US Open 2024: Rory McIlroy eyes push for major glory after bogey-free start at Pinehurst No 2 (2024)

Rory McIlroy made an ideal start in his pursuit of a long overdue fifth major title with a bogey-free opening round at the US Open taking him into a tie for the lead at five under.

Chasing a first major since his 2014 PGA Championship success, the 35-year-old carded two of his five birdies in the final three holes to see him match the early clubhouse target set by Patrick Cantlay.

It equals McIlroy's best-ever start to the US Open, matching the 65s he carded on his way to victory in 2011 and his second-place finish last year.

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"It's nice to see your name at the top of the leaderboard after the first day of a US Open," McIlroy told Sky Sports.

"I felt like I played a really solid, controlled round of golf... I just stayed disciplined and when I got myself in trouble, I took my medicine, two-putted.

"This is the whole thing about a US Open, it's trying to keep clean scorecards like this. I'm pretty sure I'm not going to keep it bogey-free for the rest of the week... but it's not about how many birdies you make, it's about how many bogeys you don't make."

"I had a run of pars from the 11th through to 15th where I had chances and wasn't able to convert. But I feel like the patience I showed over those five holes was rewarded with two birdies in the last three - a great way to finish."

His round on Thursday was McIlroy's second bogey-free start to a US Open since his wire-to-wire win in 2011.

In fact, on the last three instances where McIlroy has been blemish-free to start a major - the 2011 US Open, 2012 PGA Championship and 2014 Open - he has ended the week victorious on all three occasions.

"I went through a run for a while where my starts at major championships weren't very good," he told reporters after his opening round.

"I probably got myself a little too worked up at the start of the week.

"But back to the (US) PGA, I opened with a five-under there at Valhalla. Even going all the way back to this tournament last year, I opened with a low one.

"Certainly the major championships that I've won or the ones that I've played well at, I've always seemed to get off to a good start, and it's nice to get off to another one."

Analysis: Can McIlroy break major drought after fast start?

Dame Laura Davies, four-time major champion: "He's had a good run recently, he's had a couple of wins, but has just gone toe-to-toe with the world's top two.

"They're the ones that are playing the best golf - Scheffler in the last couple of years and Schauffele with his major - but McIlroy turned up today, he was the man, and beat them quite easily."

Paul McGinley, former Ryder Cup captain: "That's a brilliant start from him and he's right in the hunt from the get-go! He will want three more days of that. He was focused, he minimised his mistakes and he executed well with good putting.

"That's a tremendous day. If he keeps that intensity and focus for three more days, then he might finally break that 10-year duck.

Rich Beem, 2002 PGA Championship winner: "He has got off to such sluggish starts in the past few years, so it's nice to see him come out full of energy, playing great and with everything spot on. That was great fun to watch and I'm sure he's just smiling from ear lobe to ear lobe."

Who will win the third men's major of the year? Watch the US Open live on Sky Sports. Live coverage of the second round begins on Friday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Stream the US Open and more with NOW.