SOUTHAMPTON, N.Y. (AP) — Golf is filled with tales of players improving their score by 12 shots over two rounds. Most astounding about Keith Mitchell was doing it in just over two hours.
Mitchell set a U.S. Open record Thursday at Shinnecock Hills when he became the only player to post a score in the 40s on nine holes, and follow that with a score in the 20s on the next nine.
He went 41-29. It added to an even-par 70, and Mitchell still isn't sure what happened. He was coming off a bogey on the par-5 16th, and his first thought was whether he would finish.
“I was thinking about trying to break 80,” he said. “I was just trying to keep in it in the fairway, on the green and maybe have a chance to make the cut. And then it all flipped.”
His 29 tied the Shinnecock Hills record for nine holes set by Neal Lancaster in 1995 (Lancaster is the only player to twice shoot 29 on nine holes in the U.S. Open).
How it started is something Mitchell would like to forget. He went over the par-4 10th green to start his round, took two chips and two putts and had a double bogey. He went over the green on the par-3 11th and made bogey. Going long is to be avoided on those holes.
“All week I've been told not to do that,” Mitchell said. “It's the sum of all fears.”
After a string of bogeys, he hit a good tee shot into the par-3 17th and two-putted for par. He hit another good iron on the 18th and two-putted for par, both of them in the 20-foot range.
Those pars sparked the turnaround.
“There's a lot less pressure when you're 6 over and you're just rocking and rolling,” he said.
He was rolling, all right. The wind switched and was at his back on the first hole, so his caddie suggested he hit driver.
“Best swing of the day,” Mitchell said. It led to birdie, and he was on his way.
He hit wedge to 3 feet on the third, holed a 10-footer for birdie on the fourth, and then hit his second shot to 12 feet on the par-5 fifth and made eagle. He closed out his remarkable round with an approach to 8 feet on the rough nine for his 29.
He might have taken a 70 at the start of the day. He certainly would have taken it after his opening seven holes.
“If you hit the fairway, you have a chance — I didn't do that very often on the back nine — and then you have a chance to get on the green,” Mitchell said.
He did that on the front nine, not missing a fairway and only missing the green on one of the long holes. And suddenly, the game felt easy.
“Fortunately, I hit it really, really well,” he said.
AP golf: https://apnews.com/hub/golf
Keith Mitchell hits from the rough on the 13th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Thursday, June 18, 2026.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
Keith Mitchell watches his tee shot on the 13th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open golf tournament at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Southampton, N.Y., Thursday, June 18, 2026.(AP Photo/Gerald Herbert)
SEATTLE (AP) — Christian Pulisic trained apart from his U.S. teammates on Thursday for the fourth straight day because of his left calf injury, and it is unclear whether he will be available to face Australia on Friday in Seattle in the Americans’ second World Cup game.
U.S. coach Mauricio Pochettino said Pulisic is in a “much better” spot than he was last Friday, when he came off at halftime of the Americans' 4-1 victory over Paraguay after feeling stiffness from a calf injury incurred in training. Pochettino said Pulisic's availability would be determined after he and his assistant coaches meet with the team’s performance staff on Thursday night.
“We’ll see,” Pochettino said. “At the moment, we’ll see. If he’s not available for tomorrow, he will be available for the next game.”
Pulisic did not work out with his teammates earlier in the week at their base in Orange County, nor did he Thursday morning at Husky Soccer Stadium on the University of Washington campus.
The Milan winger joined his U.S. teammates for a pre-warmup huddle while wearing a compression sleeve on his calf, then went inside to do individual work in the gym. Ahead of Thursday’s training session, midfielder Weston McKennie said he did not know much about Pulisic’s recovery, but that he hopes he will be able to play.
“I know he really wants to be in, and he’s doing everything that he can, and the staff is doing everything that they can as well,” McKennie said. “But, that’s also another question that’s better to ask him than me.”
The 27-year-old Pulisic is the most accomplished U.S. player. He helped create an own-goal by Paraguay in the opening minutes last Friday, and assisted on Folarin Balogun’s first of two goals.
His absence could hinder a team coming off its highest-scoring World Cup performance with a wave of momentum. Midfielder Cristian Roldan said the team is aware of the hype around the group and hopes to capitalize.
“What excites me is that the entire world, the entire nation is behind us,” Roldan said. “I think that they enjoyed watching us play, and at the end of the day what we want to do is inspire and motivate the next generation. ... We have to build off it, and that’s the truth. We can’t just talk about it: we have to show out against Australia.”
Should Pulisic not be fit to play against the Socceroos, Pochettino has a few options to replace him, though he did not identify any individual players on Thursday.
“At the moment, we are evaluating all possibilities just in case,” Pochettino said. “And then, we will decide if we have to go in one or another direction.”
The most likely choices appear to be Brenden Aaronson, a winger who had four goals and five assists for Leeds last season, and Marseille forward Tim Weah, who can impact a game with his speed on either wing.
Pochettino’s other options for offense include Gio Reyna, who scored the Americans’ final goal against Paraguay and has provided moments of dynamic playmaking from the wing. Sebastian Berhalter came on at halftime for Pulisic in the opener, while starting midfielder Malik Tillman raised his already impressive game in Pulisic’s absence.
McKennie is hopeful the U.S. won’t have to turn to its reserves to replace Pulisic, and that he can continue to keep his head up during his recovery.
“I think mentally he’s great,” McKennie said. “I think it’s really hard for someone’s mental game to be messed up in these types of conditions in U.S. soccer, and all the guys around, we’re a big family. So, we’re always there to pick someone up if they’re down, and excel them even further if they’re not. So, I think he’s doing good mentally.”
AP World Cup: https://apnews.com/fifa-world-cup
United States' Christian Pulisic celebrates after an own goal by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) controls the ball as Paraguay's Andres Cubas (14) defends during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) dribbles past Paraguay's Juan Jose Caceres during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
United States' Christian Pulisic, right, celebrates with teammates after an own goal by Paraguay's Damian Bobadilla during the World Cup Group D soccer match in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
United States' Christian Pulisic (10) runs with the ball during the World Cup Group D soccer match between the United States and Paraguay in Inglewood, Calif., near Los Angeles, Friday, June 12, 2026. (AP Photo/Jayne Kamin-Oncea)
