By the end of Thursday at the 2021 U.S. Open, there was a tie atop the leaderboard at Torrey Pines Golf Course in San Diego. However, not every golfer finished his first round, as play was suspended because of darkness.
Russell Henley and Louis Oosthuizen are both at four under par. While Henley shot a 67 to begin the tournament, Oosthuizen still has two holes to play in his opening round, meaning he could take sole possession of the lead before the second round begins.
Francesco Molinari and Rafa Cabrera Bello each shot a 68 and are one stroke back of the leaders, while Jon Rahm and Brooks Koepka are among the five golfers who shot a 69 and are two back.
Before the second round gets underway, here's some daily fantasy advice to consider Friday, with all DFS prices via DraftKings.
Koepka, Rahm Will Both Be Safe High-Cost Plays Again
Rahm and Koepka were two of the favorites heading into the U.S. Open, and that remains the case ahead of the second round. Sitting two strokes back of the leaders, both are likely to stay near the top of the leaderboard all weekend and be contenders to win come Sunday.
It's no surprise that Koepka ($9,400) is playing well at the U.S. Open. He won the tournament in both 2017 and 2018, and he's shot in the 60s in 11 of his past 14 rounds at the event after ending up at 69 in Thursday's opening round.
"I've just got a good game plan, focused. I know what I'm doing, and I don't try to do anything I can't," Koepka said, per Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press. "It's just all about discipline in a U.S. Open. That's, I guess, the gist of it."
Rahm ($10,500) has never won a major, but he's had success at Torrey Pines, as he notched his first PGA Tour victory at the course in the 2017 Farmers Insurance Open. He also plays well there nearly every round, so he should keep that going over the next three days.
While Rahm and Koepka will take a sizable amount from your DFS budget, they are reliable golfers who should impress again Friday and continue to play well throughout the tournament.
Expect Lowry to Fare Better in the 2nd Round
Shane Lowry isn't too far down the leaderboard (tied for 41st at one over par) after Thursday's opening round, and he could be poised to start moving up Friday. The 34-year-old has posted some impressive scores at Torrey Pines in the past (breaking into the 60s three times) and could do so again in the second round.
By shooting a 72, Lowry ($7,800) has himself in solid position to make the cut. Not only that, but he should also be a high-value DFS play Friday because he doesn't come at too high of a cost and has the potential to build off his opening round and post an even better score.
Entering the U.S. Open, Lowry had been playing well, finishing in the top nine in three of his previous four tournaments, which included tying for fourth at May's PGA Championship. He's playing well, and there isn't reason to think that will change.
Count on Lowry to post a score better than the 72 he had in the first round. He may even break into the 60s, pushing himself up the leaderboard and potentially close to the leaders.
Wolff Remains a Strong Sleeper Option
Before taking a two-month hiatus beginning in late April, Matthew Wolff's 2021 wasn't going too great. He hadn't finished better than 36th in a tournament, was disqualified from the Masters Tournament for signing an incorrect scorecard and missed the cut at the Zurich Classic of New Orleans.
Some time off was apparently what Wolff needed, as he's off to a strong start at the U.S. Open, a tournament in which finished second in 2020. The 22-year-old had some past success at Torrey Pines, so it wasn't too surprising to see him open this tournament with a 70, which has him tied for 11th at one under par.
Wolff ($6,600) is still available at a low price for Friday's second round, making him one of the top sleepers to consider. He can get rolling when he's playing well, and based on how he started this tournament, it appears he's in much better form than he was earlier in the year.
Don't be surprised if Wolff posts another strong score Friday. And if he can keep it going, perhaps he will finish near the top of the leaderboard at the U.S. Open for a second consecutive year.
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