Rory McIlroy struggles in US Open opening round at Oakmont
The Masters champion, trying to shake off the hangover of his Augusta National win in April, came to the Pittsburgh course last week on a scouting mission and carded an 81.
While he fared slightly better in Thursday's first round, his four-over-par 74 leaves him needing to produce something special if he is to win the third major of the year.
A tale of two nines for Rory.
33-41 from our 2011 champion as he sits 8 off the pace. pic.twitter.com/xQtIdHa1Vd
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025
He is eight shots off first-round leader JJ Spaun, who tamed the brutal Oakmont course widely described as the hardest in the game, with a blemish-free 66.
The American sits one shot clear of Thriston Lawrence. Sungjae Im, Brooks Koepka and Si Woo Kim are a shot further back on two-under-par.
World number one Scottie Scheffler, the overwhelming pre-tournament favourite, also struggled in posting a 73, along with defending champion Bryson DeChambeau.
Scheffler said: 'I just feel like after today, I've probably got to give myself a few more looks, it could have been a little bit of a different story.
'But the golf course is just challenging.'
Two-time US Open champion Brooks Koepka made a better fist of it, an eagle on the fourth hole helping him to two under, while Jon Rahm and Jordan Spieth were one under.
Scotland's Robert MacIntyre reckons he played one of the best rounds of his career in shooting a level par, which puts him four shots off the pace.
McIlroy was simply beaten up by an unforgiving golf course which punishes you when you miss the fairway, which the Northern Irishman did plenty of times, and even sometimes when you hit the fairway.
Starting on the back nine, it seemed to be going all too well for the Northern Irishman as he made the turn at two under after birdies at the 11th and 12th.
But it quickly unravelled as he played holes one to nine in 41 shots, which included four bogeys and a double bogey.
His playing partners Justin Rose and Shane Lowry did not fare any better as Rose went round in a seven-over 77 with the Irishman a further two shots back and both facing the prospect of missing the cut.
McIlroy's struggles make Spaun's record-equalling round of 66 even more impressive.
Watch and learn! 👇👇👇
Every televised shot from J.J. Spaun's bogey-free 66, just the 8th flawless round in U.S. Open history at Oakmont. pic.twitter.com/fuQnyLMgL9
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 12, 2025
His four birdies in a blemish-free round, which is the joint-lowest first-round score in the US Open on this course, came on the 34-year-old American's first outing at Oakmont.
'All you've been hearing is how hard this place is, and it's hard to not hear the noise and see what's on social media,' he said.
'You're just kind of only hearing about how hard this course is.
A post shared by U.S. Open Championship (@usopengolf)
'I was actually pretty nervous. But I actually tried to harness that, the nerves, the anxiety, because it kind of heightens my focus, makes me swing better, I guess.'
He continued: 'I just tried to kind of take what the course gave me. I hit a lot of good shots and tried to capitalise on any birdie opportunities, which aren't very many out here.
'But I scrambled really well, too, which is a huge component to playing well at a US Open, let alone shoot a bogey-free round.
'I'm just overly pleased with how I started the tournament.'
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Leader Live
an hour ago
- Leader Live
Robert MacIntyre has ‘100 per cent' belief he can win the US Open
MacIntyre described his opening round level-par 70 as one of the best of his life, but he bettered it just 48 hours later. The Scot, from Oban, put in a controlled performance to card a 69, to sit on three over, six shots behind leaders Sam Burns and JJ Spaun when they were midway through their third round. It might have been even better for MacIntyre as he had got down to one over after 12 holes but a spate of bogeys in the final six holes saw him drift back out. But he still believes he is in contention win a first major. Asked if he can win, he replied: 'One hundred per cent. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe that, it's a simple answer, yes. 'I'm just delighted to be in it, going into tomorrow if I can shoot the number I know I can shoot then why can't it be me? 'I have been playing really well this year, another round to go, I have put three solid rounds together so far. It's raining… and it's sunny 🤯 — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2025 'Tomorrow I have got to go out there, give it my best, don't try and focus too much on trying to win, just go out there, hit the shots, then come 15, 16, see where are sitting and decide whether to roll the dice or not.' Heavy rain overnight and throughout the morning had made the brutal Oakmont course slightly more playable but it still presented its challenges. 'It was still difficult,' MacIntyre added. 'It is a little bit softer so when you're on the fairway it gives you more of an opportunity, but I think the rough is even thicker with the water. 'I felt there was a low number with the way I was playing, I was playing beautifully out there. 'The key to this golf course is just be on the fairway. It is the priority and then you can go from there.' Tyrrell Hatton's making a move! Birdie on 12 followed up by this beautiful tee shot on 13. He's now even par and 3 behind the leaders. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2025 Tyrrell Hatton was also presenting British interest as a spate of birdies propelled him up the leaderboard. The 33-year-old Englishman, who started on three over, went one under at the 10th, 11th and 12th to move up level par midway through the third round. It is as you were for world number one Scottie Scheffler, who carded an even-par 70. Scheffler maintained he was still in contention after Friday's second round but failed to make any ground on the leaders, his three birdies cancelled out by three bogeys. But he is still not giving up hope, saying: 'It's going to be really tough for me to catch them, but I think right now I'm seven shots back, which around this place, I mean anything can happen. 'Do I feel like I'm out of the tournament? No. Do I wish I played a little bit better today? Yeah, of course. 'But it's just one of those deals where I put myself in this position. It's not the position I want to be in, but I've done a good job of hanging in there and staying in the tournament.'
South Wales Guardian
an hour ago
- South Wales Guardian
Robert MacIntyre has ‘100 per cent' belief he can win the US Open
MacIntyre described his opening round level-par 70 as one of the best of his life, but he bettered it just 48 hours later. The Scot, from Oban, put in a controlled performance to card a 69, to sit on three over, six shots behind leaders Sam Burns and JJ Spaun when they were midway through their third round. It might have been even better for MacIntyre as he had got down to one over after 12 holes but a spate of bogeys in the final six holes saw him drift back out. But he still believes he is in contention win a first major. Asked if he can win, he replied: 'One hundred per cent. I wouldn't be here if I didn't believe that, it's a simple answer, yes. 'I'm just delighted to be in it, going into tomorrow if I can shoot the number I know I can shoot then why can't it be me? 'I have been playing really well this year, another round to go, I have put three solid rounds together so far. It's raining… and it's sunny 🤯 — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2025 'Tomorrow I have got to go out there, give it my best, don't try and focus too much on trying to win, just go out there, hit the shots, then come 15, 16, see where are sitting and decide whether to roll the dice or not.' Heavy rain overnight and throughout the morning had made the brutal Oakmont course slightly more playable but it still presented its challenges. 'It was still difficult,' MacIntyre added. 'It is a little bit softer so when you're on the fairway it gives you more of an opportunity, but I think the rough is even thicker with the water. 'I felt there was a low number with the way I was playing, I was playing beautifully out there. 'The key to this golf course is just be on the fairway. It is the priority and then you can go from there.' Tyrrell Hatton's making a move! Birdie on 12 followed up by this beautiful tee shot on 13. He's now even par and 3 behind the leaders. — U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 14, 2025 Tyrrell Hatton was also presenting British interest as a spate of birdies propelled him up the leaderboard. The 33-year-old Englishman, who started on three over, went one under at the 10th, 11th and 12th to move up level par midway through the third round. It is as you were for world number one Scottie Scheffler, who carded an even-par 70. Scheffler maintained he was still in contention after Friday's second round but failed to make any ground on the leaders, his three birdies cancelled out by three bogeys. But he is still not giving up hope, saying: 'It's going to be really tough for me to catch them, but I think right now I'm seven shots back, which around this place, I mean anything can happen. 'Do I feel like I'm out of the tournament? No. Do I wish I played a little bit better today? Yeah, of course. 'But it's just one of those deals where I put myself in this position. It's not the position I want to be in, but I've done a good job of hanging in there and staying in the tournament.'
North Wales Chronicle
2 hours ago
- North Wales Chronicle
Rory McIlroy counts down the hours until he can get out of Oakmont
The Northern Irishman scrambled two birdies in the final four holes during Friday's second round to book his weekend stay but revealed he would have not have minded going home. That feeling was even more prevalent after another bruising round on 'moving day', where the only direction he was heading was down. Trouble was never far away as he made six bogeys in a round of 74 and when his par-putt kissed the lips of the hole from three and a half feet and went out on the 14th, he was seen quietly mouthing an expletive, presumably telling the Oakmont course exactly where to go. He sits near the foot of the leaderboard at 10 over par and is counting down the hours until he can go home. Asked what his expectations were for Sunday's final round, he said: 'Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here. 'It's funny, it's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not. 'I was sort of thinking, 'Do I really want two more days here or not'? So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset. 'I actually feel like I've played OK this week. It's a golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised a lot and that's sort of how it's felt this week. 'The name of the game this week is staying patient and try to do a good job of it out there, but it's one of those golf courses that you can lose patience on pretty quickly.' McIlroy spoke having skipped media duties after the last six rounds of major tournaments, putting it down to frustration at the reporting of his driver failing a 'non-conforming' test during the PGA Championship last month. With media duties voluntary and not a requirement he insists he has earned the right to choose when he speaks. 'It's more a frustration with you guys,' he said. 'I've been totally available for the last few years. '(The driver) thing was a part of it. But at Augusta I skipped you guys on Thursday, so it's not out of the ordinary. I've done it before; I'm just doing it a little more often. 'I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do. 'I'm not daring them (the PGA Tour) to do anything. I hope they don't change it because it's a nice luxury to have. 'But I'm just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it.'
