After a poor start, Will Zalatoris made three birdies on the back nine to finish with a 69. That’s yet another impressive performance from the American at a major after missing out in a play-off against Justin Thomas at the PGA last month.

McIlroy can’t get up and down. That’s his first blemish of the day and sees him drop back into a share of the clubhouse lead at three-under-par. His playing partner, Hideki Matsuyama, gets a birdie to finish on even par.

The afternoon wave is just getting underway now at The Country Club, with Justin Thomas, Scottie Scheffler and Dustin Johnson all teeing off in the next half an hour.

It’s been a more fired-up version of McIlroy than we’re used to seeing and after thrashing at a bunker earlier in his round, there’s another visible display of frustration at the ninth after he cuts his approach into the thick rough. That’ll be a tricky chip to ensure he escapes with a par and sets the clubhouse lead.

Never in doubt! McIlroy reads the slight right-to-left slope perfectly and that birdie gives him the outright lead at -4. It’s been a terrific opening round from him, although he did spurn a similar position at the PGA Championship last month.

In the same group, Schauffele also takes advantage of the par-5 to move into the red.

Rory McIlroy leaves himself 80 yards into the par-5 8th and floats a wonderful pitch over the false front that skips twice and then stops dead pin-high. The Northern Irishman will have a great chance to move into the outright lead.

Max Homa joins the crowd in the clubhouse at -,1, as does James Piot, the 2021 US Amateur champion who played in the inaugural LIV Golf event in London last week.

It’s been a scrappy round from Jordan Spieth. He misses the green at the 18th and will need to produce an impressive up and down from the thick stuff to escape with an opening 71.

A fine finish from the defending champion. Rahm pulled his drive way left at the 9th but gets a fortunate lie. He digs out an approach that sticks to the right side of the green and rolls in a confident putt for birdie. A round of 69 leaves him well poised.

That score is matched by Morikawa, who made a sloppy bogey on his final hole after inexplicably fluffing a chip into the bunker.

Xander Schauffele follows McIlroy in for birdie at the 7th. The American hasn’t been at his best so far but that brings him back to level par. He will be one to look out for over the weekend. He’s never finished outside the top 10 at the US Open.

What a putt from Rory McIlroy! An iron off the tee at the short par-4 7th set up what should have been a good chance to attack the flag, but he misjudged his approach and left himself with a long, sloping putt. No bother, he rattles it into the heart of the hole to move into a share of the lead.