Golf at Pebble Beach is different, especially in the U.S. Open. For the professionals, it is a known commodity, a course that they see on multiple occasions each February. For the viewers, it represents an accessible (albeit expensive) public option, a course hard against an ocean, as we have been told golf should be. For the association that conducts the event, it is the ideal course on  which to hold this championship. It allows each qualified golfer to hit driver as often as he dares, yet lay back as often as he desires. Pebble Beach offers familiarity at the end of the continent, a destination sought by most, and a journey measured by an elite few. The first round of the 2019 United States Open championship reminded us of these insights, and it gave us five things worth remembering.

5. Brooks Koepka has a wide-right that he needs to fix

For a guy from Buffalo, wide right has an especially painful significance for this scribe. For Brooks Koepka, it nearly cost him an opportunity to defend his consecutive victories in this event. On #16, Koepka’s drive finished in the right rough, as did his approach to the green. The result: a near-bogey. On #17, his 4-iron flared once again to starboard, finding the first of two greenside bunkers. The result? Bogey. At the 18th hole, Koepka opted to lay back with a fairway metal from the tee, then bombed the ball again to his right, nearly out of bounds. His 2nd was played from the macadam path that borders the hole, and he escaped with another par. Our point? Koepka played the closing stretch in +1, which should have been better and could have been worse. To contend over the next 54 holes, wide right needs to go away.

After playing off the cart path, Brooks Koepka saves par on 18 and finishes with a 2-under 69. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/c18pmIqvqH

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 14, 2019

4. Tiger Woods is … somewhere

Forget Ted Talks. Forget Master Classes. Follow Tiger Woods around Pebble Beach, or any U.S. Open venue, and you’ll witness a golfer who squeezes every ounce of opportunity from himself and the golf course. On Thursday, Woods’ round started with 3 birdies in the first 7 holes. Only an inexplicable double bogey at 5 kept him from a run at the top. 11 consecutive pars followed, some conjured in the mysterious ways of a magician. The 2000 champion at Pebble Beach made an improbable par from beyond the 14th green, after blading a sand shot from the fronting bunker. On 17, he again saved par from the sand, while a 3rd trip to a bunker at the home hole was also fraught with difficulty. Somehow, some way, he managed 70 on the day, a mere 5 strokes behind the leader.

Tiger is all about the par saves today. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/vASl0nPkgP

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 14, 2019

3. Xander Schauffele lies in wait

The X Man has two runner-up finishes in major championships. He tied for 2nd at the 2018 Open championship, and did the same at this year’s Masters. Every facet of his game lends itself to major competition. On Thursday, Schauffele made eagle at the last to reach five-under par, tied with Rickie Fowler, Louis Oosthuizen and Aaron Wise (at the time) for 1st place. As do Woods and Fowler, Schauffele hails from California, and his west-coast familiarity might be what pushes the 4-time PGA Tour champion into the realm of major champion. Whether he hoists the trophy on Sunday or not, Schauffele will certainly be in the mix.

What a finish!

Xander Schauffele eagles 18 to tie for the lead. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/vvINX41qNJ

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 13, 2019

2. A golf course might just survive US Open criticism-does it matter?

Let’s see, Oakmont had bad officiating, Chambers Bay had bad grass. Erin Hills had wide fairways. Shinnecock Hills had Phil Mickelson. Raise your hand if you want to host a U.S. Open. What’s that? No one? (cue crickets chirping.) It’s a tough gig, being the site for a pre-eminent event in the USA, subject to the scrutiny of multiple elements, the carping of unsatisfied competitors. Would Oakmont have been vestal without the DJ affair? Would Chambers have received its due if the greens hadn’t apparently died? What might we have done with the Hills twins, Erin and Shinny? The point is, fans, media and history demand that each playing exceed the previous ones. That shouldn’t be the case. yet here we are. As demonstrated in the introduction to this piece, Pebble is many things to many people. Let’s raise a glass to how a tournament course can be prepped, and an event can be conducted … oh, wait, we still have 54 holes left.

Dustin Johnson does things normal humans cannot. #USOpen pic.twitter.com/lqX2joZHav

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 13, 2019

1. Justin Rose is a major player

We found this out in 1998, when the English lad holed from 50 yards out at the last, on his way to a 4th-place tie and low amateur status. In 2013, Rose established himself as a major champion at Merion, winning a U.S. Open in Hogan-esque fashion. In 2016, Rose became the first golfer in over 100 years to capture an Olympic gold medal. Buoyed by an eagle at the 6th, Rose added five birdies to counteract his lone misstep, a bogey at the treacherous 8th. Just as Pebble is a long way from emerging unscathed as an Open site, Rose has three rounds left to prove himself worthy of a 2nd title in the event. His lead is one slim stroke, but the composure and assurance he demonstrated in round one, makes Rose a worthy contender this week, on the California coast.

History!

Justin Rose finishes with 65, tying the lowest #USOpen round at Pebble Beach. pic.twitter.com/FjOHUHqLq1

— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 14, 2019