Rory McIlroy, Mickelson and Spieth suffer on brutal first day at US Open
(The Guardian Sports News)

o McIlroy´s 80 at Shinnecock Hills equals his worst major round o Ian Poulter has a one-under 69 but Tiger Woods strugglesHow abruptly the fun can stop. Rory McIlroy´s buildup had included a series of Long Island golf outings in the company of friends, in a re-acquaintance with an element of the sport that is lost when it becomes a professional pursuit. A return to the competitive scene delivered a reminder of its harsh realities; on a brutal opening day at the US Open, where stellar names did little to mask their frustrations, McIlroy stood over an 11-foot putt on the 18th needing to make it to break 80.The Northern Irishman´s attempt was to slide by, ensuring the matching of his highest single round score in a major championship. US Open Thursdays have been curiously cruel to McIlroy recently; this 80 follows a 78 in 2017 and 77 two years ago. Shinnecock´s par of 70 adds further bruising context. Continue reading...