Keith Mitchell makes US Open history with wild opening round

June 18, 2026 - 20:28

PGA Tour veteran Keith Mitchell etched his name into U.S. Open history on Thursday, firing a stunning 9-hole score of 29 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club. The remarkable stretch came during the opening round of the major championship, a course known for its brutal difficulty and punishing rough.

Mitchell started his round on the back nine and caught fire immediately. He birdied the 10th, 11th, and 12th holes before adding another birdie at the 14th. The real fireworks came on the par-4 16th, where he holed out from the fairway for an eagle. He closed the side with a birdie on the 18th to post the lowest front-nine score in U.S. Open history at Shinnecock Hills.

The feat is even more impressive given the conditions. Shinnecock has a reputation for humbling even the best players in the world, with firm greens and swirling winds that can derail a round in a single hole. Mitchell's 29 tied the lowest nine-hole score ever recorded at a U.S. Open, matching the mark set by Vijay Singh at Olympia Fields in 2003.

Mitchell, who has one PGA Tour win to his name, kept the momentum going on the front nine before settling for a 3-under 67. The round put him near the top of the leaderboard early, a position he has rarely occupied in a major championship. For a player who has often flown under the radar, the historic start gave him a spotlight he has not seen in years.