Scheffler and McIlroy off pace at bruising US Open

US Open information 1 leaderboard

-4 Spaun (US); -3 Lawrence (SA); -2 SW Kim (Kor), Koepka (US), Im (Kor)

Selected: -1 Detry (Bel), Rahm (Spa), Neergaard-Petersen (Den); Level MacIntyre (Sco), Scott (Aus), Spieth (US); +1 Hovland (Nor); +2 Aberg (Swe), J Smith (Eng), Schauffele (US), Wallace (Eng), Rai (Eng); +3 DeChambeau (US), Scheffler (US), Hatton (Eng); +4 McIlroy (NI), Fleetwood (Eng), Fitzpatrick (Eng); +7 Rose (Eng); +9 Lowry (Ire)

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Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy - nan world's apical 2 - recovered Oakmont Country Club a bruising situation connected a first time astatine nan US Open erstwhile only 10 of nan 156 players ended nether par.

Masters champion McIlroy had started good and was 2 nether aft 9 holes, but past unravelled pinch 4 bogeys and a double bogey arsenic he posted a four-over 74.

Scheffler, who came into nan 3rd awesome of nan twelvemonth arsenic overwhelming favourite connected nan backmost of winning 3 of his past 4 tournaments, is 3 complete par aft an uncharacteristically ragged information that featured 5 bogeys.

"I made immoderate silly mistakes and I conscionable request to beryllium a small sharper," said nan American who won past month's US PGA Championship to adhd to his 2 Masters victories.

Out successful beforehand connected 4 nether is JJ Spaun, who McIlroy hit successful a play-off to triumph The Players Championship successful March. The American had 4 birdies successful his opening 8 holes and his was nan only bogey-free information contempt nan benign conditions.

He was concisely overhauled by Im Sung-jae, only for nan South Korean to bogey 3 of his last 7 holes and driblet back.

South Africa's Thriston Lawrence is 1 down Spaun connected nan notoriously difficult Pennsylvania course, which is hosting a record-extending 10th US Open.

Brooks Koepka, nan 2017 and 2018 champion, is alongside Im and Kim Si-woo astatine 2 nether aft birdieing his last 2 holes to station a 68.

Scotland's Robert MacIntyre was delighted pinch his level-par information of 70 arsenic he classed it "in nan apical 10 that I've played".

Talking to BBC Sport, he added: "I've ne'er played a play people arsenic hard. Every changeable is connected a weapon edge."

Former winners Jon Rahm, connected 1 under, and Jordan Spieth, connected level par, besides impressed while defending champion Bryson DeChambeau described it arsenic a "brutal test" aft posting a three-over 73.

Also astatine 3 complete is Patrick Reed, who made only nan 4th albatross successful US Open history erstwhile he holed his 2nd shot, from 286 yards, astatine nan par-five 4th to prime up 3 shots.

Sadly for nan American, a triple-bogey 7 astatine nan past near him 3 complete par for nan tournament.

With barren upwind forecast for Friday, this behemoth of a play course, which had nan highest first-round scoring mean (74.63) since 2018 astatine Shinnecock Hills (76.47), should only get tougher.

Last clip nan US Open was held present successful 2016, only 4 players collapsed par and successful 2007, nan winning people by Angel Cabrera was astatine 5 over.

While not that sadistic yet, this tourney does look for illustration surviving up to its self-proclaimed billing arsenic "the toughest trial successful golf".

There were much than double nan number of bogeys to birdies connected time 1 and, pinch nan people drying out, greens getting faster and nan upwind yet to bare its teeth, it should get harder.

The world's apical 2 won 2025's first 2 fields but entered this successful contrasting shape – McIlroy having missed nan trim spectacularly successful Canada past week, while Scheffler has been imperious.

McIlroy, who missed nan trim successful 2016, initially looked good, pinch 2 birdies successful his first 3 holes, including striking nan longest thrust of his season, 392 yards astatine nan 12th (his third).

But Oakmont spot backmost connected his 2nd nine.

Driving nan shot into nan five-inch heavy unsmooth disconnected nan par-five 4th fairway, he needed 3 shots to flight and only a singular 30-foot putt constricted nan harm to a bogey.

Further shots went astatine his 15th and 16th holes earlier a first sensation of nan tremendous par-three eighth - playing astatine 276 yards - costs him a double bogey.

Equally, past month's US PGA Championship victor Scheffler was acold from his metronomic best, turning astatine 2 complete par and past bogeying 13 and 15 connected nan measurement home.

Winner successful 2011, McIlroy has vanished runner-up successful nan past 2 US Opens – successful heartbreaking manner past twelvemonth aft missing 2 short putts erstwhile starring successful nan closing stages – and has made nan apical 10 successful nan past six championships.

While yet to triumph this tournament, Scheffler does boast 3 top-seven finishes but some person overmuch activity to do arsenic nan people toughens up.

Beyond threatening nan biggest triumph of his profession astatine TPC Sawgrass successful nan PGA Tour's flagship tourney earlier this year, world number 25 Spaun has 3 different top-10 finishes truthful acold this season.

Starting pinch a 20-foot chip-in from retired of nan unsmooth astatine nan 10th tee, he excelled connected nan greens, making 3 clutch par putts from much than 10 feet to support his paper cleanable down nan backmost nine.

"I'm trying to consciousness for illustration I person thing to lose," said Spaun, whose champion decorativeness astatine a awesome is associated 23rd astatine nan 2022 Masters.

"That was my mantra astatine nan Players, truthful I'm going to rotation pinch that again this week, and hopefully it'll move retired much successful my favour."

Of nan later starters, Oakmont initially appeared to person been tamed by Im, who raced to 5 nether aft 12 holes.

However, a miscued tee changeable into nan 110-yard agelong 'Church Pews' bunker astatine nan 4th (his 13th) costs him a first dropped changeable and an disfigured three-putt astatine his adjacent spread coughed up another.

A further bogey near him 2 disconnected nan lead and he ended connected nan aforesaid people arsenic Koepka who looked adjacent to his aged unflappable aforesaid arsenic he carded an eagle and 2 birdies.

"My coach had to person a beardown connection pinch maine earlier this week," nan five-time awesome champion said. "I had sewage into immoderate bad habits."

Jordan Smith, who came done qualifying successful May astatine Walton Heath, Surrey, put together a coagulated information though bogeys connected his last 2 holes meant he posted a 72.

Fellow Englishmen Aaron Rai, Matt Wallace and Laurie Canter are besides astatine that mark, alongside Sweden's Ludvig Aberg who had a rocky decorativeness pinch 4 bogeys successful his closing 5 holes.

Tyrrell Hatton had 2 double bogeys successful his 73 to beryllium 1 up of Tommy Fleetwood and Matt Fitzpatrick who battled to 4 over, while 20-year-old amateur Tyler Weaver faded pinch 3 bogeys successful his last 4 holes arsenic he posted a creditable 75.

Fellow Englishman and 2013 champion Justin Rose closed pinch a double bogey successful his 77.

The much-fancied Sepp Straka had a time to hide pinch nary birdies, 4 bogeys and 2 double bogeys successful his 78.

And it was besides a reliable time for Ireland's Shane Lowry. The 2016 runner-up astatine Oakmont carded a nine-over 79, contempt holing retired from 160 yards astatine nan par-four 3rd (his 12th) for an eagle two.