- McIlroy’s three-under-par 67 gives him share of clubhouse lead
- ‘I’ve just got to keep it going,’ says four-time major winner
There is precious little that could switch the discussion around golf from matters of Saudi Arabia, a rebel tour and the resulting grisly civil war. A Rory McIlroy success at this US Open is, however, among the topics that would trigger even a brief change of theme. So far, so good.
On day one at the Country Club there were flashes of McIlroy brilliance and flashes of McIlroy frustration. A three-under-par 67 was sufficient to tie the clubhouse lead before the afternoon wave took to the course. McIlroy smashed a bunker in anger at the 5th before saving par. He tossed his club away on the 9th (his 18th) after missing the green from the middle of the fairway. There was to be no salvation there: the closing bogey was McIlroy’s sole aberration of the round.
