Tacoma, United States - World number one Rory McIlroy got off to a rocky start at the 115th US Open on Thursday, limping into the clubhouse after a two-over 72 at the Chambers Bay golf course.
The 26-year-old Northern Irishman, who played the back nine first, made bogey on two of his last three holes, two-putting from five feet twice to cap his first round.
Four-time major champion McIlroy entered the clubhouse seven shots off the pace on the quirky links-style course which the majority of the 156-player field were playing for the first time.
"I thought the course was set up well," McIlroy said," he said. "It is not a typical US Open where you have to play a game of chess."
McIlroy started his round on the 10th and it looked like his game might be in order after a nice par on his first hole and then a birdie on the par-four 11th.
But he hit a rough patch three holes later with back-to-back bogeys on 14 and the par-three, 167-yard 15th where he two putted from four feet to finish with a four.
He offset those two bogeys with a pair of birdies to make the turn at even-par 35.
He settled into a routine with six straight pars to start his back nine but then came the wobble on the seventh where his first putt from five feet missed left and he followed that up with a similar two-putt misstep on the ninth.
Conditions were overcast with little or no breeze as McIlroy, who is chasing his second US Open title, teed off to start his round in a threesome with defending champion Martin Kaymer and Yang Gunn, who is last year's US Amateur winner. Kaymer finished with a 72 and Yang shot two-over 74.
The crowds for the most part were being kept well away from the marquee group behind ropes far from the fairways and greens and in purpose-built grandstands on the quirky links-style 7,526 foot Chambers Bay course, 50 kilometres (31 miles) southwest of Seattle.
The stands at the par-four 304 yard No. 12 were jammed packed as a loud cheer went up when Kaymer birdied the hole.
It was on the elevated tee at the scenic No. 12 where McIlroy also took time out to take in the breathtaking view of the waters of the Puget Sound.
McIlroy's opening tee shot Thursday sailed straight down the middle of the fairway and his approach was just as impressive as he landed it on the green about 20 feet uphill from the pin.
He then got his first indication of just how much trouble Chambers Bay can present with a wicked downhill putt to the hole.
His first putt took a little hop but he had a good line and it stopped about six inches from the cup for an easy tap in.
His tee shot on the 537-yard, par-four 11th landed in the fat part of the green. Unlike the first hole, this time McIlroy outdrove Kaymer who as the defending champ had the initial honours in the threesome.
McIlroy hit his approach to about five feet from the flag and then one-putted for his first birdie of the tournament.
His first bobble came on his tee shot at No. 12 which got up over the steep fairway leading to the green, but landed in the rough off to the right side.
His chipped his second shot to the other side of the green but the ball rolled back down the slope to about 15 feet. He then two-putted for a par.
AFP
