Oakmont leaves Rory McIlroy lost for words after horror finish

Yahoo

20 hours ago

For a fifth straight day at the majors, Rory McIlroy refused to talk to the media, although after this experience in the opening round here at the 125th US Open perhaps his silence was understandable. Oakmont must have left him lost for words.
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Two-under on his first nine, six-over on his second nine and a 74 which did not make much sense. It left him eight off the lead and in danger of missing his second cut in as many weeks.
He might take consolation from the fact that world No 1 Scottie Scheffler and defending champion Bryson DeChambeau both also struggled in their own 73s, but the truth is McIlroy does not seem himself. Not technically, not mentally.
Starting on the 10th, the toughest course in the game appeared straightforward enough when the world No 2 reeled off seven pars and two birdies.
On the par-five 12th, he hit his longest drive of the season - 392 yards - and the overwhelming at that point was that he had finally shrugged off his Augusta hangover and is coming to terms the realisation that he has achieved everything in the sport he set out to, with the greenjacket and the career grand slam.
But then, the charge suddenly became a rapid retreat. There was a three-putt bogey on the first (his 10th), despite a booming 378-yard drive to the left of the fairway, and on the par-five fourth he was forced to hole a 30-footer to limit the damage to a bogey, after becoming entangled in the thick stuff after an errant tee-shot.
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He yanked six-footers on the sixth and seventh and on the par-three eighth - measuring a frankly ridiculous 276 yards - he fluffed a chip in the ankle-deep rough surrounding the green, before failing to get up and down.
A double-bogey five left him shaking his head - not just on that putting surface but to the media officer afterwards who asked if he would deign to address the assembled press. He had said no after each round at last month's USPGA - where he came tied for 47th - so the negative response was hardly a surprise. McIlroy took the fifth.
His four-over effort was actually far from disastrous - playing partners Justin Rose and Shane Lowry, fired a 77 and a 79 respectively - but it does leave him vulnerable to missing his first US Open cut in seven years after a run of six top 10s, including runners-up in the last two.
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The problem he has is that his iron play is poor and driving is still off, even though he reverted this week to the TaylorMade Qi10 model with which he won the green jacket. McIlroy hit seven out of 14 fairways and that is not enough when the rough is this juicy and the greens are this fast.
With conditions firming up, Oakmont will likely be yet more severe when the 36-year-old resumes on Friday afternoon. JJ Spaun, the American who McIlroy beat in a play-off at The Players in March, is barely in sight and with the likes of the resurgent Brooks Koepka on two-under and Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth on one-under, the challenge is already daunting.
McIlroy could do with a performance as that of 34-year-old Spain. What a round this by the world No 25 who, regardless of having only one Tour win on his CV can no longer be referred to as a journeyman.
Spaun also started on the 10th and reached the turn at four-under and setting a new record for the fewest number of strokes - 31 - for any opening nine holes in a US Open at Oakmont. Spaun was the only player in the early wave to go bogey-free, although perhaps his most startling stat was that he missed six greens in regulation but made par on each occasion.
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These are the sloppiest and quickest green complexes in the world and, by and large, they are flanked by brutal rough. 'Yeah, I scrambled ok,' he said, laughing while acknowledging the absurdity of his understatement.
Yet, maybe his greatest escape came on the fourth when he drove into the iconic 120-yard bunker on the fourth. He found himself up a bank in the hazard that is known as 'The Church Pews' - he truly did not have a prayer. But somehow he found a route out and was soon tapping in for a par five.
'That kept my momentum going,' said Spaun, who was in the clubhouse, one ahead of South African Thriston Lawrence. 'I kind of came out here with no prior history at Oakmont, not really knowing what to expect even US Open-wise. This is only my second one. I don't know if that freed me up, but I just tried to take what the course gave me.'
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Robert MacIntyre was stunned by this display by Spaun, who in his eight previous major starts did not record a single top 20. The Scot was simply elated with level par.
'I don't know if it's a good thing or bad thing to say, but that's as good as I've got,' the world No 20 said. 'If you shoot four level-par rounds here, you're walking away with a medal and a trophy. Honestly, this is up there in the top 10 of any rounds I've played. It is just so hard - every shot you're on a knife edge.'
'I felt I played absolutely beautifully, off the tee, with no real punishment, I drove it as good as I can drive the golf ball. If you miss the green, even if you miss it by too much, you then try to play an eight-yard pitch over the rough onto a green that's brick hard running away from you. It's just brutal.'
Indeed, it is. But Henry Fownes' wicked creation still allows for euphoria among the distress and for some hope with the despair. The highlight of this first day was Patrick Reed holing out from 286 yards with a three wood on the 621-yard fourth. It was only the fourth albatross in US Open history and the first in 13 years. Reed, the 2018 Masters champion, was so far away that he was not sure his ball had dropped. A rare bird on a day when Oakmont swooped and once again devoured its prey.
12:26 AM BST
Another bogey for Neergaard-Petersen
A bogey on 15 is followed up by a bogey on 16 for the Dane. He drops to one under, three off the lead. Once again another example today of players being punished for inaccuracy and finding the thick rough.
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That wraps up our coverage for round one and we will back for the second round.
12:18 AM BST
The thoughts of Brooks Koepka
'It was a lot of patience and then you have got to take advantage if you get an opportunity. I felt like I did that today; hit a lot of fairways, hit a lot of greens.
'I have made a lot of changes. The last year has not gone very well. I have got into some bad habits. Sometimes it is hard to get out of that.
'Last week I built a lot of momentum. My coach Pete Cowen gave me a stern talking to earlier this week and I have just tried to take that attitude into this week.'
Brooks Koepka in a good position heading into round two -12:14 AM BST
Jon Rahm speaking to Sky Sports
'That was key [success off the tee]. The only missed tee shot I can remember was at 17 and it was not even that bad.
'On a golf course this difficult, I put myself on the fairway and, for the most part, hit the ball really solid and really long. Combine that with some patience and good iron play.'
Solid opening round from Jon Rahm - Erik S Lesser/Shutterstock
12:13 AM BST
Neergaard-Petersen drops shot at 15
When you miss the green and find the rough, this is what happens. He actually did well to get out of the rough and leave himself not too lengthy a putt but the par putt slides by and he drops back to two under, two off the lead.
12:12 AM BST
Problems for Reed at the last
This is not the way you want to finish your first round. First Reed misses the fairway to the right off the tee and has a couple of hacks out of the rough to get out of it. His fourth shot goes over the back of the green and his chip out of the rough goes more than 30 feet past. His double bogey putt slides past the right edge and it will be a triple bogey to finish on three over for the day. How costly a few mistake can be around here.
11:55 PM BST
Im finishes on two under
The South Korean finishes with a par and sits a two under in a tie for fourth. He will have taken two under at the start of the day but will be disappointed with dropping three shots in his final seven holes.
11:53 PM BST
World number one closes out opening round
Scheffler has a birdie opportunity at the 18th green just outside 20 feet but he cannot drain it. It is an opening three-over round of 73 for the world number one and he was far from his best today, yet he is only seven shots off the lead.
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Hovland nails a lengthy putt at the last to improve to one over. Five birdies and six bogeys for the Norwegian today as he cards a 71.
Morikawa also birdies the last and is even par after his first round.
11:46 PM BST
Rahm finishes up
The Spaniard's opening round comes to a close on the ninth and he has a birdie opportunity but he leaves the putt short. He makes the parr put and ends on one under.
Spieth has a tricky putt to save his par but he cannot take it so he will finish up at even par.
The 2016 US Open champion on this course Johnson ends up on five over.
11:38 PM BST
At the 17th green
Scheffler cannot make his birdie putt and he remains at three over as he goes to the last.
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Hovland went over the back of the par-four 17th with his tee shot and his bunker shot was not his best. His birdie effort slides a bit past the hole. He then misses his par putt and that is an awful bogey for the Norwegian as he drops to two over.
11:37 PM BST
Im drops further back
The South Korean started his round so well on the back nine but the front nine has not treated him so well. He was in the lead at five under not that long ago but a bogey on the eighth (his penultimate hole) drops him back to two under with one hole to play.
11:26 PM BST
Koepka finishes in style
The 2017 and 2018 US Open champion has had a great end to his first round. Back-to-back birdies on 17 and 18 takes him to two under and he cards a round of 68. Two birdies, two bogeys and an eagle for the American today. He will be happy with his efforts today.
11:15 PM BST
Scheffler saves par
The world number one's tee shot was a little short and he was scrambling a touch to save par but he does so to remain at three over. Despite a very uncharacteristic round from Scheffler, he is still just seven shots off the lead and you would imagine he will not play anywhere near as badly again this week as he has today.
Not Scottie Scheffler's day to say the least -11:13 PM BST
Up at the 16th green
Hovland has a birdie opportunity on 16 and he sinks it from around 10 feet to improve to one over. It has been a bit of an up-and-down round from the Norwegian.
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Scheffler has a nervy par putt incoming...
11:08 PM BST
Koepka to -1
A birdie on the 17th takes the five-time major champion to one under, only three shots off the lead.
11:00 PM BST
Scheffler's struggles continue
This is not the normal Scottie Scheffler we have become accustomed to. He misses a fairly simple par putt and drops back to three over.
10:57 PM BST
Frustration for Hatton
It ended up being a double bogey for Hatton to drop to three over, with four holes to play.
Not going Hatton's way today -10:50 PM BST
Rahm's momentum stunted
How easy it can be to lose your momentum! Hovland and Im have had it over the last half an hour and now Rahm will be annoyed by that bogey. His birdie effort went flying past the hole and he could not sink the tricky par putt so he drops back to one under with three to play.
10:47 PM BST
Angry Hatton
The Englishman is in a spot of bother at the par-four fifth. He has found some thick rough to the right of the fairway and, despite trying to hack it out, his next shot does not get much further up and remains in the thick. Safe to say some expletives were rather audibly heard after he hit that shot.
10:44 PM BST
Frustrated Scheffler
The world number one's tee shot on the 14th is ideal, putting himself in a good position for the approach shot. However he gets too much spin on it and the birdie opportunity upcoming will be a remote one. Scheffler smashed the divot in frustration after the shot. Scheffler's birdie putt slides to the right of the hole and he will remain at two over.
10:41 PM BST
Another bogey for Im
How quickly things can change out on this golf course! Im was flying high at the top of the leaderboard on his own at five under just a few holes ago but back-to-back bogeys means he has dropped from the outright lead to a tie for second. Spaun now leads on four under having carded a 66 earlier today.
10:39 PM BST
Missed opportunity
Rahm has a birdie chance on the fifth (his 14th) to go to three under but he cannot take it.
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Spieth makes up for his bogey on the third with a birdie on the fifth to go to one under.
10:32 PM BST
Scheffler drops to two over
The world number one cannot believe it as his par putt slides past the right edge. That bogey drops him back to two over.
How much did that wasted birdie opportunity on the 12th affect Hovland? He misses a par putt on 13 to drop to one over.
Morikawa then makes it three bogeys out of three for his group and the 13th has hit hard.
10:28 PM BST
Sublime from Rahm
The Spaniard's round was going along quite quietly but has roared into action. After the birdie on three, he makes an eagle on the par-five fourth. A great second shot gave him just over 10 feet for eagle, which he takes to move to two under and just two shots off the lead.
10:21 PM BST
Bad error from Koepka
The five-time major champion will want that putt back. He misses a simple par putt on 14 to drop to even par.
10:18 PM BST
Bogey for Im
One hole after the South Korean took the outright lead, he loses it with a bogey on the third. That hole demonstrates the importance of accuracy as Im's tee shot was errant and he paid the price.
Nasty playing out of the church pew bunker - Charlie Riedel/AP
10:17 PM BST
12th challenges one of top groups
Scheffler's second at the par-five 12 finds some thick rough, leaving him a very tough lie. His chop out ends up going into some more thick rough over the other side of the green. His next effort though out of the rough is much better and the world number one will walk away with a par.
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Hovland's hot streak looked set to continue with what looked like a fairly simple birdie putt from around four under but somehow he misses it. Not the best of holes from those three.
Morikawa walks away with a bogey after his par putt was never on the right line. He drops back to even par.
10:08 PM BST
Birdie for Rahm
The Spaniard, who won the US Open in 2021, has been mostly dealing in pars with the one bogey but makes a birdie on the third (his 12th) to improve to even par.
Jon Rahm having a solid opening round - Erik S Lesser/Shutterstock
10:03 PM BST
Do not miss there
Im has just gone to the top of the leaderboard but that might immediately be under threat as his tee shot on the third (his 12th) leaks to the left and finds the church pew bunker.
Sungjae Im currently sits atop the leaderboard - Charlie Riedel/AP
Spieth meanwhile drops a shot and goes back to even par.
09:55 PM BST
New outright leader
Back-to-back birdies to start his second nine holes takes Im to the top of the leaderboard on his own at five under, with still seven holes to play. The South Korean is playing some fantastic golf.
09:47 PM BST
Birdies for Scheffler and Hovland
The world number one has not looked quite himself but a birdie on 11 takes him to one over.
Morikawa steps up for his birdie attempt but it slides past the right edge.
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Hovland has the shortest birdie putt and takes it to make back-to-back-to-back birdies to go to evern par.
09:44 PM BST
Hovland on fire
It was a dreadful start for the Norwegian, with three bogeys in his first five holes. But he has made back-to-back birdies on nine and ten to improve to one over. He is set to move to even par on 11 after a sublime second shot, very much like his approach on the last.
09:38 PM BST
New co-leaders
Im may have recently missed the chance to join Spaun on four under but he does not miss this time, making a birdie on the first (his tenth hole) to improve to four under.
09:33 PM BST
Bob satisfied seemingly!
09:30 PM BST
Birdies galore
After Scheffler has to settle for a par, Hovland makes his short birdie putt to improve to one over. Then Morikawa steps up to make the easiest of birdies to improve to one under.
Meanwhile back at the first (his tenth) Spieth makes a birdie to go to one under as well.
09:25 PM BST
So nearly
Koepka is in the bunker at the 11th and he nearly holes out for a birdie, the ball just rolling past the left edge of the hole. He will remain at one under.
Brooks Koepka one of just a handful of players under par - Gene J. Puskar/AP
09:22 PM BST
Absolutely sublime
You are not going to see many better shots than that today. Two-time major champion Morikawa finds the fairway with his tee shot on the 10th and follows that up with a sensational second shot, that finishes up just over two feet from the pin. An almost certain birdie incoming for the American.
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Hovland follows that up with a sublime shot of his own, ending up around four feet from the pin. Had Morikawa not just played his we would be waxing-lyrical even more about Hovland's effort.
So what can Scheffler do? His second shot gets too much spin and it will be tough for him to make birdie.
09:13 PM BST
Bogey for world number one
Scheffler's third to the ninth green does not have enough on it and rolls back. His chip on is not superb but he drains a tricky little bogey putt to only drop the one shot. He hits the turn at two over.
Morikawa also makes a bogey having missed the fairway off the tee and drops to even par.
09:11 PM BST
Missed opportunity
Im has the chance on the 17th (his eighth hole of the day0 to join Spaun on four under but his putt from short range slides past the right edge.
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Meanwhile on the 10th Koepka finds trouble off the tee, leaking out to the left and he is going to undo the good work of the front nine. He has a six-foot putt for bogey, which he makes to drop back to one under.
The 2015 US Open champion Spieth has bogeyed the 18th (his ninth) and hits the turn at even par.
Sungjae Im going strong in his first round - Seth Wenig/AP
09:05 PM BST
World number one escapes
Scheffler is in fact able to hit out from the thick rough and chops out into the fairway. It will still be tough to make par.
09:00 PM BST
Scheffler in trouble
The world number one is on the ninth tee and he drops his club as he plays his tee shot. The drive leaks to the left and he could be in some trouble. It is going to be almost impossible for the world number one to save par on the ninth.
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Morikawa finds a bunker to the right of the fairway and has to take his medicine by simply chipping out.
08:49 PM BST
Thomas in some strife
This course can really get you if you are inaccurate and that is what is happening to two-time major champion Thomas. On the ninth, he goes left, the right, finding the thick rough and ends up with a double bogey. He finishes his front nine on four over.
08:43 PM BST
At the formidable eighth
The Scheffler/ Morikawa/ Hovland group are at the tee on the eighth hole. It is playing 276 yards today and there have been just two birdies.
They are waiting for the Burns group to finish up on the green, where Burns himself has made a bogey and drops back to two under.
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Scheffler has the seven wood in hand and comes up short but it is not a bad place to be. Hovland uses a three iron and his tee shot is like a tracer bullet. It is a fantastic shot and he will have a decent shot at a birdie.
08:35 PM BST
Eagle on the fourth
It comes from Dane Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen, who chips one in from the side of the green. He birdied the first and that eagle on the fourth takes him to three under, in a share of second with Lawrence, Burns and Im.
08:31 PM BST
Scheffler responds with birdie
The world number one has the chance to bounce back from a string of bogeys early on and he takes it with a birdie on the seventh to improve to one over. That series of dropped shots was not going to last long for Scheffler.
08:25 PM BST
Great effort
Not the reward for the quality of shot for Dustin Johnson on the par-three 16th. He was in the thick rough right by the green-side bunker and the lie on the downslope was horrific. His chip is fantastic but rolls a fair bit away from the pin. It has not been the start to the round though for the last man to win the US Open on this course in 2016; a bogey on 16 takes him to four over.
Back on the sixth Reed has had an eventful few holes. An albatross on four was followed by a bogey on five but he responds to that with a birdie on six to move to six under.
08:12 PM BST
Another bogey for Scheffler
The bunker shot from the world number one is a decent effort but such is the difficulty of that shot with the pin position today that it rolls a fair bit past the hole. His par effort slides past the right edge and he drops to two over.
Not the start the world number one wanted - Charlie Riedel/AP
08:08 PM BST
Scheffler not himself?
Not that I am counting him out in any way shape or form but he is not his usual consistently good self. On the par-three sixth, his tee shot finds the bunker on the right side of the green, exactly where you do not want to miss. Having said that, our current leader Spaun also found that very same bunker and salvaged a par.
08:05 PM BST
Three players in a tie for second
Sungjae Im is the latest player to go to three under alongside Burns and Lawrence. He has started on the back nine and he has made back-to-back-to-back birdies on 12, 13 and 14. But on a course like this things can turn badly as quickly as they can go well.
07:59 PM BST
Scheffler escapes yet more trouble
Having dropped back-to-back shots on the third and fourth holes, Scheffler's tee shot is not the best on the fifth and finds some thick rough. That presents a very tricky second shot but somehow powers his way onto the green. It is a long, long birdie putt that comes up short but the world number one rescues a par to stop the run of bogeys. Even the best are struggling on this course.
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Playing alongside him is Morikawa, who has the chance of a birdie to move to two under but he cannot take it.
07:50 PM BST
Burns into a tie for second
It has been a great start to the tournament for the American, with birdies on the first, third and now the fifth taking him to three under, where he joins Lawrence in a tie for second.
07:44 PM BST
Stunning!
Scheffler may have had problems on the par-five fourth but his fellow American Patrick Reed has not. He came to the hole at one over but a sensational second shot ends up rolling into the hole for an albatross, on a 621-yard hole! Remarkable. That takes him to two under, in a share of fourth.
07:41 PM BST
Back-to-back bogeys
Scheffler looked like Scheffler on the opening couple of holes but he has made a couple of costly errors on the third and fourth holes. On the fourth it stemmed from an errant tee shot that found the church pew bunker and he was always playing catch-up from there. He has to settle for a bogey in the end and drops to one over.
07:39 PM BST
So close
The 2017 and 2018 champion Koepka has made a great start to his opening round but he agonisingly sees his birdie putt on the fifth slide past the right edge. The American remains at two under.
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Meanwhile Hatton thinks his birdie putt on 13 (his fourth hole of the day) is going to drop in but it hangs over the top of the hole so he remains at one under.
07:27 PM BST
Lawrence finishes up
The South African makes par at the last and he cards a round of three under to sit one shot behind our leader Spaun. He can be pretty delighted with his efforts today; anyone carding a 67 would have been delighted with that at the start of the day.
07:17 PM BST
Eagle alert!
It comes at the very long par-five fourth, which is a mere 621 yards in length today. Koepka, who won back-to-back US Opens back in 2017 and 2018, has played the perfect hole and makes an eagle, which takes him from even par to two under and a tie for third.
07:15 PM BST
Bogey for the world number one
In reality bogeys are not as damaging around a course like this than it is anywhere else. Scheffler has a tricky putt for bogey on the third and manages to land it to drop back to even par. Considering how you can get yourself in big trouble, Scheffler may not be too disappointed with that, although knowing him he probably is annoyed by that drop shot.
07:13 PM BST
Up into second
South African Thriston Lawrence found the green with his drive on the par-four 17th and is rewarded for a great tee shot as he makes birdie to move to three under, one off the lead held by Spaun with the 18th left to play.
Meanwhile back at the third the world number one Scheffler is struggling to save par having found the deadly thick rough just around the green...
07:01 PM BST
Scheffler birdies the second
After going close to a birdie on the opening hole, Scheffler goes one under as he birdies the second.
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An aggressive drive from the American set him up for a chip in from less than 100 yards. He goes within six feet before knocking in the birdie putt. An assured start from the World No 1.
Meanwhile, Hovland has dropped a second shot in as many holes as Morikawa makes it two pars from two.
06:52 PM BST
Scheffler comes close to an opening birdie
What an approach shot from Scottie Scheffler! The world No 1 is about 15 feet from the pin and very nearly rolls in the putt for an opening birdie.
However, Scheffler is so unlucky as the balls stays up on the lip – a par start for the world No 1.
Meanwhile, Viktor Hovland does a decent job of rolling his ball across the green to around four feet but then he shunts his par putt right.
06:41 PM BST
Breakdown of McIlroy's nightmare finish
By Frankie Christou
Hole 1
After a bogey-free two-under opening nine, McIlroy fired a huge 378-yard drive down the middle but dropped a shot after a three putt.
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Hole 4
A blocked tee shot out to the right left McIlroy having to hack it out of waist-high rough before draining a huge 30 footer to salvage a bogey.
Rory McIIroy
Hole 6
Another picture on the scorecard after his tee shot found the bunker which he failed to get up and down from.
rory mcilroy
Hole 7
Initially pulled out a 3 wood but changed to the driver. Found the middle of the fairway but bogeyed after another three putt.
Hole 8
Duffed a chip about 10 yards after a poor tee shot on the 278-yard par 3 found the right rough. A two putt for double made it four dropped shots in three holes.
rory mcilroy
06:35 PM BST
Scheffler begins his campaign
World No 1 is on the tee and looking to bend Oakmont at his will. His playing partner Viktor Hovalnd tees off first and skips his ball down the left of the fairway.
Meanwhile, Colin Morikawa hits a sublime shot, pinging it straight down the middle – then Scheffler gets going by trickling his ball down alongside his playing partners.
All three players have got their US Open campaign underway.
06:29 PM BST
Nightmare final nine costs McIlroy
After a solid start through his first nine – which left him at two under – you would not expect to see a 74 for Rory McIlroy with that six over on the back nine being a massive disappointment.
His iron play let him down so badly – he continued to miss in the wrong places and lost strokes on the green. That is a recipe for disaster when playing Oakmont – the world No 2 is now eight off the pace.
06:26 PM BST
Torrid time for Lowry
Shane Lowry signs off a day to forget at Oakmont. He finishes his round with two-putt par, seeing him sign for a nine-over 79.
06:21 PM BST
JJ Spaun finds the 'right' recipe
Clubhouse leader JJ Spaun speaks to Sky Sports after his bogey-free round of 66:
My strategy was to take what the course gave me. I scrambled well, putted well and that's the recipe you need to have a bogey-free round at the US Open.
I had no idea what to expect teeing off this morning, as far as history here, never being here and this is only my second US Open. Maybe that freed me up, where I didn't have to worry about certain expectations. I'll take a bogey-free 66 at the US Open.
06:18 PM BST
Impressive finish from Schauffele
Back-to-back birdies, including one from 25 feet at the final hole – the American scrambles a two-over 72 and leaves him six off the clubhouse lead.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau finishes a difficult day with a par putt to head in three-over after a round of 73.
06:12 PM BST
McIlroy on his final hole
The Masters champion begins his final hole with a brilliant 300-yard tee shot at the par-four ninth, finding the edge of the fairway.
Can McIlroy finish his round on a high?
06:04 PM BST
Plenty of action still to come
Many of the early starters are finishing their rounds but there is another wave of players getting their campaign underway at Oakmont.
The world number one Scottie Scheffler, former champions and title contenders – so there is plenty of action still to come over the next several hours.
Stay with Telegraph Sport for the latest updates.
06:01 PM BST
McIlroy's poor finish
It is all unravelling for the Northern Irishman. He fails to dig out of the rough at the par-three eight, where he will drop at least another shot.
He is looking so frustrated out there – as he takes a swipe at the grass.
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau stops the rot of back-to-back bogeys with a par at the 17th.
05:58 PM BST
Late collapse for Aberg
The Swede's late collapse has cost him big time at Oakmont – with bogeys on four of his last five holes to drop from two under to two over.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Adam Scott with a par for an even round of 70. A decent round for the former Masters champion.
05:52 PM BST
McIlroy in danger
Yet again, another par putt goes begging for the Masters champion. It was nowhere near the hole – a terrible read from him.
The Northern Irishman cuts a frustrated figure on the green. He is back at two over now and in serious danger of throwing a really good start at Oakmont.
05:46 PM BST
Brilliant play from JJ Spaun
This round by JJ Spaun should not be underestimated. The world No 25 is playing his last hole (the ninth) on four-under and is the only player on the course without a bogey on his scorecard.
The American showed his quality at The Players in March when beaten in a play-off by Rory McIlroy. Has enjoyed a great season.
05:39 PM BST
Trouble for Aberg
Ludvig Aberg makes a real mess of a relatively straightforward par putt. The Swede puts way too much on it as it lips out to keep him level par.
05:32 PM BST
DeChambeau struggling
The defending champion falls back again and is leaning very quickly how difficult this course is. The American is enduring a second straight bogey at the 16 after his missing his eight-footer putter.
Right now, I cannot see anyone shooting four rounds and staying under par. With the conditions expected to get worse over the weekend, it will only get harder.
05:29 PM BST
Terrible miss from McIlroy
The Masters Champions gets his line wrong again by sending his par putt wide of the hole and stomaching another bogey – four at the six to fall one-over for his round.
He played so well during his front nine but missing putts like that is a real body blow.
05:26 PM BST
Some eye-catching groups starting over the next hour
World No 1 Scottie Scheffler is the headline act in the late wave of tee times in the opening round. Scheffler will tee off at 6.25pm (BST) alongside Viktor Hovland and Collin Morikawa.
US unless stated; (a) denotes amateur.
Starting from the first tee
6.03pm: Min Woo Lee (Aus), Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
6.25pm: Viktor Hovland (Nor), Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler
Starting from the 10th tee
6.14pm: Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm (Spa), Dustin Johnson
6.25pm: Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Im Sung-jae (KR), Sepp Straka (Aut)
05:21 PM BST
Scores on the doors
05:19 PM BST
MacIntyre moves level with birdie
The Scotsman does a brilliant job to walk away from the par-five 12th with a birdie, after his chip on the green rolls a good 12 feet past the pin.
MacIntyre rolls in a terrific putt, which sees him move back level par for his opening round.
05:12 PM BST
Mickelson slips
The American started brightly, reaching the halfway point of his round in level par, but he has gone bogey, bogey, double bogey through holes one to three and is now four over for his round.
05:10 PM BST
Frustration for Lowry
Shane Lowry sees his birdie putt skim the edge of the hole as he settles for a par-four to remain five-over. It has been an eventual opening around for the Irishman – he has now gone double, eagle, bogey, par over the last four holes.
05:00 PM BST
McIlroy looking to save par
The Masters champion sends his 50-foot putt wide to the left of the green in the hope it would curve back around further down the green. It does but it still leaves himself needing four more feet for par.
This is not easy to watch – McIlroy is undoing his first start by making two bogeys in three holes after first-nine 33.
Meanwhile, Ludvig Aberg has just dropped back to level par as he cards back-to-back bogeys at the fifth and sixth on his back nine.
In the last 30 minutes we have seen both Rory Mcilroy and Bryson DeChambeau holing lengthy putts for bogeys. That is what you have to do here at Oakmont – minimise the damage. Granted, McIlroy made four double-bogeys on his way to the green jacket in April. But Augusta is a different test. A golfer can pick up shots between the Georgia pines. The brute of Pittsburgh does not yield the same opportunities.
04:27 PM BST
Gusty from DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau attacks the 12th hole from the rough fringe beside the green, steering in a sublime putt to salvage a bogey-six.
The defending champion drops to one over but it could have been much worse.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Xander Schauffele also bogeys the par five and is now three over.
04:23 PM BST
Scott misses huge birdie chance
Adam Scott played the par-five fourth brilliantly – which left him with a five footer for a birdie chance. But the former Masters champion misses the opportunity and another chance for him goes begging – the Australian remains at one under.
04:13 PM BST
Moment of magic from Lowry
What a shot from the Irishman – to relieve his US Open chances! He drops in a stunning eagle shot from 159 yards at the par-four third.
After a torrid start to his round, Lowry has something to smile about. The Irishman looked battered and bruised after that double bogey on the previous hole. This could be a big momentum shift for him.
04:11 PM BST
JJ Spaun remains one ahead
The American gets himself in trouble at the 12th – but he continues so stay bogey-free. His latest escape comes at the par-five fourth where he finds the bunker with his third shot. But he gets up and down for par to remain one shot ahead.
04:08 PM BST
Lowry's torrid start continues
Things are only getting worse for Shane Lowry – the Irishman gets another double bogey amid a week in which he entered Oakmont as a favourite for the title.
04:01 PM BST
Par for DeChambeau
Bryson DeChambeau has left himself with a 16-footer birdie on the 11th but could not make it. So, it is another par for the defending champion.
Meanwhile. Bob MacIntyre cuts a frustrated figure after bogeying the ninth. The Scotsman did not get the read of the green and shoves his putt to the right of the hole.
03:57 PM BST
A mishap from McIlroy
The Masters champion's ball took a nasty bounce, as it rolled to leave him just shy of 40 feet from the pin. He had a tricky approach shot to contend with on his putt. His ball certainly felt the pace of the course as his ball rolls beyond the hole.
The Masters champion makes a real mess of his short par putt at the first and swipes his club in utter frustration. He has to settle for a bogey to begin his back nine.
03:53 PM BST
Aberg is building momentum
Ludvig Aberg gets back to two under with a birdie at the third. Meanwhile, his playing partner Adam Scott drops a shot to add a fourth bogey in his opening round.
It has been an eventual session for the Australian – with five birdies and four bogeys.
03:42 PM BST
Latest leaderboard
Want to follow the progress of your favourite player? Take a look at our leaderboard.
03:38 PM BST
Mickelson back to level par
Phil Mickelson made a double bogey on the 15th but has clawed both of those shots back with birdies on the 16th and 17th
The veteran player is back to level par at Oakmont.
03:32 PM BST
Damage control for Lowry
Shane Lowry finds himself in the rough – just off the edge of the green – he holes his wedge from the fringe to avoid failing further behind. The Irishman remains three over, which is currently seven behind leader JJ Spaun.
03:29 PM BST
Blow for DeChambeau
That is a cruel for Bryson DeChambeau. A lip-out for the American on the short par putt seems him bogey the ninth to drop back to even par.
03:27 PM BST
Storms forecasted for the weekend
Unless the rains arrive – and storms are forecasted for the weekend – then cannot help but feel that this will be the easiest we will see Oakmont this week. The greens are hellish, but they are receptive. The challenge will get progressively more difficult throughout the day.
03:26 PM BST
Brilliant approach from McIlroy
A terrific approach from the Northern Irishman to find the green at the 18 where his ball rolls back slightly to leave him 26 feet away from the pin.
Can he make another birdie from this distance?
03:17 PM BST
Fleetwood on the ninth
Tommy Fleetwood holes a seven-footer for a five on the par-four ninth. There are opportunities for birdies on the inward stretch of the course at Oakmont.
Can Fleetwood move up the leaderboard and join the likes of JJ Spaun and Rory McIlroy?
03:11 PM BST
Trouble for McIlroy
McIlroy finds himself with a tricky lie in the thick rough and looks in a spot of bother on the 17th. He does well to dig it out but can only find the greenside of the bunker.
The Northern Irishman has some work to do to save par.
02:54 PM BST
Bryson birdies the seventh
It was a brilliant approach shot from Bryson DeChambeau – a second birdie in three holes and he moves into the red for the first time in his opening round.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Xander Schaffele is having a nightmare out there. He finds the bunker after his tee shot and then three-putts from the front of the green for a double-bogey six.
02:45 PM BST
McIlroy is in range
The Northern Irishman's drive off the 16th is sublime – it takes him 222 yards to just about find the edge of the green, so approximately 32 feet from the pin
Meanwhile, his playing partner Shane Lowry is having a torrid time – he has just double bogeyed the par-three 16th to leave him three-over for his round.
02:39 PM BST
Woodland making a charge
Gary Woodland is one shot behind leader JJ Spaun. Consecutive birdies on the four and five has lifted Woodland into second spot on his own.
02:37 PM BST
Brilliant save from McIlroy
The Northern Irishman's pitch from the semi-rough on the 15th was a beauty. It left him with a difficult putt but he converts it to make another impressive par.
The Masters champion is off to decent start at Oakmont.
02:30 PM BST
Spaun pulls further ahead
An 11-foot birdie at the 17th takes him to four-under and continues his incredible start at Oakmont. The American is having a fine season with his name being seen on the leaderboards a few times this year – including his battle with Rory McIlroy at the Players.
02:26 PM BST
McIlroy on the 15th
The Northern Irishman hits a wide shot off the 15th tee. He is left with a difficult second shot from the thick grass – which looks ominous.
McIlroy does well gauging the ball down the fairway and watches it run torwards the green. It is around 50 yards form the pin, leaving him work to do to make sure he remains bogey-free in his opening round.
02:21 PM BST
DeChambeau back on track
The American is back on track after converting from seven feet at the par-four fifth. Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele misses the fifth fairway with his first bogey of the round.
Their playing partner, Jose Luis Ballester stops his rot after four straight bogeys, he pars the fifth.
02:17 PM BST
Brilliant start from McIlroy
Just been out watching Rory McIlroy negotiate his opening holes and although these are very early stages, he will be delighted with his start.
His drive on the par five 12th (he started on the 10th) was a stunner. At 392 yards it was his longest of the season thus far and validated the Masters champion's decision to go back to the TaylorMade Qi10.
02:12 PM BST
Spaun takes solo lead
JJ Spaun's iron approach rolls to five feet and sets up the perfect birdie opportunity on the 14th. He moves to three-under and jumps top of the leaderboard.
02:10 PM BST
Positive sign for Fleetwood
Here we go, Tommy Fleetwood judges a left-to-righter to perfection! He slides in his birdie attempt from 12 feet on the fifth.
02:09 PM BST
Tricky start for DeChambeau
The American is involved in a lengthy discussion with a rules official after his second shot on the fourth lands on the walkaway across the fairway.
He picks his ball up to take relief, which he places and then drops – which is rather strange. It eventually concludes with the American sending his third shot into the heart of the green and it ends in par for the American.
02:02 PM BST
McIlroy is on the march
Here is the headline news from Oakmont – Rory McIlroy's driver works. He hits it straight off the tee as he finds the green on the 13th to land within 20 feet of the pin.
01:52 PM BST
Perfect approach from Schauffele
An incredible shot on the fourth green from Xander Schauffele. From 287 yards out, he sends a fairway wood to within 15 foot for eagle.
I need to see the replay of this shot – utterly sublime! The American seems to be building momentum here at Oakmont – can he join McIIroy and Spaun at the top of the leaderboard?
01:45 PM BST
McIlroy is gaining momentum
Two straight birdies for the Northern Irishman, who turns 60 feet into seven with his eagle attempt before stroking in moments later to get to two-under. He is looking in fine form during these opening holes at Oakmont.
Meanwhile, his playing partner Justin Rose makes three straight pars and Shane Lowry cuts a frustrated figure after his bogey.
01:39 PM BST
Watch: McIlroy's monster drive
The Northern Irishman hits his longest drive of the season with a 392-yard tee shot at the 12th.
He follows up his monster tee shot with a massive approach shot to find the green on his second stroke.
That is unfortunate for McIlroy – as his ball takes a nasty roll down the hill to leave him approximately 52 feet away from the pin.
01:36 PM BST
DeChambeau trying to build early momentum
A decent effort from the defending champion from 18 feet to set up a simple pur putt as he remains one-over.
Meanwhile, Xander Schauffele manages his third par in a row to start his day at Oakmont.
01:30 PM BST
A decent start for MacIntyre
A regulation four for Bob MacIntyre down the first. His approach shot was slightly into the rough towards the right of the hole – but a good chip to four feet is followed by a solid putt.
A steady start for the Scotsman who begins his campaign at Oakmont.
01:25 PM BST
Aberg loses early lead
Ludvig Aberg has just offered us the perfect example of what makes Oakmont such a difficult course. The Swede finds the bunker with his third shot on the par-five 12th – he then misjudges his shot from the thick rough and runs his effort 10 feet past.
It was a decent effort with the putter to get away with the six, but he loses the lead with JJ Spaun now back into the sold lead at Oakmont.
01:14 PM BST
McIlroy grabs his first birdie
Here we go, Rory McIlroy's first birdie of his US Open campaign. He lands this one from 27 feet at the second to move one-under.
The Masters champion is now up and running and moves immediately into the red.
01:12 PM BST
Terrible start for Fleetwood
Tommy Fleetwood's poor start at Oakmont continues on the second. He is forced again to take a penalty drop after another wayward tee shot. The Englishman goes pin-seeking with his third shot, to a hole that is tucked among rough and sand.
His ball lands up 20 feet from the hole and he is too eager with the par putt, knocking it five feet past the hole.
01:05 PM BST
Brilliant start for Fitzpatrick
Matt Fitzpatrick is off to a brilliant start at Oakmont. The 2022 winner of this championship, nails a 25-footer across the first green to move immediately into the red.
What a start for the Englishman!
12:58 PM BST
Wayward putt from McIlroy
The Northern Irishman misreads the slope and see his putt stray wayward after a brilliant approach shot to find the green. However, he comes back for par but he knows that could have been the perfect start for him at Oakmont.
That is a missed opportunity for McIlroy – at the US Open you have to grab those chances with both hands as they are so hard to come by.
12:56 PM BST
Awkward shot for DeChambeau
The defending champion has an awkward putt from the rough fringe, the American misjudges and hits it a few feet beyond the hole.
DeChambeau misses his par save from eight feet and will have to take an opening bogey.
12:47 PM BST
Here comes the Masters champion
Rory McIlroy has began this campaign at Oakmont. He is paired alongside his good friend Shane Lowry and 2025 Masters runner-up Justin Rose.
Can the Northern Irishman recover from his miserable PGA Championship campaign?
12:40 PM BST
DeChambeau is up and running
Defending champion Bryson DeChambeau has began his campaign at Oakmont. He drags his tees shot wide to the left, but he is fortunate to see his ball land on the rough which has been flattened by the spectators.
Meanwhile, Ludvia Aberg has got his campaign off to a flyer with a birdie at the first to move to one-under par. The Swedish player is known for making first starts at the majors – Oakmont is tough but if you can find the fairways and greens – it will give you birdie opporunties.
12:36 PM BST
The first scores on the board
A brilliant start for American qualifier Maxwell Moldovanha. He has holed the second shot from 189 yards on the par-four and is immediately into the lead at Oakmont at two under.
Meanwhile, Tommy Fleetwood is in action. He is playing alongside Harris English and USA Ryder Cup captain Keegan Bradley amid a star-studded start at Oakmont.
12:26 PM BST
First round pins
The USGA have certainly come out swinging with these pin positions – some of these pins clinging to the edge of the greens.
All the best to the players!
12:18 PM BST
What can we expect from Rory McIlroy?
The Northern Irishman hasn't been able to contend in an event since his victory at Augusta National. He comes into the week off a missed cut at the Canadian Open.
However, he is a three-time winner already in 2025 following his early season successes at Pebble Beach and the Players – with grand slam glory at the Masters.
McIlroy has said he has to 'get his stuff together' this week after failing to contend at the PGA Championship and missing the cut at the US PGA, where he struggled off the tee. He will hope a return to a familiar driver model this week could spark a return to form.
Our golf correspondent James Corrigan, explores how McIlroy's travails off tee will need to change to be competitive at a course where he shot at 81 in a recent practice round.
Rory McIlroy has finished runner-up the last two years at the US Open - PA/Zac Goodwin
12:05 PM BST
Who is out early today?
Matt Vogt had the privilege of hitting the opening tee shot at Oakmont – he got his campaign under way at 11.45 am (BST).
But, there is plenty of world-class players involved in the morning wave.
US unless stated; (a) denotes amateur.
From the first tee
12.18pm
Harris English, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Keegan Bradley
12.29pm
Xander Schauffele, Jose Luis Ballester (Spa), Bryson DeChambeau
12.40pm
Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland
From the 10th tee
12.18pm
Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Adam Scott (Aus), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap)
12.40pm
Shane Lowry (Ire), Justin Rose (Eng), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
11:59 AM BST
Weather forecast for round one
The National Weather services reports that the weather in Oakmont area, is expected to be sunny, with highs of 31C. Winds will gust at 5 to 10mph – the low will be 17C with light wind.
11:55 AM BST
Who will win the 2025 US Open?
Will it be a successful title defence for Bryson DeChambeau? Or a return to form for Rory McIlroy? Another major success for Scottie Scheffler?
Have your say by casting your vote below.
11:28 AM BST
First-round tee times
Who do you want to follow at Oakmont this week? If you want to see whether Rory McIlroy can return to his Masters form, you need to know he is out among the earlier starters alongside his good friend Shane Lowry and the man he pipped for the 2025 Masters, Justin Rose.
If you want to watch the favourtie and in-form Scottie Scheffler, he gets his challenge under way at 6.25pm BST.
US unless stated; (a) denotes amateur.
From first tee
11.45am: Matt Vogt (a), Kevin Velo, Trent Phillips
11.56am: Chandler Blanchet, Alvaro Ortiz (Mex), Doug Ghim
12.07pm: Evan Beck (a), Maxwell Moldovan, Justin Hicks
12.18pm: Harris English, Tommy Fleetwood (Eng), Keegan Bradley
12.29pm: Xander Schauffele, Jose Luis Ballester (Spa), Bryson DeChambeau
12.40pm: Matt Fitzpatrick (Eng), Wyndham Clark, Gary Woodland
12.51pm: Akshay Bhatia, Matt McCarty, Robert MacIntyre (Sco)
1.02pm: Cam Davis, Davis Thompson, Thomas Detry (Bel)
1.13pm: Richard Bland (Eng), Trevor Gutschewski (a), Lanto Griffin
1.24pm: Edoardo Molinari (Ita), Sam Stevens, Ryan Gerard
1.35pm: Thriston Lawrence (SA), Noah Kent, Thorbjorn Olesen (Den)
1.46pm: Jinichiro Kozuma (Jap), Cameron Tankersley (a), Chase Johnson
1.57pm: Philip Barbaree Jnr, Riley Lewis, Brady Calkins
5.30pm: Frederic Lacroix (Fra), Emiliano Grillo (Arg), Sam Bairstow (Eng)
5.41pm: An Byeong-hun (KR), Joe Highsmith, Ryan Fox (NZ)
5.52pm: Victor Perez (Fra), Jacob Bridgeman, Adam Schenk
6.03pm: Min Woo Lee (Aus), Justin Thomas, Brooks Koepka
6.14pm: Sam Burns, Nico Echavarria (Col), Denny McCarthy
6.25pm: Viktor Hovland (Nor), Collin Morikawa, Scottie Scheffler
6.36pm: Corey Conners (Can), Jason Day (Aus), Patrick Reed
6.47pm: Joaquin Niemann (Chi), Bud Cauley, Daniel Berger
6.58pm: Mackenzie Hughes (Can), Tony Finau, Chris Kirk
7.09pm: Benjamin James (a), Rasmus Hojgaard (Den), Stephan Jager (Ger)
7.20pm: Rasmus Neergaard-Petersen (Den), Justin Hastings (Cay), Laurie Canter (Eng)
7.31pm: Frankie Harris (a), Emilio Gonzalez (Mex), Roberto Díaz (Mex)
7.42pm: Grant Haefner, Joey Herrera, George Kneiser
From 10th tee
11.45am: Zac Blair, Scott Vincent (Zim), Alistair Docherty
11.56am: Jacques Kruyswijk (SA), Jordan Smith (Eng), Eric Cole
12.07pm: Tom Kim (KR), JJ Spaun, Taylor Pendrith (Can)
12.18pm: Ludvig Aberg (Swe), Adam Scott (Aus), Hideki Matsuyama (Jap)
12.29pm Ben Griffin, Andrew Novak, Maverick McNealy
12.40pm: Shane Lowry (Ire), Justin Rose (Eng), Rory McIlroy (NIR)
12.51pm: Patrick Cantlay, Kim Si-woo (KR), Lucas Glover
1.02pm: Cameron Smith (Aus), Brian Harman, Phil Mickelson
1.13pm: Niklas Norgaard (Den), Brian Campbell, Justin Lower
1.24pm: Davis Riley, Jackson Koivun (a), Johnny Keefer
1.35pm: James Hahn, Mark Hubbard, Michael La Sasso (a)
1.46pm: Joakim Lagergren (Swe), Mason Howell (a), Chris Gotterup
1.57pm: Zach Bauchou, Jackson Buchanan, Lance Simpson (a)
5.30pm: Will Chandler, Andrea Pavan (Ita), Takumi Kanaya (Jao)
5.41pm: Bryan Lee (a), Guido Migliozzi (Ita), Preston Summerhays
5.52pm: Erik van Rooyen (SA), Max Greyserman, Matt Wallace (Eng)
6.03pm: Russell Henley, Christiaan Bezuidenhout (SA), Nick Taylor (Can)
6.14pm: Jordan Spieth, Jon Rahm (Spa), Dustin Johnson
6.25pm: Tyrrell Hatton (Eng), Im Sung-jae (KR), Sepp Straka (Aut)
6.36pm: Cameron Young, Tom Hoge, JT Poston
6.47pm: Jhonattan Vegas (Ven), Michael Kim, Matthieu Pavon (Fra)
6.58pm: Marc Leishman (Aus), Aaron Rai (Eng), Nick Dunlap
7.09pm: Matthew Jordan (Eng), Yuta Sugiura (Jap), Carlos Ortiz (Mex)
7.20pm: Ryan McCormick, Trevor Cone, Zach Pollo (a)
7.31pm: James Nicholas, Tyler Weaver (a), Riki Kawamoto (Jap)
7.42pm: Austen Truslow, Harrison Ott, George Duangmanee
11:15 AM BST
Can anyone stop Scottie Scheffler?
By Uche Amako
Good morning and welcome to coverage of the third major of the year – the US Open. This year's tournament will take place at Oakmont Country Club, which is one of the toughest tests in the sport. Scottie Scheffler is the favourite to make it back-to-back major wins and is well aware of the daunting task ahead.
'There's not really many areas where you step on the tee box and you're like, hey, I can miss it right here, hey, I can shade towards the left side of the fairway because right is really bad,' said Scheffler.
'Actually, if you hit it in the right rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green; if you hit it in the left rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green. So might as well try and split the difference there and hit it in the middle.'
Last year's winner Bryson DeChambeau is looking to become the first repeat winner since Brooks Koepka in 2018. 'It's been a lot of fun just experiencing what the fans are giving me. It's so much energy,' said DeChambeau, who briefly held the final round lead at the Masters in April and finished runner-up at the PGA Championship last month.
'The only reason why I'm still here with this much energy is because of them, and even last week [at the LIV Golf event] in Virginia, the crowds were really great and pumping me on.
'Am I tired? For sure. But am I excited? I'm more excited than I am tired.'
Rory McIlroy has struggled since achieving the career slam at the Masters and last week missed the cut at the Canadian Open. To win the US Open, he thinks patience will be key.
'It's very penal if you miss,' he said. 'Sometimes it's penal if you don't miss. But the person with the most patience and the best attitude this week is the one that's going to win.
'There's definitely been a little bit of rain since I played. Last Monday felt impossible. I birdied the last two holes for 81. It felt pretty good. It didn't feel like I played that bad.
'It's much more benign right now than it was that Monday. They had the pins in dicey locations, and greens were running fast. It was nearly impossible.
'If you put it in the fairway, it's certainly playable. But then you just have to think about leaving your ball below the hole and just trying to make as many pars as you can.
'You get yourself in the way of a few birdies, that's a bonus.'
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