Rory McIlroy’s first eagle at a US Open in nine years left him one off the lead at Shinnecock Hills.
A 396-yard drive and a pitching wedge to 11 feet demolished the 597-yard fifth hole, playing downwind, and made him the first player to get to three under in testing conditions on a fog-delayed first day.
The last time he had carded a three on a par-five was at Erin Hills in 2017 but the omens were not good on that occasion as he went on to miss the cut, although that prospect looked less likely here after a one-under 69.
However, he could not maintain his position and a sloppy finish saw him card back-to-back bogeys. At the time he holed his last putt just 12 players were under par, and nine were still out on the course.
Little-known 29-year-old American Sam Stevens, yet to win on the PGA Tour in 115 events, posted the clubhouse lead on two under.
McIlroy was paired with Ryder Cup colleagues Tommy Fleetwood and Ludvig Aberg, and that team dynamic seemed to make a difference as their group was by far the best in terms of scoring to par.
Aberg, who was two under through 12 holes, also finished one under with Fleetwood’s four birdies cancelled out by a quartet of bogeys for a level-par 70.
Masters champion McIlroy, seeking his first US Open title since he opened his major account in 2011, had a brilliant start with two birdies in his first three holes after starting on the back nine.
He holed a 10-foot putt at the short but perilous 11th, and then followed that up from a bit further out at the par-five next.
However, he bogeyed the 13th after missing the green and dropped another shot after having to hack out the rough at the 620-yard 16th and not being able to reach the green in three, even with his power.
He hit his approach to three feet at the third to get back to one under, and produced a brilliant up and down for par at the next after flaying his approach right and seeing it take a huge bounce off the road.
Then McIlroy’s superior power came to the fore at the long fifth but his approach play let him down late on.
The forecasted 36mph wind gusts had yet to materialise but the 23mph steady breeze continued to make things difficult after play had been suspended for two hours just 30 minutes in due to poor visibility from early-morning fog.
Players were recalled having initially been held for 30 minutes out on the course, and play finally resumed at 9.05am local time (2.05pm BST), meaning later starters faced having to complete their rounds on Friday morning.
