Scotland’s Robert MacIntyre ranked his level-par 70 on the first day of the 2025 U.S. Open among the best rounds of his career.
The Ryder Cup star mixed three birdies with three bogeys at the difficult Oakmont Country Club on Thursday to sit firmly in contention after 18 holes.
The 28-year-old believes that replicating that scoring over the next three days will stand him in good stead as he bids to win a maiden Major Championship.
“I’m delighted with that,” he said. “That was superb. That’s up there.
“I mean, it’s in the top ten of rounds that I’ve played. It’s just so hard. Honestly, it’s just every shot is like you’re on a knife edge.
“But overall, honestly, I don’t know if it’s good or bad to have level par, but that’s almost as good as I’ve got.
“I know that it will get tougher, but a level-par round today, if you shoot four level-par rounds, you’re walking away with a medal and a trophy. I’m sure I’ll take that.”
MacIntyre could have been in an even better position had he not bogeyed the 18th, but his consistency from the tee underpinned his excellent start.
“I played absolutely beautifully, to be honest, off the tee, because that’s where the real punishment is and that’s as good as I can drive the golf ball,” he said.
Best level par round of my life 😂🙈 @usopengolf
— Robert MacIntyre (@robert1lefty) June 12, 2025
“I wasn’t really hitting long drives. I wasn’t trying to hit long drives.
“I was just trying to stay in the short stuff and manufacturing shots, whether it was 3-wood, whether it was driver, just try to hit the shape that I needed to find the fairway.
“I’ve never played a golf course as hard.”
