Despite a double-bogey on the 14^th on Thursday in the first round of the US Open at Los Angeles Country Club, Thriston Lawrence managed to complete the day on level-par for a share of 38^th.

On a day on which the scoring was unusually low for a US Open – the first round was highlighted by an all-time record low score of 62 for the lead to be shared by Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele – even-par nonetheless remains a gold standard for the championship which is sure to see scores blow out as the weekend approaches.

The double-bogey came on the 628-yard par-five 14^th, when he hit his tee shot into the fairway bunker 292 yards down the right. He was only able to pop the ball out about 25 yards up the fairway for his second. His approach flew 284 yards to the rough surrounding a greenside bunker 41 yards left and short of the flag. His pitch from there landed in the rough 25 feet left of the flag just over the green, and he was only able to advance the ball 10 feet from there as he landed on the fringe. He took two putts to get down from there.

But he started and finished his round impressively, with birdies on the first and the 18^th. He also picked up shots on the eighth and the 13^th, and made bogeys on two and five. His birdie on eight was particularly impressive as he sprayed his approach to the par-five right into the rough, hacked out over the green and then chipped in.

Lawrence was joined on level-par by amateur Aldrich Potgieter, who had four birdies, a bogey and a triple-bogey on his scorecard. He started his round on the 10^th, and he paid the price on the 16^th for waywardness off the tee as he made a seven on the 529-yard par-four. Another dropped shot on 17 would have concerned him, but he was faultless coming home, with four birdies on the front nine.

Deon Germishuys had a two-over 72 for his first round in a major championship, putting him in a share of 83^rd, while Wilco Nienaber made three bogeys on the front nine and four on the back nine. He had two birdies on the homeward stretch and signed for a five-over to be in a share of 137^th.

Up front, Fowler and Schauffele matched Branden Grace’s 62 for the lowest round ever played in a major championship. They had a two-stroke lead over Wyndham Clark and Dustin Johnson. Rory McIlroy was in a share of fifth on five-under, while Bryson DeChambeau and world number one Scottie Scheffler were lurking on three-under.