McIlroy back in the saddle

Golf - US Open update:Rory McIlroy, in his first round at a major since blowing a four shot lead at the US Masters in April, put himself right back in the thick of things when the US Open got underway at the Congressional Country Club in Washintgon today. After producing near flawless golf, the youngster holds a three shot lead over YE Yang on six under par.

The 22-year-old birdied the 12th, 17th and 18th for a superb back-nine 32 before another birdie at the first, his tenth, moved him into the outright lead. That advantage was extended at the fourth before he picked yet another shot at the sixth where his eagle attempt narrowly missed the cup.

There were more birdie chances coming down the stretch but McIlroy will be immensely pleased with his opening salvo, dispelling any notion that his spirit may have been broken by his experience in Augusta and proving the scar tissue has well and truly healed.

On a hugely encouraging day for the four Irish challengers, Graeme McDowell began the defence of his title with a one under round of 70 while Padraig Harrington finished on level par with Shane Lowry a shot further back on his US Open debut.

McDowell, who claimed his first Major title at Pebble Beach 12 months ago, didn’t make the ideal start as he opened with a bogey but then quickly bounced back with a birdie two at the second. A second birdie of the day came at the par five sixth and 12 straight pars followed as the Rathmore man played rock solid golf.

“I felt really good this morning. I set myself some challenges - to think well, go through my process and keep patient,” McDowell said after his round. “I just tried to take each hole as it comes and all in all I’m very happy. They’ve taken this course to the edge and you can see some of the greens are stressed.”

The Co Antrim played was halted in his progress for a while when a spectator needed medical attention on the 11th, but parring his way through the entire inward half — much the harder of the two — added to his confident mood.

Harrington, the man who won the two previous majors at which Tiger Woods was missing, would have been alongside him but for lipping out from 10 feet and making a bogey six at the 636-yard ninth, his closing hole.

He stated: “I would have taken it before I went out. If I had birdied the last rather than bogeyed it I would have felt a lot happier, but it was a fair reflection. I’ve got a new set of irons and I definitely had a nice bit of control. They’re next year’s model, but I get them six months in advance.”

Lowry, in the first group out at 7am, appeared immune from the first tee nerves and opened his US Open account with three straight pars. Though the 24-year-old dropped a shot at the fourth, he got it straight back at the next.

There will be plenty of dropped shots this week and Lowry came unstuck once more at the par five ninth to turn in one-over 37. From there he began the back nine with a fine birdie at the 'short' (218yards) 10th to get back on level terms.

More bogyes would follow at the 14th and 17th but chased a seven iron from the rough to six feet for an unlikely closing birdie and creditable 72.

“It was a nice way to finish — that hole will probably play closer to five this week,” he said. “I went out with the mindset of not making doubles.”

World number one Luke Donald turned a brilliant start into a bitterly disappointing opening round of 74. And Lee Westwood, the tournament favourite, fared one shot worse as he set off in search of what he also hoped would be his first major title.

After making birdies at two of the most feared holes Donald had no fewer than four bogeys in five holes, then a double bogey six on the 18th to turn in a four-over-par 39. His front nine of 35 was obviously a distinct improvement, but at three over par he was six strokes adrift of Yang.

Donald was playing with Westwood and Martin Kaymer, the pair ranked two and three in the world, and none of them was able to make their presence felt. Kaymer also handed in a 74.