Rory McIlroy falters with four-over-par 74 in US Open first round

On June 12, 2025, Rory McIlroy faced a challenging first round at the US Open held at Oakmont Country Club, Pennsylvania. Initially, McIlroy showed promise by starting strong, reaching two-under par after making birdies on his second and third holes. However, the back nine turned disastrous for him as he accumulated four bogeys and a double bogey, leading to a final score of four-over-par 74. This performance left him eight strokes behind the early leader, JJ Spaun, who carded a bogey-free round of 66. The round's sharp decline for McIlroy can be attributed to various misfortunes on the course, particularly as the notorious thick rough of Oakmont complicated his game. Starting at the tenth hole, McIlroy held a solid position by the ninth hole; however, the difficulties arose sharply, marking a significant shift in his performance. His struggles intensified at the first hole when he three-putted and continued to worsen at the fourth with an unwise shot that led to difficulties in recovery. This trajectory of misplays culminated at the eighth hole, where he suffered double bogey after failing to escape thick rough successfully. This poor outing was not just an isolated incident for McIlroy; it also highlighted a troubling trend of underperformance following his recent Masters victory. His day ended with no media interaction as he bypassed journalists waiting for comments, continuing his pattern of avoiding the press since earlier major tournaments. This reluctance further raised eyebrows about his mental and emotional state following his triumph at Augusta, where expectations were high. McIlroy's golfing partners, Shane Lowry and Justin Rose, faced their own challenges with scores of 79 and 77, respectively, illustrating the overall difficulty of the opening round at Oakmont. Looking forward, McIlroy's performance signals potential struggles in the tournament as he attempts to recover and improve in subsequent rounds. His focus shifts now to the Ryder Cup, anticipated after the conclusion of the US Open. Nonetheless, he will need to address the evident issues affecting his game to contend effectively in such major competitions moving forward, particularly on a course known for its challenging conditions.