Fog steals the spotlight on opening day of U. S. Open

Heavy fog descended upon Shinnecock Hills early Thursday, grinding this year’s U.S. Open to a standstill before the first fans even took their seats. Visibility dropped to near-zero, leaving players squinting at their clubs as if peering through a blizzard. Officials, after a mere 20 minutes, called off the round—despite their earlier efforts to fast-track the day by shifting tee times forward an hour.

The fog had the final say.

A Frustrating Wait for Fans

Those who braved the darkness arrived bundled in hoodies and rain jackets, only to face miles-long lines at a handful of open gates. Once inside, spectators wandered disoriented past bunkers and flagsticks, while a few early starters stood paralyzed on the first two holes, their balls swallowed by the whiteout. The putting greens became the day’s unintended stage, with players stuck in a limbo of practice putts instead of hunting birdies.

Scottie Scheffler’s Foggy Quest for History

Among the hopefuls was Scottie Scheffler, fresh off a major win and eyeing a chance to join an exclusive club—one no American man has entered in two decades. Yet the fog turned his pursuit into a surreal waiting game. Would the weather relent first? Or would the eventual champion emerge from the haze?

For now, the course remains silent, the fog undefeated.