Rickie Fowler Beats Rory McIlroy US Open Record

Rickie Fowler is the first golfer in history to shoot 62 in the US Open and he broke another record on Friday at Los Angeles Country Club.

The American began the day at eight-under-par and once again came out of the blocks firing, making three consecutive birdies straight out of the gate to reach 11-under-par.

In doing so, he broke a record that Rory McIlroy set in his US Open triumph at Congressional 12 years ago. Fowler becomes the fastest player to reach 11-under-par in a US Open, with his new record of 21 holes comfortably surpassing the 32 holes it took McIlroy in 2011.

In 2011 at Congressional, Rory McIlroy set a number of US Open scoring records that may just be at risk this week at the low scoring LACC.

McIlroy set the US Open scoring record that week of 268 on the par 71 Congressional, which would take a score of 12-under-par this week to be matched or 13-under to be beaten.

The Northern Irishman's joint-record score to par of 16-under may be safe, though, which he holds with Brooks Koepka who also shot 16-under to win at Erin Hills in 2017. McIlroy also holds the record as the only man in US Open history to reach 17-under-par in the championship.

"It does feel like a lifetime ago,” McIlroy told Sky Sports about his 2011 win this week. “And I honestly think it's the best week of ball-striking I've ever had. I don't know whether I've hit the ball better than that week."

Fowler could well beat the US Open's 36-hole scoring record of 130 that Martin Kaymer set in 2014 at Pinehurst. A second round 67 would be enough to set a new total of 129.

McIlroy's 54-hole record of 199, which translates to 11-under-par at LACC, might also be at risk unless the course toughens up on Saturday.

It might be an easier-than-expected setup this week in LA with benign conditions but there's no doubt that Rickie Fowler has played some excellent golf so far.