McIlroy Faces Tough Challenge in U.S. Open at Oakmont

OAKMONT, Pennsylvania (CNN) — Rory McIlroy struggled at the U.S. Open on Thursday at Oakmont Country Club, one of golf’s most challenging courses. Ranked as the world’s No. 1 golfer, McIlroy previously dominated the competition, winning a tournament by four strokes just weeks prior.

The Oakmont course features deep rough that nearly covers players’ shoes and narrow fairways that slope towards treacherous bunkers. PGA officials often find wayward shots in this thick grass, resembling a search for a lost contact lens in a crowded room. Players face greens that resemble sheets of glass, with unpredictable bumps and slopes.

Scottie Scheffler, the defending PGA Champion, faced difficulties on the daunting 618-yard par-5 12th hole. After a failed attempt to chip out of the rough, he ended up in even thicker grass on the other side of the green. Despite this, he managed to salvage a par, but not without frustration, as he lost strokes with bogeys on the 13th and 15th holes.

“The golf course is just challenging,” Scheffler remarked post-round. “The greens just got challenging out there late in the day.”

Thomas Detry, who ended the round at one under par, echoed Scheffler’s sentiment about the course’s difficulty. “It puts so much pressure on every single part of your game all the time,” Detry noted. As players look ahead, Friday’s forecast suggests tougher conditions with potential wind.

While some players made remarkable shots, like Shane Lowry‘s eagle on No. 3, others slammed clubs in frustration, such as Viktor Hovland, who hacked at his shot on No. 15, resulting in a costly bogey.

JJ Spaun, who led after the first round, admitted to feeling nervous due to the challenging reputation of Oakmont: “I was definitely kind of nervous… kind of just hearing how hard this course is.”

In contrast, Kim Si-woo, who shot a 2-under 68, felt unsure about his performance but was pleased with his round. Jon Rahm, equally experienced, finished tied for sixth, celebrating an impressive one-under score.

The second round begins early Friday morning, with the top 60 players vying for the opportunity to compete through the weekend at this unforgiving course.