US Open Fog Delay
US Open Golf Play Resumes After Two-Hour Fog Delay; Rain and Strong Winds Forecasted
Key Points
Under Rule 5.7 after the horn: players in a group that has already started a hole may either stop play or play out the hole, but “players and groups are not allowed to start a new hole after the horn sounds.”
USGA Rules Department member Jay Roberts said that while there were some breaks in the fog at 7:40 a.m., conditions were “not good enough to play” and golfers would likely be “signaled to come off the course.”
Officials sounded three horns at 7:05 a.m. ET and initially held players in place for about 15 minutes before a further 15-minute pause before they were called back.
The delay’s broader weather context included an AccuWeather outlook with rain/wind risks during Round 1—reporting a “better than 50% chance of rain,” along with wind gusts producing “exceptionally challenging golf conditions.”
Beyond slowing green speeds and syringing greens, the setup crew also “modified hole locations” to help prevent the course from becoming unplayable in anticipated harsh conditions.
Fog rolled in from the Atlantic Ocean and shut down the 2026 U.S. Open just 30 minutes after the first tee shot. Officials sounded three air horns at 7:05 a.m. ET on Thursday, suspending Round 1 at Shinnecock Hills after only 14 players had completed at least one hole, according to Golf Channel. Zero birdies had been recorded when play stopped.
Play eventually resumed after a two-hour delay, according to Associated Press. But the fog was just the opening act. Wind gusts up to 39 mph and a better-than-even chance of afternoon rain loomed over what officials were already calling a volatile Thursday at the championship.
'I Can't See the Fairway' — How the Fog Hit
The trouble started before a single ball landed. James Nicholas, the first player to tee off at 6:35 a.m., turned to the starter and said, "I can't see the fairway," according to Newsday. He played anyway. By 6:50 a.m., a dense coastal fog had rolled in from Peconic Bay and visibility dropped sharply across the property.
At 7:05 a.m., officials sounded three consecutive air horns — the signal for a "normal suspension" under Rule 5.7 of the USGA rulebook. Players on the course were held in place for roughly 15 minutes. Then came another 15-minute hold. By 7:35 a.m., the USGA ordered everyone off the course and back to the clubhouse, according to Heavy Sports.
USGA: Fog Is Harder to Call Than Lightning
Jay Roberts, a senior rules official with the USGA, gave the first update at 7:40 a.m. He said there were small breaks in the fog but conditions were "not good enough to play." Roberts explained that fog is a "subjective" hazard. Unlike lightning, there is no sensor that tells officials when it is safe. Each assessment requires fresh eyes on the course.
The key rule at play was Rule 5.7. Three horn blasts signal a normal suspension for unplayable conditions. Under that rule, groups that had already started a hole could finish it. But no group could start a new hole after the horns sounded, according to USGA communications. Play finally resumed at 9:05 a.m., two full hours after the stoppage.
Greens Slowed, Holes Moved Before a Shot Was Hit
The USGA did not wait for the fog to start making changes. Before Round 1, the grounds crew slowed green speeds from a planned 11.5–12.0 on the Stimpmeter down to 10.5, according to TSN. They also "syringed" the greens — a light watering process to reduce how fast balls roll — and modified hole locations across the course.
USGA Chief Championships Officer John Bodenhamer said officials had "pulled every lever" to keep the course fair. The changes were driven by memories of 2018, when Shinnecock greens became so fast that balls would not stay still. With 39 mph gusts expected Thursday afternoon, the crew needed the course softer before the wind arrived.
Morning Starters Face a Double Dose of Bad Luck
The fog delay created a competitive problem. Morning starters like Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy sat on the practice range for more than two hours, disrupting carefully timed warm-up routines, according to The Sunday Guardian. When they finally played, they faced a heavy, moisture-soaked course from the fog and syringing.
Then, as the round progressed, the afternoon wind was forecast to arrive with gusts near 39 mph and a better-than-50% chance of rain, according to AccuWeather data cited by Golf Channel. Players who tee off Friday could face far calmer conditions. That gap may produce a significant scoring difference and a major fairness debate before the week is over.
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