Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, the young Danish sensation who has only ever participated in one major, is just three shots off the lead at the U.S. Open, despite missing the cut at the PGA Championship.

The 125th US Open's first round at Oakmont, notorious for its punishing course and treacherous rough, saw many high-profile players falter. Bryson DeChambeau, the defending champion, could only manage a three-over par score, while Rory McIlroy struggled to keep pace with his Pinehurst No. 2 adversary, falling a shot behind.

Scottie Scheffler, the world No. 1 and hot favourite, also found himself stuck at three-over.

However, one name near the top of the leaderboard came as a surprise.

Neergaard-Petersen turned pro in 2023 and promptly joined the European Challenge Tour and the DP World Tour. Despite being relatively unknown, he unexpectedly soared up the leaderboard at Oakmont, catching everyone's attention.

In his second major appearance, the 25 year old started strong with a birdie on the first hole and an eagle on No. 4, putting him just one stroke behind the leader.

He stumbled with a bogey on the eighth but quickly recovered with a birdie on the ninth, finishing the front nine at three-under.

His impressive round was nearly derailed by consecutive bogeys on the 15th and 16th holes, but Neergaard-Petersen managed to steady his nerves. He concluded with back-to-back pars, carding a one-under round.

Neergaard-Petersen is not only in the running to make the cut but also to clinch the U.S. Open title. If he can maintain his current form, he could become one of the youngest U.S. Open champions in history.

Ranked 91st by the Official World Golf Rankings, Neergaard-Petersen has seen a meteoric rise in his professional career. Despite not yet securing a win on either the DP World Tour or the PGA Tour, the Danish player is widely recognised as one of golf's rising stars.

His three professional victories have all been on the HotelPlanner Tour, with wins in Kolkata, UAE, and Bavaria. His triumph in India set him on the path to success, and his subsequent victories earned him an automatic promotion to the DP World Tour.

Since then, he has finished second twice on golf's two biggest tours, along with three other top tens since the start of the year. Now, Neergaard-Petersen is aiming to make a significant impact.

Neergaard-Petersen cites Ludvig Aberg as a source of inspiration. However, he currently leads the Swede by three shots going into the second round.

Neergaard-Petersen will tee off on the second day of the 2025 U.S. Open as part of the early starters on Friday, 13 June.