Rory McIlroy Stumbles at U.S. Open After Hot Start, Struggles to Find Post-Masters Rhythm
Rory McIlroy’s opening round at the U.S. Open started with promise but unraveled quickly, leaving the reigning Masters champion with more questions than answers. After birdies on his second and third holes at Oakmont, McIlroy looked poised to bounce back from recent struggles. But a disastrous closing stretch saw him card a 4-over 74, putting him eight shots behind leader J.J. Spaun.
McIlroy’s round began on the 10th hole, and a booming 392-yard drive on the 12th set up another birdie that briefly put him at 2-under. However, the momentum vanished on the front nine, where errant tee shots and poor lies derailed his round. A double bogey on the par-3 eighth capped a brutal six-hole stretch played in 5-over.
Following a missed cut at the Canadian Open and a frustrating T-47 finish at the PGA Championship—where a failed driver test made headlines—McIlroy has yet to recapture the form that earned him the career Grand Slam.
While he continues to hit long off the tee and ranks well in advanced metrics, the inconsistency is glaring. McIlroy, who has admitted post-Masters motivation has been tough, will need a strong second round to avoid another early exit—and silence growing doubts about his midseason form.
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