Rory McIlroy shot a one-under 69 in a difficult opening round at the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills. He held a two-stroke lead late in his round before finishing with two consecutive bogeys, leaving him near the top of the leaderboard and firmly in contention.
In punishing conditions with winds gusting over 30mph, McIlroy’s ball-striking was a significant asset. He hit 10 of 14 fairways, a crucial statistic on a day that demanded control. His performance off the tee, a supposed vulnerability for him in 2026, was sharp and effective. The highlight came on the 592-yard par-five fifth hole, his 14th of the day. A 396-yard drive set up a nine-iron approach to 11 feet, which he converted for an eagle to take a two-stroke lead at three-under par. But his wedge play faltered on the final two holes, as he missed greens from inside 165 yards on both the eighth and ninth, leading directly to dropped shots that soured an otherwise excellent scorecard.
McIlroy acknowledged the challenge and his strategy for the day. “I think with the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score,” he said. “It was a day to really just keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here.” He added that his focus was on damage control. “I went out with the mindset that pars were going to be good, and if you could pick up a couple of birdies here and there, that’s always a bonus. It was really about minimising the mistakes. I did that for the most part today.”
Despite the finish, the round puts McIlroy in a strong position at one-under, just one shot behind provisional leader Sam Stevens. He enters the second round well-placed to make a run. Reflecting on the bogeys, McIlroy remained positive about his overall standing. “On the last two holes I put myself in pretty difficult spots and wasn’t able to get it up-and-down, but overall a really good day.”
