Golf
McIlroy has first round lead at U.S. Open
Posted: Jun 16, 2011 8:44 PM by Lee Douglas
BETHESDA, Md. (AP) - Only a few months removed from his Masters meltdown, Rory McIlroy made six birdies and not a single bogey in the first round of the U.S. Open to open a three-shot lead on Y.E. Yang.
McIlroy shot 6-under-par 65 on Thursday to open a wide gap on Yang, the 2009 PGA winner, who had shot 3-under 68 several hours earlier. Sergio Garcia and Masters champion Charl Schwartzel were also at 3 under with one hole left to play at Congressional.
Another shot back was a group of five, including British Open champion Louis Oosthuizen and American Ryan Palmer.
With only a handful of players left on the course, McIlroy, who let a four-shot lead slip away on the last day of the Masters in April, was all but assured of holding the lead after the first round - this would be three of the last four majors. He also led after Day 1 at the British last year.
(Copyright 2011 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
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