Rory McIlroy LEADS the US Open! Newfound marital bliss with wife Erica Stoll sparks impressive return to the course for PGA Tour star at Pinehurst

A barber will be stationed at the Pinehurst clubhouse for any player needing a haircut during the US Open. Scottie Scheffler visited ‘Monti’ prior to this opening round and chose to tackle the brutal number 2 course with a fresh trim.

And on Thursday his game looked a little different as well, with the world number 1 struggling for consistency and control. It was a welcome reprieve for his rivals, who have been ground into submission for much of this season.

Here at Pinehurst, Rory McIlroy also showed off his other look. After a come-to-Jesus moment, the 2011 champion has given his game a makeover when it comes to the US Open. He has learned to embrace boring golf. It has led him to five consecutive top ten finishes, including second place in Los Angeles last year.

A fifth major still eludes him, but perhaps McIlroy really is closer than ever. He’s level on points here, having dialed back his explosiveness and shaved every shot off Patrick Cantlay’s lead during a stellar opening round.

At the end of it all, there’s a dogfight going on. McIlroy and Cantlay clashed at last year’s Ryder Cup, with the Northern Irishman calling his rival a ‘d***’. Here they are tied at five under par.

The Northern Irishman, who finalized his divorce this week, went after Patrick Cantlay

No one has ever shot lower than 65 here at the US Open. And the Northern Irishman did it without a single bogey. The last three times he opened with a flawless round at a major, he lifted the trophy.

“It was a very controlled round of golf,” McIlroy said. “(My plan is to) be super conservative with my strategy and my play. I think I’m just trying to be super stoic with my attitude. I just try to be as even as possible.

“I really feel like that’s what has served me well over the last few years at these US Opens.

He added: “The major championships I’ve won or the championships I’ve played well in, I always seemed to have started well, and it’s nice to get to another one.”

McIlroy and Cantlay are one shot away from Sweden’s brilliant young debutant, Ludvig Aberg. Bryson Dechambeau, the 2020 champion, and Matthieu Pavon are tied for fourth at three under.

Cantlay is level with McIlroy after setting the early pace in Thursday’s opening round

World number 1 Scottie Scheffler had a difficult day and is six shots behind McIlroy and Cantlay

Heavy favorite Scheffler, meanwhile, muscled his way to one-over par on an afternoon when nothing really worked, while Xander Schauffele scrambled to level par after a yo-yo round that included four birdies, four bogeys and several wayward drives.

One hit a volunteer, another got stuck in a plastic ball full of merchandise. The fan apparently spent $650. They had had a long day, with some of the biggest players in the world taking a beating from Pinehurst.

Amongst them? Tiger Woods (+4) Phil Mickelson (+9) and Justin Thomas (+7). Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 champion from Sheffield, also struggled to reach three over par with 2013 winner Justin Rose.

But many others stuck to staying inside with a shot. Among them were England’s Aaron Rai, Tyrrell Hatton and Tommy Fleetwood.

Scheffler is six shots adrift, but only a fool would write him off. The world No. 1 has five wins this season, either side of the birth of his first child and a brief trip to jail at the PGA Championship.

Schauffele took advantage that week, claiming his first major in Valhalla. Can McIlroy take advantage of this opening?

McIlroy didn’t make a single bogey during an opening round, leaving him tied for first

The Northern Irishman has seen enough chaos lately. He filed for divorce from his wife of seven years, Erica Stoll, shortly before the PGA Championship, calling it quits just days before this tournament.

However, he has a history of thriving in turmoil, and this was a hugely impressive start.

There was a strange bit of magic – also on five, when he made a chip. Other birdies arrived on holes four, 10, 16 and 18. The last ended with a swagger as McIlroy walked a long putt into the hole. But most of the time he played the percentages and did not let a single mistake throw him off course.

Even when the other members of his blockbuster group put themselves through the mill. Scheffler threw his club after one errant approach and then nearly pierced the chip. Schauffele had to dig himself out of several holes.

Tiger Woods is nine shots clear of the leaders after a difficult opening round for the 48-year-old

Cantlay was safely in the clubhouse by the time they headed out to tackle Pinehurst. The American made just one bogey and needed just 23 putts in his fine 65. His day started with a par at the par-five 10th; Woods had gone one step further a few minutes earlier, making a birdie putt to take a share of the lead shortly after 7:30.

He remained in the red and hung around the leaders for a while. It seemed Woods’ new swing coach – 15-year-old son Charlie – knew his stuff. But a few hours later, as the 48-year-old saw his final tee shot trickle away from the green, the frustration finally boiled over. “F*** off,” Woods muttered. It had become that kind of day.

At one point, Woods had a putt to join then-leader Aberg at two under par. Six holes later, they were separated by six shots. By the time Woods signed for a four-over-par 74, the gap to Cantlay was nine. This course is tough enough without a body being held hostage by a light breeze.

“I hope I don’t get too cramped on the car ride back – I might get cramped in the air conditioning,” Woods said. ‘It can go so far here that it goes the other way, the wrong way. It’s just so hard to come back.”

His hope is to make the weekend seem over, but elsewhere in Pinehurst this tournament is buzzing.