LIV Golf's 15 US Open players combine for 53-over on day 1

Two-time major winner Dustin Johnson and 2021 US Amateur champion James Piot led 15 LIV Golf Series players by cracking par in Thursday's first round of the US Open.

Johnson fired a two-under par 68 at The Country club to share seventh, two strokes behind leader Adam Hadwin of Canada, with fellow American Piot on 69 to share 14th.

But the Saudi-backed upstart group's talent went a combined 53-over par on Thursday, including Phil Mickelson firing an eight-over 78 on his 52nd birthday to share 144th place.

South African Louis Oosthuizen shot 77, Australia's Jed Morgan had an 82, Spain's Sergio Garcia shot 74 and South African Branden Grace was on 76 after sharing third in last week's LIV Golf debut event in England.

Golf's great divide was a major sub-plot as LIV Golf rebels and US PGA Tour stars were both allowed in the field of 156.

The US Golf Association chose not to follow a PGA Tour ban of 17 golfers who played in last week's LIV Golf debut in England, instead staying faithful to this year's US Open qualifying standards.

LIV Golf offers the largest purses in the sport's history at $25 million per regular-season event, $7.5 million more than this week's US Open prize money total.

England's Matt Fitzpatrick, who won the 2013 US Amateur at The Country Club, played alongside Johnson and said there was nothing awkward just because the American had jumped from the PGA to LIV.

"No. No. DJ is still DJ," Fitzpatrick said. "I really enjoy playing with DJ. He is a great guy, and he compliments you on good shots, which is more than some players do. In my opinion, he's a down-to-earth guy."

Johnson, who won $625 000 for taking eighth at the LIV Golf opener, missed the green and made bogey at the par-3 second but birdied from 10 feet at