Rory McIlroy climbs to the top of the leaderboard on the first day at the US Open

Rory McIlroy climbs to the top of the leaderboard on the first day at the US Open after overcoming frustration on the fifth hole to finish three under par… with England’s Callum Tarren sharing a joint lead

  • Rory McIlroy made a promising start to the US Open with an opening score of 67
  • He finished three under and shares the lead at the top with Callum Tarren
  • McIlroy showed frustration on the fifth hole as he shot bunker to bunker
  • He saved par and eventually went four under pair, before dropping a shot  

Rory McIlroy has taken the lead on the first day of the US Open after finishing three under par with an opening 67 in the first round.

It was a great start for McIlroy, who was disappointed after dropping a shot on his final hole, which left him in a three-way tie for the lead with Callum Tarren and David Lingmerth.

McIlroy started out on the tenth hole and covered his first 13 holes in two under par to lie a shot off the lead.

Rory McIlroy made an great start to his US Open ambitions with an opening round of 67

McIlroy started on the tenth and had frustration in the fifth as he shot bunker to bunker

McIlroy started on the tenth and had frustration in the fifth as he shot bunker to bunker

However, he showed frustration after some bad luck on the fifth – a short uphill par four. 

His tee shot finished on the edge of a bunker and left him struggling to take a stance in the sand with the ball above his feet.

He then hacked his second shot into another bunker just yards in front of him – leading to him lashing out on his club smashing it into the sand twice. 

McIlroy regained his composure and hit a good bunker shot which ran 10 feet past the flag before holing the putt to save par.

He finished on three under par after losing a shot on the final hole of his round on Thursday

He finished on three under par after losing a shot on the final hole of his round on Thursday

England's Callum Tarren made a promising start and shares the lead with McIlroy on -3

England’s Callum Tarren made a promising start and shares the lead with McIlroy on -3

He then holed from 25 feet for birdie on the seventh and 10 feet on the par-five eighth to move into the outright lead on four under par.

England’s Tarren had set the early clubhouse target on three under, the world number 445 from Darlington carding an eagle, three birdies and two bogeys in his 67.

‘I’m kind of pinching myself because I didn’t realise I was on the top of the leaderboard until I holed that final putt on the ninth,’ Tarren said. ‘Just excited with my start and let’s see what the next few days hold.’

A birdie on the 18th gave defending champion Jon Rahm an opening one-under-par 69.

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