Dustin Johnson talks after his first round at the 2018 U.S. Open. Johnson sits at at -1 going into Friday's action at Shinnecock Hills.

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) As Tiger Woods stood in the middle of the first fairway, the last thing on his mind was a 7.

That number was the first thing on his scorecard Thursday in the U.S. Open.

It didn’t get better on his way to another ugly number, a first-round 78.

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”I just didn’t get off to a good start,” Woods said. ”I drove good most of the day, just didn’t do much from there. I just didn’t putt well.”

It wasn’t his worst opener in this tournament. Woods shot an 80 at Chambers Bay three years ago, his most recent U.S. Open before back surgeries sidelined him.

Woods rallied by playing the rest of the front nine at 1-under par. After that, his putting fluctuated from spotty to just plain bad, including four putts on the 13th.

”It was not very good,” he said of unlucky No. 13. ”I was worried about running the (first) putt by, it would be downhill (coming back). I blocked the next one, (and) blocked the next one. It was not very good.”

Nope, it wasn’t…

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. (AP) Kelly Shon played her last six holes in 6 under for an 8-under 64 and a share of the lead with So Yeon Ryu on Thursday in the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Shon had a 7-under 29 on her final nine, the front nine at Blythefield Country Club. The former Princeton star played the five par-5 holes in 5 under with an eagle on No. 8.

”Honestly, going into the round, I was thinking maybe the front nine was kind of going to be the tougher nine,” Shon said. ”So I just was pacing myself, trying to stay in the moment and hit every shot the best as I could. I don’t know, the back side, my putter started getting hot.”

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Born in South Korea, the 26-year-old American is winless in four seasons on the LPGA Tour. She began the final-nine run with a birdie on the par-5 first, birdied the par-3 fourth, par-5 fifth and par-7 seventh, eagled No. 8 and closed with a birdie on the par-4 ninth.

”I haven’t liked this golf course, but to be honest, it’s playing a l..

Ernie Els puts it on the green with his tee shot on the par-3 7th hole at Shinnecock Hills. Sponsored by #Lexus

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Phil Mickelson almost won the U.S. Open once while wearing a beeper – yes, a beeper – in case he had to be summoned for the birth of his daughter. He skipped another one because the same daughter was graduating from high school.

If it seems like Mickelson has been chasing Open titles almost as long as the USGA has been putting the tournament on, well, it’s not that much of a stretch. This is his 27th Open, and his third at Shinnecock Hills, where the first time he played was so long ago the winner hit a 4-wood made out of real wood on the 18th hole to capture the championship.

The way he played Thursday, this Open isn’t going to end much better for Mickelson than any of the others.

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His opening round left him speechless – at least publicly. The player who loves to gab almost as much as he likes to play golf walked off Shinnecock Hills without a comment after shooting a fat 7-over 77 that badly damaged – if not eliminated – any chanc..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Ian Poulter made his U.S. Open debut at Shinnecock Hills in 2004 and didn’t have much nice to say about his experience there or the tournament.

Returning for 12 straight years, Poulter faced all of the classic U.S. Open struggles: Four missed cuts, including in ’04. Just four of his first 42 rounds under par. He has never cracked the top 10. In the last two years, he didn’t make it into the field at all.

”I haven’t enjoyed very many, to be honest,” Poulter said after shooting a 1-under 69 in the opening round on Thursday to take an early lead. ”They’re difficult. They’re hot. They’re stressful. Feels like you’re pulling teeth every single hole you play. How I’ve got any left, I don’t really know.”

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The 2008 British Open runner-up, Poulter said he changed his approach to the U.S. Open and came into the week just hoping to enjoy it. He wasn’t without his mistakes on Thursday – he had a pair of bogeys to go with three birdies – but he ..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. — When you think of celebrity golfers, Jerry Ferrara isn't the first that comes to mind, which is why you'll be surprised if you see him strolling around Shinnecock's grounds this week at the U.S. Open. The actor, best known for his role as Turtle on the HBO series Entourage, is at the Open as an ambassador for American Express, but also as a fan. He's become obsessed with the game, something he credits to the encouragement of co-star Kevin Dillon, also known as Johnny Drama, and the fact that he and the rest of cast had a simulator they spent a lot of time hitting from on set.
While Ferrara will always be known as Turtle, the Brooklyn, N.Y. native has found plenty of success in his post-Entourage career, and not only as an actor. We caught up with him at Shinnecock and talked about his love of golf, the time he got to play with Wayne Gretzky, and whether or not Tom Brady still sucks balls, as he famously tried to tell him in one of Entourage'..

SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) Three holes into his 27th U.S. Open, Phil Mickelson called over a rules official for a question rarely heard.

”Is there a rule that allows me to see the ball when I hit it?” he asked.

There was no relief for Mickelson. Not on the 12th hole at Shinnecock Hills. Not at many others.

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And he wasn’t alone.

Mickelson was in the marquee group Thursday morning, which featured three players who have a dozen majors among them. And because USGA officials try to have a sense of humor, they put together the only three active players who have three legs of the career Grand Slam.

Mickelson shot a 77. He had the lowest score in the group.

Jordan Spieth shot a 78, his highest score in a major.

Rory McIlroy, who came bouncing into this major full of confidence and affection for Shinnecock Hills, was 10-over par through 11 holes. He played even par the rest of the way and shot an 80 for his highest score in the U.S. Open.

How did this happen?

Ha..

Remember when Shaq was in his prime and if he got the ball in the paint it was basically a dunk? Well, Shaq's former dominance has nothing on Oliver Rioux. At 12 years old, he's already 6-foot-10, and he competes obliterates on an 8-foot hoop. Check out these ridiculous highlights:
https://twitter.com/SportsCenter/status/1007341040267943937
The best part might be when Oliver just swats other kids into a different universe. Or when he tries to “hang” on the rim following a dunk only to realize his two feet are still firmly planted on the ground.
It also looks like he's got a nice touch from the perimeter for a big man. Although, we're not sure why he would ever leave the paint. Unless he gets bored dunking on people. Can you get bored dunking on people? Only Oliver would know.
Anyway, Oliver Rioux is the most dominant force in all of sports. At least, until he graduates to 10-foot rims.
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Man, you gotta love minor-league baseball. While the craziest thing you'll see in the majors is a man dressed as Teddy Roosevelt taking a digger in foul territory, the weird, wild world of the minors offers all sort of oddball thrills, from high-concept Seinfeld tributes, to “Pizza Rat” rebrands to perhaps the best special event of them all: Bark at the Park nights. We bring this up, because on Tuesday the Tulsa Drillers—the double-A affiliate of the Los Angeles Dodgers—hosted their own canine carnival and one doggo became an instant internet star in the process:
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Breaking free from his owner, the German Shepherd races onto the field to do what any self-respecting pup would: Field ground balls with the enthusiasm of 12-year-old in Williamsport. After slobbering all over the ball and returning it to the shortstop much to the delight of the crowd, the dog was then corr..