5 times Rory McIlroy carded an opening-round 65 in a major championship: Past results explored

Rory McIlroy started with an incredible round of 65 at the 2024 US Open. The Northern Irish golfer is once again looking to break his decade-long winless streak at the ongoing Major. He last won The Open Championship and the US Open in 2014 and has since struggled to add another Major to his titles.

McIlroy has shown good form since the beginning of the 2024 season, winning two PGA Tour events - the Zurich Classic and the Wells Fargo Championship. Now ranked No. 3 in the world, he is seeking a victory at the US Open this week, and fans' hopes have increased as he kicked off with an amazing round.

However, this is not the first time McIlroy has started a Major with a round of 65. Here's a quick recap of his past performances when Rory McIlroy shot an opening 65.

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5 times Rory McIlroy carded an opening-round 65 in a major championship

Rory McIlroy at the 2024 U.S. Open - Round One (Image via Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)

#1 2024 US Open

Rory McIlroy started his game at the 2024 US Open on the first tee at Pinehurst No. 2 Golf Course. He teed off on the first hole and carded birdies back-to-back on the fourth and fifth holes. He added another birdie on the tenth hole, followed by two more on the 16th and 18th holes. He settled for a score of -5 and topped the leaderboard after the first round.

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#2 2023 US Open

At last year's US Open, McIlroy also began with a round of 65. The Major was held at the Los Angeles Country Club, where McIlroy started with a birdie on the first hole. He added five birdies on the front nine and a birdie and bogey on the back nine to finish at 5-under 65. He followed this with rounds of 67, 69 and 70, ultimately finishing in second place.

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#3 2022 PGA Championship

Another impressive start by McIlroy at a Major was recorded at the 2022 PGA Championship, where he shot 65 in the first round, followed by scores of 71, 74 and 68. He teed off at the Major on the tenth hole and made four birdies on the front nine and three on the back nine, along with two bogeys to score 5-under 65. He settled for eighth place at the Major.

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#4 2011 US Open

McIlroy shot a first round of 65 at the 2011 US Open as well. He played impressively throughout the tournament with rounds of 66, 68 and 69 following his initial 65, ultimately winning the tournament. He secured the eight-stroke victory over Jason Day.

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#5 2011 Masters

At the 2011 Masters, Rory McIlroy started with a round of 65. He had a strong beginning at the Major with another round of 69. However, the Northern Irish player struggled as the tournament progressed, shooting 70 in the third round and 80 in the final round to settle for a T15 finish.