Storm spoils Tabuena’s Open debut; Landry leads

OAKMONT, Pennsylvania – Filipino pro Miguel Tabuena’s bid in his first major tournament was reset for another day when play was halted in the first round of the US Open at the Oakmont Country Club course.

The 21-year-old Tabuena has yet to tee off for his 12:30 p.m. flight but severe thunderstorms and rains forced organizers to suspend the play while half of the field stranded on the course or still to see action.

Tabuena will instead tee off at 8 a.m. at the backside with Englishman Lee Slattery and American Daniel Summerhays Friday.

Weather-permitting, the reigning Philippine Open champion will also be among the 78 players who will have to complete two rounds in one day, including world No. 1 Fil-Aussie Jason Day, many-time major winner Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Sergio Garcia and Adam Scott.

Earlier, Andrew Landry shook his head when the horn sounded signaling yet another delay at drenched Oakmont.

Ten feet away from completing the round of his professional life, the world’s 624th ranked golfer had to settle for going to bed with his name atop the leaderboard Thursday at the stop-start US Open.

When play was stopped for a third and final time just before 4 p.m., Landry glanced at his caddie, picked up his ball mark and shrugged his shoulders.

Sure he would have liked a shot at that birdie putt he set up with a mid-iron from 183 yards on the par-4 ninth – his last hole of the day – before the storms rolled through again. For now ending his first day ever in a major tournament at 3 under with the rest of the 156-player field looking up at him will have to do.

“I’ve hit the ball really well today and just made a bunch of putts and just kept it going,’’ said Landry, who earned a spot by surviving sectional qualifying in Tennessee last week.

And going. And going. Heady territory for three-time All-American at Arkansas who has struggled generating any kind of momentum since turning pro in 2009. Landry arrived at Oakmont making the cut just five times in 11 events during his rookie year on the PGA Tour, including a career-best tie for 41st last week in Memphis. – With AP