OAKMONT, Pa. – They say misery loves company. That was the case with the marquee group of Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and reigning Masters champion Danny Willett.
Three of the top-10-ranked players in the world and none of them could do better than 75 (Willett). They combined to make just four birdies, half of them by Fowler, but his other 16 holes could be described as spotty at best. It continued a bad trend for the 2015 Players champ. His last six opening rounds at majors beginning with the 2015 Masters: 73-81-72-73-80 and now 76 at Oakmont Country Club.
None dug a deeper hole than World No. 3 Rory McIlroy, who posted a 7-over 77 in the rain-delayed first round of the 116th U.S. Open.
McIlroy took a vicious swing at the 18th hole early Friday morning, pointed right and yelled, “Fore.” His sprayed tee shot into the gallery epitomized his first round. McIlroy hit just 5 fairways and 8 greens in regulation. Compounding his errors, he took 34 putts. McIlroy complained that he couldn’t find any rhythm in the start-stop nature of play on Thursday. He also confessed that he was struggling with his swing even during his practice rounds.
“I know what I’m doing, but it’s hard to change it out there,” McIlroy said. “It’s been hard to give it any sort of time this week to work on it.”
The theory that softer conditions would behoove McIlory flew out the door when he missed the first three fairways using an iron off the tee and twice had to pitch out sideways. McIlroy was 4 over through 13 holes when play was suspended, and did himself no favors by bogeying the final three holes on his way to the house. He came home in 40. It doesn’t bode well for McIlroy, who has never won a professional event in the U.S. with an opening round over par.
“For me the toughest thing is just trying to stay positive and not get too down on myself,” he said.
But McIlroy wasn’t ready to concede he was out of the trophy hunt.
“With the way the golf course is, with it being so soft, I might just go out there in the second round and hit a lot of drivers and try to be as aggressive as I possibly can be,” he said. “For me to get back into this tournament here, I have to hole every putt inside 10 feet.”
