124th US Open – Day 1 Summary – Articles

Everything you need to know from day one of the third major on the 2024 DP World Tour.

On the first day of the U.S. Open, we were tied for first place, Ludvig Åberg was in control, Matthieu Pavon made eagle, and everyone was holed out of the bunker.

Here’s everything you need to know about Thursday’s Pines Resort and Country Club.

McIlroy and Cantlay share the lead

Rory McIlroy shot a bogey-free 65 to move into joint-top of the leaderboard after the first day with Patrick Cantlay. The Northern Irishman won his first major at the event in 2011 and three more since, but his last triumph in one of golf's four majors came nearly a decade ago. He said on arrival in North Carolina that this was the closest he had ever been to ending that drought and he showed confidence on the notoriously difficult No. 2 course to finish at five under. American Cantlay had set a target earlier in the day with six birdies and a bogey to move one shot ahead of Swede Oberg and two ahead of compatriot Bryson DeChambeau and Frenchman Pavon. “Of course, I always seem to get off to a good start in majors that I've won or tournaments that I've played well, and it's nice to get off to another good start,” said McIlroy. “My short game started out pretty good. I chipped on the fifth hole and played really well on the sixth and eighth holes. But other than that, I thought I played well on every other green. It was a pretty controlled round of golf.”

Åberg takes control

Oberg was pleased with the strategic discipline he showed as he continued to impress at the majors on the first day of his U.S. Open debut. The Swede, who just launched his professional career a year ago, shot a 4-under 66 with six birdies and two bogeys to finish one shot behind. “I think it's really important to stay disciplined,” he said. “It's really hard. Especially when you have a wedge in your hand or something like that, which you normally hit the ball with, but you really can't do that here. Absolutely. It's the U.S. Open, it should be hard. That's what we did here.”

Pavon feels at home at Pinehurst

Pavon credited Pinehurst No. 2 for his lowest score in the first round of a major championship because of its similarity to the European venues on the DP World Tour. The Frenchman, who competes on both the PGA Tour and DP World Tour this season, tied for fourth after a three-under 67. “This course is tough to play,” he said. “You really have to work your way around it. It's like a links-style golf course. It looked a little familiar, which is probably why I had so much fun here today.”

Double Eagle

No, not an albatross, actually two eagles. Paven is having a great day.

Only 82 feet…

…from outside the green. Hats off to Adam Scott.

Sand? What kind of sand?

On the first day we shot some great footage of some bunker shooting.