Rory McIlroy leads the start of the U.S. Open with two goals at stake.

Rory McIlroy left the golf world in suspense as he led the U.S. Open solo for about an hour, showcasing strength and control under extremely challenging weather conditions at Shinnecock Hills. The Northern Irish golfer finished the first round with a score of 69 (-1), positioning himself among the top contenders for victory, despite two consecutive bogeys at the end of the course temporarily pushing him away from the top of the leaderboard.

The opening day of the U.S. Open, held this Thursday in Southampton, New York, was marked by steady winds of 32 km/h and even stronger gusts, demanding maximum concentration and precision from all players. McIlroy, who started his round on the back nine due to delays caused by morning fog, immediately made his intentions clear by scoring two birdies in the first three holes. The highlight of the day came on the par-5 fifth hole: with a monstrous drive of 362 meters—the longest of the morning—he followed up with a 3.3-meter putt for eagle, his first recorded in a U.S. Open since 2017.

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At the end of the round, McIlroy did not hide his frustration at having let the lead slip away: “Overall it was a really good day,” he acknowledged, also highlighting the final mistakes. “Obviously, it hurts to finish like this.” Despite that, the result left him just one shot behind the provisional leader, Sam Stevens, a 29-year-old American still without a victory on the PGA Tour.

The competition kicked off under a thick fog, forcing organizers to delay all tee times by two hours. McIlroy ultimately benefited from somewhat more stable conditions in his early phase, but quickly realized that Shinnecock Hills does not forgive distractions: the greens, often criticized in previous editions for being excessively fast, were deliberately slowed down this year — considering the forecasts of strong winds. “The greens are quite slow and very receptive,” explained the Northern Irishman, defending the organizers’ decision: “I think they really had to do it. It’s a challenging course on its own and, when you add in winds of 48 km/h, it’s a real test for the best players in the world. They were prudent in preparing the course.”

The historical weight of this week does not go unnoticed. McIlroy, recently the winner of the Masters in 2025 and again in Augusta this year, is now pursuing two career objectives: to equal Harry Vardon, the legendary Englishman from the early 20th century, as the most decorated European in Majors (seven trophies) and to win the U.S. Open at one of the cathedrals of American golf. “I would like to be known as the most successful European ever,” the golfer stated in November 2024. This weekend, he could finally add that achievement to his resume and cement his status as a legend.

The ambition to win a U.S. Open on a classic stage like Shinnecock Hills is explicit: “If everything goes as everyone wants, in terms of weather and preparation, I think it’s the best test of championship this country has,” McIlroy said before the start of the tournament. This desire gained even more strength after last year’s disappointment at Pinehurst, where he squandered a two-shot lead in the final holes and missed crucial putts from less than 1.2 meters. “That’s why Pinehurst cost me so much — it was a perfect opportunity to win a real U.S. Open, with hard and dry greens. If I had won, no one could say I didn’t do it that way,” he recently confessed to Fried Egg Golf.

McIlroy now has the chance to enter even further into history: if he wins, he will be the only player to register 15 years between U.S. Open titles, surpassing Hale Irwin’s record of 11 years. Additionally, he could become only the seventh player to win both the Masters and the U.S. Open in the same year, joining legendary names like Tiger Woods, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer.

With three rounds still to play and a list of formidable opponents, the next chapter promises to be breathtaking. The pressure is intense, but McIlroy has shown that he is up to the greatest challenges. If he maintains the level he has shown and withstands the storm that is approaching — both literally and figuratively — he could finally complete the circle and establish himself as the greatest European golfer of all time. The 2025 U.S. Open could very well go down in the history of world sport, and all eyes will be on Rory McIlroy in the coming days.

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