Unprecedented US Open Round
Keith Mitchell Records Unprecedented US Open Front-Nine 29 After Dramatic Early Collapse
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Key Points
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Mitchell’s collapse started with a double bogey 6 on the par-4 10th after a hooked tee shot ended in the rough, and he added bogeys on Nos. 11, 13, 14 and 16 to turn at 6-over 41.
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Statistically, the round was unprecedented at the U.S. Open: it was the first time in the competition’s 126-year history that a golfer scored 40 or worse on one nine and better than 30 on the other in the same round (per Justin Ray of The Athletic).
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On the record-setting front nine, Mitchell’s scoring included specifics on key holes—e.g., at the par-4 first (396 yards) he hit a 339-yard drive to leave 51 yards and converted a 12-foot birdie putt; at No. 3 he hit to 3½ feet for birdie; at No. 4 he made a 10½-foot birdie; and on the par-5 fifth he drove 358 yards and hit from 229 yards to 13 feet for an eagle.
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The PGA Tour highlighted the milestone and comparison point in a post on X, noting it was Mitchell’s 15th major championship start, that he went 6-over 41 on Nos. 10–18 and closed with 6-under 29 on the back nine (equaling his best 9-hole score in 231 PGA Tour starts), and reiterating that the only other U.S. Open player with a 29 at Shinnecock was Neal Lancaster (1995/R4/back nine).
Keith Mitchell turned in one of the wildest rounds in U.S. Open history on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills. He shot a 6-over 41 on his first nine holes, then came back with a 6-under 29 on his second nine to finish even-par 70 — two shots off the lead Fox News.
The 29 was a U.S. Open record for the front nine at Shinnecock Hills. It made Mitchell only the seventh player ever to card a 29 in U.S. Open history. According to Times Free Press, it was also the first time in the tournament's 126-year history that any player shot 40 or worse on one nine and better than 30 on the other in the same round.
A Double Bogey Starts a Six-Hole Collapse
Mitchell teed off on the 10th hole in stiff, gusty winds off the Atlantic. He hooked his drive into thick fescue and made a double-bogey 6. He then bogeyed four more holes — Nos. 11, 13, 14, and 16 — to turn at 41 Fox News.
Mitchell later said the damage forced a mental reset. "After the 16th, I was just trying to make sure I didn't play myself out of the tournament entirely," he said. His caddie confirmed they "didn't say a word to each other for three holes" while making the turn to clear the air.
Eagle on Five Ignites a Historic Front-Nine Surge
Once on the front nine, Mitchell caught fire immediately. He crushed a 339-yard drive on the par-4 first, leaving 51 yards to the pin, and drained a 12-foot birdie putt. He added another birdie at the par-3 third from 3.5 feet, then a third at the par-4 fourth from 10.5 feet Times Free Press.
The turning point came at the par-5 fifth. Mitchell drove it 358 yards and hit a 229-yard approach to 13 feet. He drained the eagle putt. "Once the eagle dropped on 5, the momentum was a physical thing I could feel," Mitchell said. He finished the nine at 29 — matching his best 9-hole score across 231 career PGA Tour starts AOL.
Why This 29 Stands Alone in U.S. Open Record Books
Mitchell's 29 is the first ever recorded on the front nine in U.S. Open competition. The only other player to shoot 29 at Shinnecock Hills was Neal Lancaster, who did it on the back nine in Round 4 of the 1995 U.S. Open. Statistician Justin Ray of The Athletic called the combined 41-29 split a "one-of-one" event in the tournament's history.
On his record front nine, Mitchell hit 6 of 7 fairways — compared to just 2 of 7 on the back nine earlier in the round. The field average on the front nine during the morning wave was 36.8. Mitchell played it nearly 8 strokes better than his peers, per PGA Tour ShotLink data.
Wind and Watered Greens Shape the Rest of the Week
Shinnecock Hills has a history of punishing setups. In 2004 and 2018, greens dried out so badly that well-struck shots could not hold the putting surfaces. On Thursday, USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said the organization would "monitor moisture levels" and likely add water to the greens overnight to keep the course playable as winds persisted.
Mitchell entered the second round at even-par 70, sitting two shots behind early clubhouse leader Sam Stevens, who shot a 2-under 68. Stevens called Mitchell's comeback "nothing short of legendary given the wind." Following the 29, Mitchell's odds to win the championship dropped from +12500 before the tournament to +1400, according to DraftKings Sportsbook data AOL.
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