Patrick Reed has not been a contender at the majors outside of Augusta National since joining the LIV Golf tour, but he is looking to change that at this week's U.S. Open at Oakmont.Reed got his third major of the year going in the afternoon wave on Thursday and he wasted no time rising to the front page of the leaderboard.After a bogey on the par-4 second, Reed striped his drive on the par-5 fourth into the fairway. On his second shot, the 2018 Masters champion hit a perfect shot with a fairway wood from 286 yards that just trickled into the hole for an albatross.Reed launched himself into contention with that one shot, getting to 2-under par for his round and comfortably into the top five.The incredible two on the par 5 was just the fourth albatross at the U.S. Open in recorded history and the first since 2012 when Nick Watney made one, according to Justin Ray.Reed followed that spectacular shot up with a bogey on the fifth, but got back to 2-under with a birdie on the par-3 sixth hole. Despite another bogey on No. 9, he I still in a strong position at 1-under par at the turn.The American has finished in the top 15 in six of his last eight appearances at The Masters, including his victory in 2018, but has struggled to contend at the other three majors on the calendar. He missed the cut at the PGA Championship in May and has not recorded a top 20 finish at the U.S. Open since 2021.Reed has had a rocky season on the LIV tour as well, with just three top 10s in eight starts.However, his short game wizardry could help him plenty at Oakmont, which is wreaking havoc on some of the best in the world around the greens.Reed is in early contention during his first nine of the tournament and will be hoping to stay there through the weekend. Regardless of how the rest of his U.S. Open goes, he has a little history he can take home with him.More Golf: Rory McIlroy Skips Media, Suffers Tragic U.S. Open Finish to Forget