5 U.S. Open scorecards that show how hard Shinnecock is playing

Golf can be a hard game. Golf at the U.S. Open can be infuriatingly so.

There’s no denying that anyone in the U.S. Open field list has earned the right to be there, but golf doesn’t care about your resume.

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Midway through the first round of the 2018 U.S. Open, this year’s host — Shinnecock Hills — is proving just as ruthless. Only two players have finished below par, while almost 50 finished 5-over or worse.

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Scott Stallings provided a great example of the frustration on the 14th hole. After reaching the green in three, Stallings six-putted, turning in the highest single-hole score so far:

Shinnecock is also proving that there are absolutely no gimmes in golf:

It's been that kind of start for many of the stars this morning. #USOpenhttps://t.co/6NZAT4UPhS pic.twitter.com/ObgSDrl02d

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 14, 2018

MORE: The 5 worst single-hole scores in PGA Tour history

Here are five scorecards that remind you that even professionals can have really rough outings:

Scott Gregory

Gregory won the British Amateur championship in 2016, but shot a 75-73 to miss the cut at Erin Hills last year. This year, he earned a bid through a sectional qualifier, where he finished 8-under through 36 holes.

Still, Thursday at Shinnecock was not kind to him. After a par on No. 1, Gregory bogeyed No. 2, then triple-bogeyed No. 3, and the course never let up. Gregory didn’t card his second par until No. 11, when he was already 13-over. But the course didn’t take its foot off the pedal, as Gregory went 9-over on his final seven holes to finish at 22-over.

MORE: The real story behind why Mike Reasor shot the highest score in PGA Tour history

Sulman Raza

Raza is starting his first U.S. Open, and learning quickly how frustrating the major can be. Raza teed off on No. 10, and carded five straight birdies before settling things with five pars. But five bogeys and one double over his final eight holes saw him finish at 12-over on the day.

 

Satoshi Kodaira

Kodaira has won six times on the Japan Golf Tour, and sat at No. 29 in the Official World Golf Ranking on May 21, earning him his second trip to the U.S. Open. Last year, at Erin Hills, he finished 3-over, tied for 46th place.

Kodaira started on the 10th tee, where he led off with a triple bogey on the 418-yard Par 4. A par on No. 2 settled things for a moment, but the next two holes saw a bogey and a double. Kodaira finished with nine pars, but no birdies or better, leaving him at 11-over for the day.

 

Sung Joon Park

Park must have felt good after his first hole at his first U.S. Open, when a beautiful approach shot left him a tap-in for birdie. But Shinnecock gives, and it takes away. Park posted a double-bogey, then a triple, before one more bogey put him at 5-over through four. One more triple at the 10th ruined a string of five straight pars, and Park finished at 11-over.

 

Rory McIlroy

McIlroy is one of the most accomplished players in the 2018 U.S. Open field, having won in 2011 at Congressional Country Club, and finished in the top 10 two other times. But he’s missed the cut in his past two U.S. Open outings, and 2018 isn’t looking much better. McIlroy was all over the place with seven bogeys, three double bogeys, three birdies and five pars Friday to finish with a 10-over 80 — his highest round in his U.S. Open career.