The 2011 US Open winner shot 68 and three under par in round one at Pebble Beach
Rory McIlroy Makes Fast Start At US Open
Rory McIlroy got off to a great start in round one of the 2019 US Open at Pebble Beach, continuing from where he left off last week in Canada.
The four-time Major winner has missed his last three cuts at the US Open but this year he'll look to be challenging at the top, and today's round has helped him do just that.
Rory shot 68 on day one with four birdies and a single bogey for his lowest US Open round since his winning week in 2011.
He began on the tricky 10th hole and bogeyed after pulling his approach left into the greenside bunker, but was flawless from then in.
The Northern Irishman responded well with birdies at the par-4 13th and par-3 17th.
He then birdied the 2nd and 3rd to reach three under, before making a brilliant par save from off the green on the short 5th.
He parred his way in to sign for a 68, which left him two back of Rickie Fowler in the morning wave.
A positive start is just what the four-time Major winner was looking for this week, after telling media about a conversation he had with Johnny Miller at the inaugural US Open Champion's Dinner.
"I had a chat with Johnny Miller, and Johnny said, 'You look at the history of major championships, that first round is so important.'
"I said, I know. My first rounds at Augusta and Bethpage this year just sort of put me a little bit behind the eight ball. And it's hard to catch up. Especially, you know, major championships are played on the toughest courses, and you start to chase on those really tough courses, it's hard to do that.
"I think getting back to winning, the majors that I've won, I've started every single one of them really well, runs in sort of the mid-60s, and I think that's sort of what's held me back a little bit.
"If I can take that freedom that I played with on Saturday and Sunday last week and put that into tomorrow and play with that sort of freedom and get off to a good start, I'll be right -- hopefully right in the tournament from the get-go and stay there."
It isn't a mid-60s round from Rory but it isn't in the mid-70s like so many Majors in the past five years.
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