Virtual U.S. Open Round 1: Small victories

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