Should we have anticipated a fog delay at Torrey Pines? Yes. That’s the kind of thing that happens along the California coast. Should we have anticipated a scorecard like the one that Matthew Wolff turned in? Not in our wildest, sleep-deprived hallucinations. Our guy had five pars out of 18 holes and shot 70. Two of those pars came on his final pair of holes, so through 16 greens, Wolff had eight birdies, three bogey, two doubles … and three pars. There were other odd rounds on the day, but none that ended as well as did that of George Gankas’ star pupil. 36 players were stranded on course overnight and will finish in the morning. Have a look at the five things we learned on Thursday at Torrey Pines.

1. Guys we absolutely should have seen in contention after day one

Start with Koepka. Two-time winner of the U.S. Open, plus mental and physical giant, plus eternal chip on his shoulder, adds up to constant challenge in major events. Brooks reached 4 under par through 11 holes, after his birdie at the second hole. Along with Collin Morikawa and Justin Thomas, the Tallahassee Titan began his day on the inward half. Torrey Pines bit him on the very next hole, and again at the seventh, and he finished his day at 2 under.

Saving par from difficult places is key at the #USOpen

2-time champ @BKoepka knows a thing or two about it. pic.twitter.com/xVeQczcTHm

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 17, 2021

Xander Schauffele is one of those guys who would have won a major title (say I) had 2020 been a normal sort of year. He was on a roll, and the venues suited his game quite well. Two bogeys and four pars on the day gave him 69 on the day, even with Koepka. Most important takeaway from today? All of his birdies came on the inward half. Comfort on the back nine during Sunday’s home stretch would be everyone’s first request.

Tyrrell Hatton is entertaining. His clench-jawed, self-immolating method of conquering a golf course is not one that I recommend that you emulate, yet I can’t help smile each time he directs a debilitating comment at his own visage. He seems to possess that essence that might take him to the top of a major one day. Dude is thick and plays without fear. He had four birdies on the day and waits in the shadows for his opportunity.

2. Guys we absolutely did not expect to be in contention after day one

The law firm of Molinari and Molinari. If hit with the question Which Molinari has a USGA title? at trivia tonight…or tomorrow…or Saturday, go with Edoardo. Two years ago, we would have expected Francesco to be in the thick of things. Now, not so much. Francesco notched five birdies on the day and escaped with a pair of bogeys in his 68. Brother Edoardo, the 2005 U.S. Amateur titleist at Merion, eclipsed younger brother Francesco in the birdie department (six on the day) but had a rough patch of plus-4 from holes 2-6 at the beginning of his round. When you can do this, however, you can erase bogey!

What, like it's hard? ?

Edoardo Molinari dunks one from the bunker! #USOpen

? Golf Channel pic.twitter.com/hU5sXhLnsB

— Golf Channel (@GolfChannel) June 17, 2021

One actual co-leader, Russell Henley, is one of the tour’s most accurate putters. On Thursday, he toured Torrey in 27 putts, which will win the day quite often. Henley hit 8 of 14 driving fairways but found his way onto 13 greens in regulation. That approach won’t play all week, unless the putter remains white hot.

The other actual co-leader, Louis Oosthuizen, gave chase to Phil Mickelson last month at the PGA Championship on Kiawah Island. Did we anticipate a return challenge from the 2010 Open Champion at St. Andrews? Absolutely not. That, dear reader, is precisely why he is challenging. Oosthuizen’s stature demands that he play a straight-arrow game, and Torrey Pines rewards that approach this week.

?We've got a new co-leader. ?@Louis57TM is -4 at the #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qdgcklN4SM

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 18, 2021

3. Guys whose rotten play blew our minds on day one

Webb Simpson was 6 over par when he reached the 10th tee. Then, things got worse. He added a bogey and a double before marking down the day’s only birdie, at 18. Unless there’s a mid-60s round in the offing, Webb’s stay in San Diego will be brief.

Kevin Na might be the best player in history to have absolutely no game for major championships. Na has two token top-10 finishes in 40 career biggie starts. Other than a seventh-place finish at Oakmont in 2016, his U.S. Open record is forgettable. After an opening 77, add 2021 to the flop list.

You're going to hit a hang glider with that flop, Kevin! #USOpen pic.twitter.com/nbwJQ0EqMY

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2021

Justin Rose won the 2019 Farmers at Torrey Pines. What that tells us: he has a nice track record when the course plays like a PGA Tour event. What that does not tell us: how he fares when the USGA takes control of cut lines, green firmness, and putting surface speeds. As far as weird rounds go, have a look at his: par par par bogey bogey bogey par par par bogey bogey bogey par par par. In hindsight, do you think he would eschew the money he was paid in 2014 to jump ship to bad clubs, after his seminal U.S. Open win? Yup. Yup. Yup.

4. Guys we are THRILLED to have in contention

Rafael Cabrera Bello, aka the beautiful goatherd, has long been one of those golfers who should have more wins than his record belies. RCB might have had the day’s only clean card. Birdie at the 2nd, eagle at the 18th, see you on Friday! The Canariano finished top-25 at Winged Foot last September, and perhaps looks to add an even better finish in 2021, thanks to an opening 68.

The eagle has landed for @RCabreraBello ?#FromManyOne | #USOpen pic.twitter.com/kYEHHlKzwW

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2021

Keep it Spanish with El Vasco, Jon Rahm. A victim of Covid two weeks ago at The Memorial, Rahm is in town with unfinished business. Knowing well that he cannot bull his way around a U.S. Open track, Rahm has chosen a more elegant method, and it is paying dividends. After a helter-skelter front nine of birdies, bogeys, and just two pars, Rahmbo settled down on the inward half and finished his round at -2.

5. Guys we see hoisting the trophy on Sunday

Unlike Winged Foot last fall, there are no angles that allow for bomb and wedge play at Torrey Pines. Ultimately, the new prototype for a U.S. Open course will be more Torrey than Golden Age. Length doesn’t matter this year. What wins on Sunday is the golf equivalent of the decathalete. Blend all the skill sets for 96 hours, and you depart with the art. With that image seared into your mind, here are three chaps with a chance.

Hideki

Matsuyama showed us in April that he has the major disposition. If the putter stays warm, the pride of Japan will be halfway to a 2021 grand slam with his second major title.

Matt

Fitzpatrick won a U.S. Amateur the same year that Rose won the Open at Merion. Fitzy is trending upward the last few weeks, and Father’s Day might be the one for him to honor his pops with a major professional title.

Lee

As much as we love a rising-star story, we long for a fading-star comeback. Westy was oh-so-close in 2008, the year of the broken tiger. He has zero major professional titles on his family crest, so does he break through in 2021? I’m not the one to say no.

Making birdies on your honeymoon ??@WestwoodLee gets back to even par at the 121st #USOpen pic.twitter.com/N16gOWS8jf

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 17, 2021