There is a barber on duty at the Pinehurst clubhouse for players who need a cut during the US Open. Scottie Scheffler visited ‘Monti’ before this opening round, choosing to tackle the brutal number 2 course in new trim.
And on Thursday, the game looked different too – the world No 1 struggling for consistency and control. This is a welcome reprieve for the rivals, who have been weak to deliver for most of this season.
At Pinehurst, Rory McIlroy also showed a different look. After the ‘come-to-Jesus moment’, the 2011 champion has given his game a makeover when it comes to the US Open. He has learned to settle for boring golf. It has led him to five successful top-ten finishes, including second in Los Angeles last year.
A fifth major still eludes him but perhaps McIlroy is really closer than ever. He is in a tie for the lead here, has trimmed his explosiveness and shaved every shot from the lead Patrick Cantlay during the best opening round.
At the end of it all, the dogfight is on. McIlroy and Cantlay clashed at last year’s Ryder Cup, with the Northern Irishman calling his rival a ‘d***’. Here they are tied at five-under-par.
Rory McIlroy enjoyed a good opening round at the US Open at Pinehurst on Thursday
The Northern Irishman, who filed for divorce this week, is chasing Patrick Cantlay
No one shot lower than 65s at the US Open here. And the Northern Irishman did it without a single bogey. The last three times he opened with a flawless round in the majors, he went on to lift the trophy.
“It was a controlled round of golf,” McIlroy said. ‘(My plan is) to be super conservative with my strategy and my game. I think with my actions, just trying to be super stoic. Just trying to be as even-keeled as I can.
‘I really feel like that’s something that has been good in the US Opens in a new window for the past few years.
He added: ‘The major championships I’ve won or the ones I’ve played well, I’ve always looked good, and it’s better to move on to the next one.’
McIlroy and Cantlay are among the young Swedish debutant Ludvig Aberg. Bryson Dechambeau, the 2020 champion, and Matthieu Pavon are tied for fourth at three under.
Cantlay is tied for the lead with McIlroy, having set the pace early in Saturday’s opening round
World No. 1 Scottie Scheffler had a tough day and was six shots behind McIlroy and Cantlay.
Favorite Scheffler, meanwhile, was the only one of the afternoon to come up short, when Xander Schauffele bogeyed for par after a yo-yo round that included four birdies, four bogeys and several wayward drives.
One hit a volunteer, the other dived into a plastic ball full of merchandise. Fans have shelled out $650, apparently. He has seen the long days, when some of the greatest players in the world took a beating from Pinehurst.
Among them? Tiger Woods (+4) Phil Mickelson (+9) and Justin Thomas (+7). Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 champion from Sheffield is also fighting for the par-three level – with 2013 champion Justin Rose.
But many others still stick with the shot. They include England’s Aaron Rai, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood.
Scheffler had six long shots but only a fool would dismiss him. The world No. 1 has five wins this season – one side of the birth of his first child and a short trip to jail at the PGA Championship.
Schauffele cashed in that week to claim his first major at Valhalla. Can McIlroy take advantage of this opening?
McIlroy didn’t make a single bogey during the opening round which left him tied for first
The people of Northern Ireland have been in their own turmoil recently. He filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, shortly before the PGA Championship and then called it quits a few days before this tournament.
They have a history of thriving in riots, and this is a great start.
There is a strange piece of magic – included in the five, when chipped in. Other birdies came on holes four, 10, 16 and 18. The last one was sealed with swagger as McIlroy walked a long putt into the hole. Usually, he plays the percentage and doesn’t let the odd mistake happen.
Even as another member of the blockbuster group he put himself through the mill. Scheffler threw the club after one wrong approach and then nearly burned the chip. Schauffele had to dig himself out of several holes.
Tiger Woods is nine shots off the lead after a tough opening round for the 48-year-old
Cantlay was safe in the clubhouse when they came out to tackle Pinehurst. America made only one bogey and needed only 23 putts in a quest for 65. The day started with a par on the par-five 10; Woods had gone one better a few minutes earlier, rolling in a birdie putt to take a share of the lead shortly after 7.30am.
He stayed in the red and lingered around the leader for some time. It seems Woods’ new swing coach — his 15-year-old son Charlie — might know the stuff. However, a few hours later, when the 48-year-old saw his final shot go off the green, his frustration finally boiled over. ‘F*** off,’ Woods mouthed. It has become that kind of day.
At one point, Woods had a putt to join Aberg in the lead at two under par. Six holes later, they were separated by six shots. By the time Woods went in for a four-over-par 74, the gap to Cantlay was nine. This course is quite difficult without the body being held hostage to the slight wind.
“I hope I don’t cramp in the car anymore — I can cramp in the air conditioning,” Woods said. ‘You can go too far here – the wrong way. It was very difficult to come back.’
Hopes of making it through the weekend seem to have passed but elsewhere at Pinehurst, the tournament has been excellent.