parks Jr.                     41-37-78
Tony Jacklin                       41-37-78
Martin Kaymer                 40-39-79
Webb Simpson                39-40-79
Justin Rose                        36-44-80