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American Brooks Koepka is back to 3-under for the 2019 US Open, just two strokes back of leading trio Rickie Fowler, Xander Schauffele and Louis Oosthuizen.
Koepka has five birdies in his opening 13 holes and barely missed a long-range par putt on 13 to stay at 4-under par.
As the wind begins to pick up on the Monterey Peninsula Brett Drewitt has picked up the slack for the Aussies.
Despite only hitting four greens in regulation on the front nine, Drewitt has made the turn at even-par after back-to-back birdies on five and six.
Adam Scott and Aaron Baddeley are just one stroke further back at 1-over, with countryman Matt Jones sitting at 4-over through 10 holes.
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Adam Scott is off to a near-perfect start at the 2019 US Open, with the Queenslander not missing a fairway or green in regulation for his first five holes.
Scott picked up a birdie at 11, his second hole of the day, to go into the red numbers early – but he's got some work to do to catch the on-course leaders.
Back-to-back defending champion Brooks Koepka has exploded out of the blocks, making four birdies in his firs six holes to rocket up the leaderboard.
His playing partner Viktor Hovland has produced some unbelievable golf to keep pace with the American, amateur Hovland also at 4-under at this early stage.
Americans Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffele share the clubhouse lead with South African Louis Oosthuizen after that trio signed for rounds of 5-under-66.
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Marc Leishman wanted to take a relaxed approach this week at Pebble Beach and it's paying off early.
The Victorian is well inside the top 20 on the #USOpen standings after a strong fight back on Thursday morning at Pebble Beach.
After starting on the 10th tee, Leishman made two bogeys in his opening three holes but battled back to even-par by the turn, before a string of three consecutive birdies from the 5th hole onwards took him well into the red numbers.
But a dropped shot at the 9th, Leishman's final hole, after leaving himself short-sided with his second shot ended in a bogey, the Victorian eventually signing for an opening 2-under-69.
In his first outing with new caddie Steve Williams on the bag, Jason Day also managed to make some moves on Pebble's front nines with a matching string of birdies from the 5th to 7th holes.
Day gave one back with bogey at the 9th and after dropping another shot at the 17th he responded brilliantly, curling home a 12-footer for birdie on the par-5 18th to sign for an opening 1-under-70.
Fellow Queenslander Cam Smith also produced a birdie up the last to take him to even-par through one day's play, the rising star making three birdies and three bogeys on Thursday to be inside the top 30 as the last of the morning wave hit the clubhouse.
Marcus Fraser was out in the first group of the day and the 40-year-old is already in the clubhouse, Fraser settling for a first round of 2-over 73 made up of four birdies and six bogeys.
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Marcus Fraser was one of the first three competitors on course this morning as the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach sprung to life.
In his fourth US Open, Fraser is playing alongside American Sam Saunders and Mexican Carlos Ortiz.
The other Australians out early on Thursday are Marc Leishman, Jason Day and Cam Smith.
The remaining Australian quartet – Adam Scott, Matt Jones, Brett Drewitt and Aaron Baddeley – will get their crack at Pebble Beach on Thursday afternoon, local time.
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No Smoke and mirrors for Scott
Adam Scott isn’t known for self-aggrandisement, so when he starts talking himself up on the eve of this US Open, you can take two things as read.
Jones a threat in happy place
Sydney's Matt Jones hasn’t missed a trip to the PGA Tour's annual stop at Pebble Beach since making his debut in 2008 and has two top-10s to his name.
Leish keeps lid firmly on
“I’m not setting my expectations too high – I’ve done that before and I know where that leads,” Marc Leishman told the media the day before the 2019 US Open.
CLAYTON: Is Pebble really a links course?
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