Wyndham Clark established a commanding four-stroke lead before darkness halted the opening round of the US Open at Shinnecock Hills.
The 2023 champion reached six under par through 16 holes when officials suspended play at 8:25 PM due to fading light.
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Sam Stevens finished as the clubhouse leader at two under par, anchoring a group of five players at that score.
Nine others, including Rory McIlroy, sat a shot further back.
Amateurs Ryder Cowan and Preston Stout briefly shared the lead during the afternoon before dropping back as conditions shifted.
Clark took advantage of fading winds later in the day, recording consecutive birdies followed by an eagle on the fifth hole to break away from the pack.
No golfer has held a lead of four shots or more after the first round of the US Open since Tommy Armour accomplished the feat in 1933.
“Everything was kind of clicking,” said Clark, who said this week he’s out for redemption after smashing a locker at Oakmont following a missed cut at last year’s event.
“We were definitely fortunate with the wind laying down.”
Heavy morning fog caused a two-hour delay, forcing organizers to halt play just 30 minutes after local qualifier James Nicholas struck the opening tee shot at 6:35 AM.
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Action resumed shortly after 9:00 AM, making it inevitable that the opening round would carry over into Friday morning.
