US Open: Rory McIlroy off to another sensational start

While the world's top three of Luke Donald, Lee Westwood and Martin Kaymer were a cumulative 10 over - two 74s and a 75 from pre-tournament favourite Westwood - the 22-year-old Northern Irishman made a dream start to the US Open at Congressional.

McIlroy did not drop a stroke all day, out-scoring playing partner Phil Mickelson by nine on the American's 41st birthday, and was in a league of his own.

Not that it was the youngster's lowest start to a major. At St Andrews last July he kicked off the Open with a major record-equalling 63.

McIlroy followed it with an 80, though - and that, of course, was the same score as his last day collapse at Augusta in April after leading by four overnight.

The real test is yet to come, therefore, but there was no evidence of any lasting scars as he birdied the 12th, 17th and the monster 523-yard par-four 18th for a back-nine 32.

He went ahead on his own with an eight-footer at the 402-yard first, hit his approach to within three feet of the flag on the 470-yard fourth and then two-putted the long sixth for a sixth birdie.

A closing par on the 636-yard ninth as rain returned meant he matched the opening 65 of Colin Montgomerie in 1997 - a round the Scot rates his finest ever and one that was also watched by Mickelson.

As he signed another scorecard he ought to treasure, McIlroy could look at a leaderboard with two players joint second on three under.

Korea's 2009 US PGA champion YE Yang had been in with a 68 since lunchtime, matched by South African Charl Schwartzel, the man who donned the green jacket instead of McIlroy two months ago.

Spain's back-to-form Sergio Garcia well-documented putting problems of recent seasons made a slight return as he missed from inside four feet for a closing bogey.

Garcia was not even in the championship until he survived a qualifying play-off at the start of last week.

McIlroy, who missed only one green in regulation, said: "I'm looking forward to tomorrow. I drove the ball well, my iron play was good.

"I just feel very comfortable with my game and on this course. When you have a combination like that everything is going to seem okay. But I have to back this score up.

"When I got here last Wednesday I felt the course was set up well for me and it's worked out.

"It does not feel like a typical US Open.It's going to get harder, firmer and trickier, but I still feel it's very playable."

He had matched his start to The Masters, but on that occasion was level with Spaniard Alvaro Quiros.

Westwood lost vital ground with bogey sixes on the sixth and ninth - like McIlroy he also began on the inward half - said: "I didn't swing it very well and you just don't get away with it at a US Open.

"If we had played like the top three in the world it would have been more enjoyable for the people to watch, but none of us played well and we all just about got what we deserved."

Donald began spectacularly, hitting four irons to four feet on the dangerous short 10th and 14 feet to set up another birdie at the 494-yard uphill par four.

But he then had four bogeys in five holes from the 13th and a double-bogey six on the 18th, at 523 yards the second longest par four in US Open history.

Although he came home in one under great damage had been done to his great expectations and he commented: "There were no fireworks - we just didn't get on a run.

"At times you need one of the guys to get everyone going and it just didn't happen today."

Mickelson, five times a runner-up in the event, hit his opening shot into the lake short of the 10th green, double-bogeyed and was never able to make a significant move.

Defending champion Graeme McDowell and Swedes Johan Edfors and Henrik Stenson had been the best of the early European starters with one-under 70s.

McDowell hit back from an opening bogey with two quick birdies and then 12 pars in a row.

He said: "I felt really good this morning. I set myself some challenges - to think well, go through my process and keep patient.

"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 Northern Irishman 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.

Ireland's Padraig Harrington, who won the two previous majors at which Tiger Woods was not playing, would have been one under as well but for a closing bogey six at the long ninth.

He said: "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."

Compatriot Shane Lowry began his debut with a 72 - what Donald would have given for his three on the 523-yard par four 18th - while Paul Casey shot 73 and Justin Rose 74. He finished with a double-bogey six.

Fellow Englishman Robert Rock was level with four to go, no mean effort after arriving at his hotel at 3.30am.

That was caused by problems Sunday's Italian Open winner had obtaining an American visa. He flew out of London only yesterday and did not play a practice round.

Rock making it just in time meant further disappointment for Scot Richie Ramsay, who was waiting to step in two weeks after turning up late for a play-off in the qualifier at Walton Heath.

Scotland were represented only by Martin Laird and Stephen Gallacher as a result. Both both finished with two over 73s to be just inside the top 50.

Open champion Louis Oosthuizen, who won on the links at St Andrews last July saw a much different course at super-sized Congressional. The South African had an uneven round - six birdies and four bogeys.

He was in the lead for a while, fell back to even par but played holes 16, 17 and 18 in two under to finish in a share of third place. Oosthuizen said the course, softened by rain early in the round, seemed easy compared to what he'd heard might be coming at what is known as the toughest test in golf. "But it's only my second US Open, so I can't really say," he added.

Ryan Palmer led for a good portion of the day until he overcooked his approach on the par-5 16th hole, couldn't get up and down and made bogey.

It was that kind of day for almost everyone on the early leaderboard - lots of opportunities, some of them converted, others not, before McIlroy took charge.