Former world No.1 Adam Scott kept his US Open dreams alive with an even-par 70 in the opening round despite suffering from a virus.
Scott spent the 24 hours before his tee time with a fever and was still suffering from body aches and dehydration as he put his tilt into action Thursday morning, making his round an impressive one.
His 70 left the Queenslander just five shots off the early pace, certainly not out of the mix by any stretch of the imagination.
“I wasn’t feeling 100 per cent at all today so I am very happy to get out with even par.
“I had a fever last night and it was rough but luckily it being a bit overcast and just being out there was a blessing I think because I feel better now than I did yesterday afternoon and I think I may have sweated it all out now,” Scott said.
“My body was aching this morning and I did well to get it around.”
Starting on the 10th, Scott opened his tilt with a three-foot birdie and was two-under with another birdie on the 12th to hold a share of the lead.
But pumping himself full of electrolytes and water on almost every hole kept him a little out of rhythm as he was forced to make several bathroom breaks.
A couple of missed birdie chances on 13 and 14 were compounded by a bogey on the 15th and a pulled birdie putt from 10 feet on the 18th was rued when he made bogey on the first.
But the 34-year-old managed to get back in red figures by making birdie on the second and looked set to be under par until a final hole bogey.
“I am right where I want to be because I am pretty sure on Sunday even par will be pretty close so I’ve got three tough days ahead of me to grind it out,” Scott said.
“Hopefully I will be fine tomorrow.
“Although it was great scoring conditions today and I had it under par its still not easy and it is a four-round tourney. I wasn’t going to win it today but I could have lost it so I think I am in good shape.”