During the opening round of the 125th U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club, many of the world’s top golfers, including Rory McIlroy, encountered significant difficulties due to the course’s difficult conditions. The thick rough and challenging layout of the course presented a test for even the most skilled players, with McIlroy and others struggling to maintain consistency throughout the round. The difficulty of the course was a topic of discussion among golf fans and media well before the tournament began, with many emphasizing the unique challenges that Oakmont poses to competitors.
Rory McIlroy, the 2025 Masters champion, had a promising start to the day, birdying his second and third holes while maintaining a solid game on the front nine. However, the back nine proved to be a turning point, as the thick rough played a significant role in the golfer’s struggles. McIlroy experienced his first bogey of the day on Hole 1, which marked the beginning of a difficult stretch of play. His tee shot on the par-5, Hole 4, landed in high grass, making it nearly impossible to find the ball. This led to a series of frustrating shots, with McIlroy ultimately landing the ball just a few feet in front of him.
McIlroy’s challenges continued throughout the round, with bogeys on Holes 6, 7, and 8, as well as a double-bogey on Hole 7. His putting stroke also played a role, with missed short putts that could have secured par. Despite these setbacks, McIlroy managed to recover slightly on his second-to-last hole, avoiding further damage to his score. The thick rough and challenging course conditions continued to test his skills on his final hole, where his tee shot landed deep in the rough behind the green, resulting in a frustrating shot that did not yield the desired outcome.
Ultimately, McIlroy finished the round with a 4-over score of 74, placing him tied for 64th on the U.S. Open leaderboard. He wasn’t the only one struggling with the conditions, as fellow top golfers such as Shane Lowry, Justin Rose, Patrick Cantlay, Matthew Fitzpatrick, and Wyndham Clark also faced similar difficulties. Lowry’s round ended even more painfully, with the golfer reportedly throwing a microphone around the green after a chunked chip shot. The challenges faced by these top players underscore the difficulty of Oakmont, where the course’s unique layout and conditions set the stage for an intense competition ahead.
As the tournament progresses, the leaderboard will undoubtedly reflect the impact of these difficult conditions on the players. McIlroy and others will need to refine their strategies and adapt to the challenges of Oakmont in order to make the U.S. Open cut. The tournament is expected to be a test of skill, resilience, and adaptability, with the course’s reputation for being one of the most challenging in the golfing world.