Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele make U.S. Open history with 62s to tie best Major Championship score

Rickie Fowler made U.S. Open history with an eight-under 62 in the opening round at The Los Angeles Country Club to record the tournament’s lowest score and tie the best round shot in any Major Championship, before it was quickly matched by Xander Schauffele.

Playing in the morning wave, Fowler mixed ten birdies with two bogeys to set the early clubhouse pace in Los Angeles before Schauffele - playing two groups behind - matched his fellow American with a flawless eight-birdie effort.

Branden Grace had held the Major Championship record since the Open Championship in 2017 when the South African carded a bogey-free 62 in the third round at Royal Birkdale.

Fowler has enjoyed a resurgence in recent months, recording seven top 20 finishes in his last eight PGA TOUR starts and a two-putt par on the par-three ninth confirmed his name in golf's history books.

Fowler has enjoyed a resurgence in recent months, recording seven top 20 finishes in his last eight PGA TOUR starts and a two-putt par on the par-three ninth confirmed his name in golf's history books.

"It was a great day," he said. "Got off to a nice start making 3 on 10 and just never really thought about a score or necessarily what I was trying to do out there.

"The first few days this week I wasn't feeling very comfortable swinging and wasn't making many putts or hitting very good putts, so continue to get work in on the course as well as in the practice area, and finally a couple things clicked a bit yesterday.

"Then it was more just go out, trust it, and let things happen.

"I knew there was birdies to be made out here, but you have to drive it well and get the ball in position first. Did that, and from there just managed our way around really well."

Only 15 minutes or so later and Schauffele joined him as he made five birdies on his back nine, having also started off the tenth tee, to share the early clubhouse pace at the third men's Major of the year.

"It's not really what you expect playing a U.S. Open," reflected Schauffele.

"But monkey see, monkey do. I was just chasing Rickie up the leaderboard. Glad he was just in front of me."

Asked whether he holds any significance to him to hold the record-tying round," he replied: "I mean, I don't know. It's just Thursday. It's literally just the first day of a tournament. It's a good start."

The record comes on the 50-year anniversary of Johnny Miller becoming the first player to record a 63 in a U.S. Open, during the final round at Oakmont Country Club.

Did you know?

There had previously been six rounds of 63 recorded in the 128-year history of the U.S. Open:

63 (9 under), Justin Thomas, third round, Erin Hills, Erin, Wis., 2017

63 (8 under), Johnny Miller, final round, Oakmont (Pa.) C.C., 1973

63 (7 under), Jack Nicklaus, first round, Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course), Springfield, N.J., 1980

63 (7 under), Tom Weiskopf, first round, Baltusrol G.C. (Lower Course), Springfield, N.J., 1980

63 (7 under), Vijay Singh, second round, Olympia Fields (Ill.) C.C. (North Course), 2003

63 (7 under), Tommy Fleetwood, fourth round, Shinnecock Hills G.C., Southampton, N.Y., 2018