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  1. Hatton drops shot at the firstpublished at 15:05 BST 18 June

    Hatton +1 (1*)

    Find the rough off the tee and it's going to be pretty punitive, as Tyrrell Hatton has found out.

    He ends up with 13 feet to save par and can't sink it.

    Opening bogey for the Englishman.

  2. The world number one's seasonpublished at 15:04 BST 18 June

    Scheffler (15:14 BST)

    Scheffler graphic: Wins 1, 2nd place 3, top fives 7, top 10s 7, top 25s 12, events played 12

    Believe it or not, Scottie Scheffler's in a 'slump' as the world number one hasn't one in his last 11 tournaments making it his longest winless drought in three years.

    We have to qualify that of course with the fact he's a three-time runner-up and finished in the top 25 of all 12 events he's teed it up in.

    So he's still playing golf on a different planet to the rest of them, but he's not found the winning touch...yet.

  3. Postpublished at 15:01 BST 18 June

    Koepka E (1)

    Brooks KoepkaImage source, Getty Images

    As always we're on fashion watch and first up is Brooks Koepka and this pink-and-white number.

    He's giving me marshmallow vibes - but are you a fan?

    Hit the thumbs.

  4. Slowest US Open greens in 30 yearspublished at 15:00 BST 18 June

    US OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Usually we have firm and fast greens at the US Open, and Shinnecock Hills has had some of the firmest and fastest over the years - but not this week.

    Green speeds are 10.5 on the stimpmeter, which measures how quick the putting surfaces are, when usually they'd be approaching 12 - which means this week will see the slowest greens in a US Open since 1995.

    "Coming here, 10.5 wasn't our aim, we wanted them to run at 11.5 to 12 but with the wind we've had to slow them down to make sure we're able to play," said the USGA's John Bodenhamer, who sets up the course.

    High winds expected means greens can't be too short or fast as balls will start to roll away, especially a course like this with such sloping greens. It does mean the USGA can get creative with pin placements though, so it will be no picnic for these players.

  5. McIlroy and Fleetwood under waypublished at 14:59 BST 18 June

    McIlroy, Fleetwood, Aberg (14:52 BST)

    When Shinnecock last hosted the US Open, in 2018, Rory McIlroy admitted he was "blown away" by the wind as a disastrous opening round of 80 led to a missed cut.

    But the world number two boasts a stellar US Open record since then - with a couple of runner-up finishes - and has tucked away a couple of green jackets.

    Out with an iron on the par-four 10th - his opening hole - he finds the fairway.

    Ludvig Aberg finds the fairway, too, but Tommy Fleetwood's ball looks to have trundled into the left rough.

  6. The Jackson Fivepublished at 14:59 BST 18 June

    Randy Jackson, Tito Jackson, Marlon jackson, Jermaine Jackson, Michael Jackson, Jackie Jackson performing on stageImage source, Getty Images

    No, not that one.

    We’ve actually got five players with ‘Jackson’ in their name for this year’s event.

    Amateur Jackson Ormond isn’t quite the youngest in the field at 18 – Miles Russell is just 17 – but was only 10 last time Shinnecock hosted the US Open.

    Fellow amateur Jackson Herrington at 20 is also playing his first US Open.

    There is a third amateur, but 21-year-old Jackson Koivun is playing his final event before joining the PGA Tour next week.

    The most-fancied Jackson is probably Suber, the world number 128, who finished fourth at both the Canadian Open last week and at the Byron Nelson a month ago.

    Finally, Van Paris plays his trade on the Korn Ferry Tour and is ranked 704th in the world.

  7. Syringing greens 'makes sense' - McIlroypublished at 14:59 BST 18 June

    McIlroy (14:52 BST)

    In each of the two previous US Opens at Shinnecock Hills the USGA has come in for criticism over the state of the greens - namely that they have been too quick and at times barely playable.

    But this time around the plan is to syringe greens between waves Thursday and Friday, which basically means adding a light layer of water down to hydrate grass leaf blades, preserve turf health and reduce stress on the poa annua putting surfaces.

    Due to forecasted winds, the USGA's aim is to also have the greens at the mid 10s (the slowest at a US Open since 1995) on the stimpmeter, down from the 11½ to 12 that was originally planned.

    "Look, it's a unique golf course. The members at Shinnecock will tell you they do that every single day. Every single day at this course the members play, they put water on the course at 14:00," said the Northern Irishman.

    "So it's a unique golf course, and it seems like it's just something they have to do. My concern was you don't want to look as if you've lost the golf course and you're starting to put water on it, which is I don't think what they're going to do.

    "I think, especially with the heaviness of the wind on Thursday, it's probably prudent to do that."

  8. get involved

    Get Involvedpublished at 14:57 BST 18 June

    Use form at top of page

    Suggesting that the USGA is ensuring the course remains fair by softening the greens at Shinnecock is a widely held misconception. They are wetting the leaf of the turf only to allow the plant to cool and thereby stay healthy and playable during hot, windy days. It’s called syringing.

    Michael, Cumbria

    Let's hope it pays off, Michael.

  9. McDowell takes solo leadpublished at 14:56 BST 18 June

    McDowell -2 (2*)

    Graeme McDowell's having fun out there! After that opening birdie, he knocks one to eight feet at the par-three 11th and rolls in his eight-footer for a two.

    Dream start.

  10. Can Fleetwood go low again?published at 14:54 BST 18 June

    Fleetwood (14:52 BST)

    US OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Tommy Fleetwood has every reason to fancy his chances as he tees it up at Shinnecock Hills again, as his last round here in 2018 was one of the greatest rounds ever seen in major championship golf.

    Brooks Koepka won the US Open that year with Fleetwood just missing a late putt to finish one shot back, but you couldn't blame him as he produced a truly incredible round of 63 on Sunday.

    He was two shots better than anyone else on the course in that final round, with only 15 players shooting under par - and three players shooting 80 around Shinnecock's punishing fast and firm course.

    Fleetwood took it apart though, so don't be surprised if the Englishman sticks in another low one, especially on Sunday - as he's also one of just two men to shoot 63 in the final round of the US Open, and the only one to do it twice!

    So if Fleetwood's in touch after three rounds watch out for another flying finish.

  11. Centurion Scott emulates Golden Bearpublished at 14:52 BST 18 June

    Scott (15:03 BST)

    Adam Scott US OpenImage source, Getty Images

    Adam Scott played in his first major Championship at the Open in 2000.

    His appearance at Shinnecock Hills, 26 years on from that marks his 100th consecutive major appearance. The 2013 Masters champion becomes only the second player after Jack Nicklaus to accomplish that feat.

    Jordan Spieth is on the next-longest run, he makes his 53rd major appearance in a row this week.

  12. McIlroy meets the fans on practice daypublished at 14:50 BST 18 June

    Media caption,

    How many autographs does McIlroy sign at the US Open?

  13. Sand save for Brookspublished at 14:50 BST 18 June

    Koepka E, Young E, Gotterup E (1)

    Nothing much wrong with Brooks Koepka's grip as he played a beauty out of the bunker, knocking it sone dead for an easy par - you need good hands to play that shot.

    Cameron Young also produces a stunning up and down, which you'll need plenty of this week at Shinnecock, while Chris Gotterup shows just how slow these greens are by barely getting it halfway to the hole from 12 feet, but makes his par.

  14. Tyrrell's time?published at 14:46 BST 18 June

    Hatton (14:41 BST)

    Tyrrell HattonImage source, Getty Images

    At last year's US Open, Tyrrell Hatton was right in the mix but watched from the clubhouse as JJ Spaun drained from 65 feet to clinch the title. The Englishman clapped magnanimously as he finished in a tie for fourth.

    Still to win his first major, Hatton has been trending in the right direction. Third at the Masters this year and last week he won at LIV Golf's event in Andalucia, holding off home favourite Jon Rahm down the stretch.

    It was a great way to celebrate the birth of his first child in May.

    Tough, uncompromising Shinnecock Hills, where he finished sixth in 2018, may be perfect for this tough, uncompromising Englishman.

  15. McDowell starts with birdiepublished at 14:43 BST 18 June

    McDowell -1 (1*)

    After a six-year absence from majors, Graeme McDowell admitted he arrived this week with no shortage of "trepidation".

    But the 2010 champion has just begun his tournament with an excellent birdie three at the 10th, sinking a 24-foot.

    Rolling back the years!

  16. How bad was the fog this morning?published at 14:43 BST 18 June

    US OpenImage source, Getty Images

    I've played in worse....

  17. Carnage incomingpublished at 14:40 BST 18 June

    Shinnecock HillsImage source, Getty Images

    Now if anyone has been looking at the socials from practice rounds this week, they will understand how devilishly tough Shinnecock Hills is to play.

    If you're a high handicapper the chance of getting round here in under 130 is pretty slim.

    And even the best players in the world have been posting videos to show the absolute filth of trying to play out of the prairie grass that adorns fairways.

    Oh and if you slightly overcook a putt in the wrong spot your ball could go tumbling so far off the green you’ll be chipping back on.

    Since the second round of the 2004 US Open, 578 scorecards have all included at least one bogey on them of worse and over the previous four US Opens held here only three players out of 624 have finished under par for the week.

  18. Why Shinnecock may not offer the US Open test it has in the pastpublished at 14:39 BST 18 June

    Iain Carter
    BBC golf correspondent

    Lessons have been learned, insist organisers of the US Open after the past two visits to Shinnecock Hills descended into controversy over brutal and ultimately substandard set ups of the Long Island layout.

    US Opens are invariably about the golf course and the way it is laid out to test the world's best players, but whenever America's national championship is staged at Shinnecock there seems an extra dimension to the extremity of the examination.

    It is a unique venue. This is probably the closest the event comes to being played on a links course.

    It is not quite on the shoreline, but is treeless, windswept and exposed, and the links-like turf runs fast and firm.

    Sometimes too fast and firm.

    Read more

  19. Koepka starts Shinnecock defencepublished at 14:38 BST 18 June

    Koepka, Young, Gotterup

    Brooks Koepka tees off as he looks to defend the US Open title he won when the tournament was last played at Shinnecock in 2018 - and he knows a thing or two about going back-to-back doesn't he?

    Koepka arrives with a hand injury that forced him out of last week's PGA Tour event, just when it looked like he'd found a solution to his poor putting this season - which has held him back as his iron play has been sensational.

    Cameron Young is the Players champion and with two top-five finishes in his last four majors will surely contend again.

    And watch out for Chris Gotterup here - he won the Scottish Open last year and then came third in The Open so he can certainly play in these kind of conditions, plus he's won twice already this year so he must have a serious chance.

  20. Rory on course conditionspublished at 14:32 BST 18 June

    McIlroy (14:52 BST)

    Media caption,

    USGA will have to be wary of course conditions at Shinnecock Hills - McIlroy