The first round of the US Open 2025 brought a sobering start for Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau. McIlroy began strongly with two birdies but was dragged down by four bogeys and a double bogey. DeChambeau struggled with a total of five bogeys. Both demonstrate how challenging the course is.
US Open 2025: Rory McIlroy’s strong start turns to disappointment
Rory McIlroy began his round at the US Open 2025 on the tenth hole and delivered an impressive opening. On the eleventh hole, he secured a well-earned birdie with a precise shot, followed by another strong moment on the twelfth, where he confidently sank the ball. These early successes raised hopes for a promising round. However, starting at the first hole, his momentum began to fade. A bogey on the first hole marked the initial setback, and he couldn’t avoid another bogey on the fourth. This trend continued with two more bogeys on the sixth and seventh holes. The low point came on the eighth hole, where he recorded a double bogey due to several poor chips. These mistakes dragged his overall score to +4, leaving him in a provisional tie for 62nd place at the end of his round.
Bryson DeChambeau battles the course
Bryson DeChambeau began his round at the US Open 2025 on the first hole and immediately faced a bogey on the par-four, setting a sobering tone. He secured a birdie on the third hole, but uncertainties persisted. Another birdie followed on the seventh, but it couldn’t solidify his momentum. The famous eighth hole, a 265-meter par-three, DeChambeau played to expectations with a par. On the twelfth hole, disaster struck: after two shots, he was behind the green on the 618 yard par-five and needed four more shots to hole out. His sixth shot was an eight-meter chip-in. Another bogey came on the thirteenth, followed by his fourth on the fourteenth. A fifth bogey on the eighteenth rounded out his opening. His score of +3 places him in a provisional tie for 49th.
Spaun surprises with lightning start
While big names like McIlroy, Scheffler, and DeChambeau are struggling, J.J. Spaun quietly climbs to the top of the leaderboard. The American gets off to a perfect start at the 2025 U.S. Open. No bogeys, four birdies – a round of 66 that almost feels surreal on this day. He’s also the only player in the early wave to remain bogey-free. Especially strong on Thursday: his short game. On the 10th, he chips in directly for birdie, and later he sinks multiple putts from beyond six feet. He shoots a 31 on his first nine holes – the best opening nine ever recorded at a U.S. Open held at Oakmont. And on the more difficult front nine, Spaun plays all holes at par – a rare balancing act on this course.
Spaun is benefitting from a short game tune-up he got just on Monday with a new coach. It seems to be paying off – he gains nearly four strokes on the field with his putting alone. The reward: the outright lead after round one.