McIlroy shows major improvement with opening 69 at U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy’s plan on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills was simply to give himself a solid start and avoid the kind of opening that put him on the back foot eight years ago.

His one‑under‑par 69 was an eleven‑shot improvement on his 80 in 2018, and leaves him firmly in contention after a delayed and patience-testing first round at the U.S. Open.

“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 said after his round, which was affected by a long delay due to fog.

“With the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score. Pars were going to be good, and if you could pick up a couple of birdies here and there, that is always a bonus.”

Starting on the back nine, McIlroy quickly moved to the top of the leaderboard by converting brilliant approach shots for early birdies at the 11th and 12th holes.

He then gave one back at the 13th after missing his par putt from eight feet and dropped another at the 16th after finding himself out of position, turning in level par.

Yet it wasn't long before he was back in front again, making a birdie at three before finding the green in two at the par five fifth and seeing in the putt for eagle to gain the outright lead.

"Driver, pitching wedge, putt," he talked through the eagle.

"I think I had 194  (yards) to the pin. I was -- it was like ten to cover the false front. I think I had like 169. I was trying to pitch the ball like 180, and I ended up pitching the ball like 190. I carried that pitching wedge 190 yards. It just shows how strong the wind is out there.

"Yeah, it's nice to have a wedge in your hand with second shots at par-5, and with the greens still being receptive, I could get the ball to stop on that green. Yeah, it was nice to hole the putt."

The reigning Masters Champion was quickly reminded of Shinnecock's demands with two closing bogeys at the eighth and ninth, but McIlroy said both late mistakes came from shots that were punished more than he expected.

“It is so tough. It is so difficult,” he said. “I did not feel like I hit two bad iron shots on the last two holes and put myself in pretty difficult spots and was not able to get it up and down, but overall a really good day.

"On eight the ball just went completely through the wind. I was hitting a similar direction to the 7th hole, and I hit six-iron on seven. It pitched whatever it pitched, 160 or 172, whatever it was.

"I had 164 -- or 162 up to 164 on the eighth hole thinking it was playing like 190, 195. Hit a really good 6-iron that I thought was going to be the distance, and it just went through the wind.

"Then on nine on the right side of that fairway, you're sort of with your -- the ball's above your feet a little bit more. You're going with the slope with the right-to-left wind, and I just got it going on the wind a little bit too much. I didn't feel like it was a terrible shot, but you need to be very precise out there."

McIlroy has spoken previously about how his experience here in 2018 forced him to rethink his approach to major championships, and Thursday’s round reflected the patience and discipline he has built since then - which has rewarded him with back-to-back Green Jackets.

Asked about that shift, McIlroy said it was all about his mindset.

"I think the big thing was I needed to change my mindset. I've told this story before, but I played those two days in 2018, and then I got to the Travelers the next week. I remember like feeling so much in my comfort zone going to TPC River Highlands and thinking to myself, I've got this backwards. I should be in my comfort zone at Shinnecock and not here.

"So it was really just -- it was an effort really -- I wouldn't say -- like it hasn't looked as if I've went and done a rebuild of my game, but it's felt like it in terms of the way I approach the game and the value I place on certain shots and certain skills within the game.

"I remember flying back from Dubai at the end of 2018, and I would keep, like, a journal or a diary. I wrote in it that from 2019 going forward, I'm going to build my game to compete at the major championships and excel at the toughest tests that we have.

"Again, working on the things that you need to do well to excel at these, which is flighting the ball, hitting your numbers, wedge play, short game, putting, which is all the stuff that I feel like I've improved over the last few years."

His one-under-par 69 was a good example of all of that coming together.

The Northern Irishman’s 69 was matched by playing partner Ludvig Åberg, while Ryder Cup Europe teammate Tommy Fleetwood rounded out the three‑ball with an opening 70.

Fleetwood has fond memories of Shinnecock from 2018, when he matched the U.S. Open scoring record with a final‑round 63, but this is Åberg’s first look at the course.

The Swede, whose 69 included three birdies and two bogeys, was pleased with how he managed his game throughout the opening day as he looks to stay in contention for a maiden Major title.

“Before the round started, if you would have said under par, I would have said yes and nodded,” he said.

“It’s a challenging golf course. The wind is definitely a big factor. Overall I was pleased with the way I was hitting it, pleased with the way I was scrambling when I had to. It’s a tough test.”

The trio will tee up again tomorrow afternoon, 6.47pm BST.