Amateur Ryder Cowan takes the early lead and is tied for second in a strong US Open debut‎

Midway through his round Thursday, the leaderboard showed that the amateur was playing the best golf of anyone at Shinnecock Hills. Cowan, a 21-year-old who will be a senior at Oklahoma, briefly held the lead in his first major championship before finishing with a 2-under 68, matching the lowest round by an amateur at Shinnecock. “Through nine, I looked up and I was 3-under par,” Cowan said.