Rory McIlroy held a two-shot lead midway through his opening round at Shinnecock Hills before stumbling with back-to-back bogeys on his final two holes, settling for a one-under 69. The world No 2 mixed an eagle and three birdies with four bogeys, temporarily seizing control in difficult windy conditions before falling a shot behind early clubhouse leader Sam Stevens.

Scottie Scheffler's pursuit of a Grand Slam got off to a rocky start with a two-over 72, continuing his pattern of opening with over-par rounds at the US Open for the third straight year. The world No 1 battled through challenging scoring conditions where only six players from the morning wave finished under par, despite the forecasted strong winds failing to fully materialize.

McIlroy's playing partners Ludvig Åberg matched his one-under 69 while Tommy Fleetwood finished on even par. Former champions struggled too, with Brooks Koepka posting 73 and defending champion JJ Spaun carding a disappointing 77. The round was delayed two hours by thick fog that suspended play early.

McIlroy's eagle at the par-five fifth was his first in a US Open for nine years, highlighting a round that kept him in contention despite the late stumble. With conditions proving demanding, his one-under 69 positions him well for the weekend while Scheffler faces an early deficit in his historic major chase.