McIlroy makes fast start at windy US Open despite expensive finish

Sam Stevens grabbed the morning clubhouse lead after opening-round 68, with Rory McIlroy one behind; Scottie Scheffler four strokes back as he chases career Grand Slam; watch the US Open throughout the week live on Sky Sports Golf

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>Rory McIlroy missed out on a chance to grab the early clubhouse lead during a challenging opening round at the US Open, where Scottie Scheffler made a mixed start to his Grand Slam bid.

>McIlroy temporarily held a two-shot cushion in windy conditions at Shinnecock Hills, where only six of the morning wave finished under-par and play was halted for two hours due to thick fog, only to bogey the final two holes for a one-under 69.

>The world No 2 mixed an eagle and three birdies with four bogeys to finish on one under, the seventh time he has opened with a sub-70 opening round at the US Open, leaving him a shot behind morning clubhouse leader Sam Stevens.

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>McIlroy's playing partner Ludvig Åberg also finished on one under, with Tommy Fleetwood a further stroke back, while world No 1 Scheffler was four strokes back after opening with a two-over 72.

>The strongest forecasted gusts hadn't materialised but caused players problems as Scheffler, making his first attempt at becoming just the seventh male in history to win all four majors, made an over-par start to the US Open for the third consecutive year.

>Former major champions Bryson DeChambeau, Jon Rahm and Xander Schauffele were among the later starters, who will be unable to get their opening rounds finished - because of the earlier delay - before darkness.

>Starting on the back nine alongside Åberg and Fleetwood, McIlroy made a super start when he followed a 10-foot birdie at the 11th by holing from 25 feet at the next to grab a share of the lead.

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>McIlroy missed from eight feet to save par at the 13th but converted from the same distance at the next to avoid back-to-back bogeys, only to drop a shot at the par-five 16th after an errant drive left him having to pitch out from an awkward lie.

>A brilliant approach into the par-three third set up a close-range birdie before McIlroy scrambled an unlikely par at the par-four fourth, rolling in from 20 feet after spraying his tee shot and then missing the green with his second.

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>McIlroy nailed a 396-yard drive down the par-five fifth and then fired another impressive iron shot, producing a 12-foot eagle - his first in a US Open for nine years - to briefly put him two ahead, but lost ground after failing to get up and down to save par on both his final two holes.

>"With the conditions today, anything under par or anything around even par is a good score," McIlroy said. "It was a day to really keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here [opening-round 80].

>"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. Really just minimising the mistakes and I did that for the most part today."

>Stevens teed off at 6.57am local time (11.57am UK time), just minutes before play was halted with fog, with the American bouncing back from double-bogeying his opening hole - the par-four 10th - to fire six birdies in his two-under 68.

>Former Open champion Brian Harman, Max Greyserman and Ben James, who secured his spot via Final Qualifying, were the others to join Åberg and McIlroy in the morning wave to make an under-par start.

>Scheffler was joined on two over by Players champion Cameron Young, with Brooks Koepka - the champion the last time the US Open was held at Shinnecock Hills - posting a three-over 73 and defending champion JJ Spaun struggling to an opening 77.

>"It was a really challenging day," Scheffler said. "If you told me when I was staring at my par putt on the ninth that I would post two over today, I would definitely have taken it at the time. Overall, it was a good battle."

>Who will win the US Open? Watch throughout the week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage continues Friday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports or stream with no contract.