US Open Challenger Thriston Lawrence On Visa Issue That Led To Canadian Open Withdrawal And What He's Finding Difficult About PGA Tour Rookie Season

South African Thriston Lawrence, who gained his PGA Tour card this year, recorded an impressive three-under-par 67 in the US Open first round at Oakmont Country Club.

The current World No. 90, whose best Official World Golf Ranking is 45, has four DP World Tour wins to his name and finished fourth at last year's 152nd Open at Royal Troon.

After finishing T4 at the Soudal Open on the DPWT last month, he feels his game is in a good place. Following round one, he said "Yeah, I mean, I'm playing well. I feel like I'm a great driver of the golf ball. I like to work it around.

"I feel like it (Oakmont) fairly suits me. A lot can change, obviously. It could firm up, it could go soft again. But yeah, I'm hitting the driver really well. I'm putting decent. Iron play has always been fairly good.

"Like I say, I like a tough test, and I feel like from the tee, just the distance I hit it, everything felt like it's, my targets are quite big for the distance I hit it off the tee."

Gaining his PGA Tour card this year, preparation for the third men's Major wasn't smooth sailing, as he was forced to withdraw from the Canadian Open due to a visa issue.

"(I) got into Canada (RBC Canadian Open), but I couldn't get a Visa. South Africans have to apply 400 days in advance," he said.

"So I had to apply before I got my card. Bit odd, that, because I don't like missing events when I get opportunities, but that's the unfortunate thing of having a South African passport.

"But I'm always going to play on the DP World Tour. It doesn't matter if I'm No. 1 in the world or leading the FedExCup. There's a lot of good events at the start of the year and a lot of good events at the end of the year.

"Just going back there, I need to play golf, I need to obviously do what I do and work."

Lawrence has struggled in his maiden PGA Tour season. He has missed the cut in eight of the 10 tour events he has played in, with his best finish, T54, coming at the Puerto Rico Open.

Identifying a possible reason for his struggles, the South African said: "Here on the PGA Tour every single golf course is new. I think Myrtle Beach is the only one that I've played. Missed the cut by one there.

"I think if I manage to keep my card this year on the PGA Tour, next year I will feel like I'm back on the DP World Tour, like everything, all golf courses are familiar.

"You know where is the range and where is everything. Some guys get that quickly.

"For me, I feel like I've adapted because I travel all around the world. But it just doesn't always work as planned."