Rory McIlroy admits his game needs work after poor US Open first round
Last Updated: 17/06/16 5:51pm
Rory McIlroy says he will head straight for the range to iron out problems with his swing after a three-bogey finish saw him card a US Open first round of 77.
The Northern Irishman returned on Friday to finish his first round and playing alongside Masters champion Danny Willett and Rickie Fowler, he could not get anything going as he signed for a seven-over par round that sees him some 11 shots adrift of first-round leader Andrew Landry.
US Open leaderboard
McIlroy's 77 was one shot worse than Fowler and two worse than Willett. All three could face a battle to make the weekend as the USGA battles to get back the time lost to Thursday's torrential downpours.
The world number three headed back out onto the course at four-over par after 14 holes after firing two steady pars before heading for home.
But rather than a couple of birdies to get himself into contention, McIlroy bogeyed 16, 17 and 18 to sit closer to the back of the field than the top of the leaderboard and give himself plenty to ponder.
"I felt like it was hard getting into any kind of rhythm," McIlroy said.
"I am missing shots left, I am missing shots right. I need to go to the range this afternoon and work on a few things if I'm going to be here for the weekend.
"I am just not in a good place with my swing."
Meanwhile defending champion Jordan Spieth carded a two-over par 72 and he feels he is certainly not out of contention on a course that is likely to get harder rather than any easier.
Spieth has already put his Masters collapse of a few months ago behind him and as he targets a third major he was pleased to a rain-interrupted first round out of the way.
"It was tough starting and stopping and conditions changing from when we started to when we finished, but it is what it is," Spieth said.
"We deal with that here and there. Oakmont was so great that those practice round days when it started to firm up.
"Now, you know, it's still great, but it's a different golf course. Overall, I felt like I played well. I felt like I didn't quite get rewarded with my score for how I felt like I played. A couple tough breaks. It's a US Open. Still in it.
"I didn't shoot myself out of it. Ideally, I would have been where the leader is at four under. But I honestly don't think that was even possible for our tee time. I think that those that went off first off had it best out of our wave.
"We're going to find out what happens with the guys that are playing 36 today. I mean, if the sun comes out and the wind kicks up, it could play harder than ours. So I'm not really sure how my score stands right now.
"I know that at the end of the day, the USGA is going to try to have even par win the golf tournament, and I know that I can shoot two under in the remaining 54 holes no matter how the course plays. I know I'm capable of it. I'm in it."