Rask Shoots 73 to Begin 114th U.S. Open at Pinehurst

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Taylor Sundbom (77, T19) at the 12th tee during U.S. Open Local Qualifying May 6, at Olympic Hills Golf Club, Eden Prairie, Minn. Tom Hoge (69), Tyler Lowenstein (72) and Jon Dutoit (73) claimed the three qualifying spots, the last, Dutoit, by winning a 3-hole playoff. Photos by W.P. Ryan/courtesy MGA.

PINEHURST, N.C. – Minnesotan and former University of Minnesota golfer Clayton Rask carded a 3-over par 73 Thursday during the opening round of the 114th U.S. Open at Pinehurst.

Rask quickly jumped to the top of the leaderboard Thursday as he opened the championship with birdies on the first and fourth holes to get to 2-under par.

Rask made the turn after a bogey on the sixth hole dropped him to 1-under, but began to struggle on the final nine holes Thursday. With three consecutive bogeys, Rask fell to 2-over before a making double-bogey on the 16th to drop even further to 4-over par on the day.

Rask was able to limit the damage by rolling in a birdie putt on his final hole of the afternoon to finish the opening round at 3-over par 73.