BROOKLINE, Mass. -- Fighting Illini alumni Nick Hardy and Thomas Pieters, and rising fifth-year senior Adrien Dumont de Chassart each posted solid starts during Thursday's opening round of the 122nd U.S. Open at The Country Club.
Hardy, playing in his fourth-career U.S. Open, hit 13 of 18 (72%) greens in regulation – tied for sixth in the 156-player field – and tallied four birdies on his way to a 1-under 69 in Round 1. He sits in a tie for 14th heading into Round 2.
Dumont de Chassart - in his U.S. Open debut - and fellow Belgian Pieters - making his fourth U.S. Open start - are three shots behind Hardy in a tie for 57th after each carding rounds of 72 (+2) after opening their rounds on the 10 tee. Â
Both opened off of the 10 tee Thursday, and each came back after slipping to 4-over early in their respective rounds. Pieters was +4 through 11 holes before carding a pair of birdies on the par-3 No. 6 Hole and the par-5 eighth to finish at 2-over. Dumont de Chassart answered four bogeys on the back nine by shooting 2-under with three birdies and one bogey after making the turn.
Hardy will be the first Illini to tee off in Round 2 on Friday, starting off of the 10 tee at 6:56 a.m. ET/5:56 a.m. CT. Â Pieters and Dumont de Chassart tee off of No. 1 at at 7:29 a.m. ET/6:29 a.m. CT and 8:46 a.m. ET/7:46 a.m. CT, respectively.
