Rory McIlroy has often ended his opening round at a Major pondering missed cuts and potential damage limitation.
But the Northern Irishman will tee off at the US Open later today believing he can win a fifth Major and a first for eight years, after a round of 67 left him in second place.
In echoes of the preceding US PGA, where he shot a 65, he said his latest strong start had altered his thinking compared to playing at golf’s other big four events, when he has relied on a late charge to save his tournament.
Looking ahead to round two at Brookline today, he said: “You feel like you’re right in the tournament from the start, which is nice. I’m going into Friday with the mindset of ‘let’s keep it going’ rather than ‘where is the cut line?’.
“If you don’t get off to a great start those thoughts creep in, ‘okay, what do I need to just be here for the weekend?’ It’s certainly a different mindset when you get off to a good start.”
It was a round that could have been even better, a bogey on his last hole denying him a chance to go four-under for a share of the lead with Canada’s Adam Hadwin.
There were elements of damage limitation at the start of a round, which began at the 10th hole. He did well to twice scramble a par before a 20-foot putt saw him pick up the first of four birdies on the 16th.
Some uncharacteristic petulance followed, when he went from one bunker to another in successive shots on the fifth and took a mighty swipe at the offending bunker. And, yet, he still saved par, those saves potentially as important as the picked-up shots.
Looking back on the round, McIlroy said: “You’d take a 67 around this course any day. Even though I’m standing up here slightly frustrated that I bogeyed the last, it’s a great start. That’s now two Majors in a row that I’ve started well, and hopefully I’ll just keep going from here.”
McIlroy was joined in a tie for second by a relatively unknown Englishman in Callum Tarren, while Matt Fitzpatrick should have been on the same score but for his own bogey at the last.
It was at Brookline as an 18-year-old that Fitzpatrick won the US Amateur title, and he readily admitted nine years on he was relishing returning to the same course.
“This win opened up so many doors for my career,” said Fitzpatrick. “I’ve been excited for this one for a few years. I’ve probably got a bit more confidence going into the week than some who will have played here before.”
Phil Mickelson has his work cut out to make the weekend after a dire round of 78 left him eight-over par, while Dustin Johnson was the highest placed of the LIV Golf rebels on two-under.
