Rory McIlroy shows major improvement with opening 69 at U.S. Open

Rory McIlroy’s plan on Thursday at Shinnecock Hills was simply to give himself a solid start and avoid the kind of opening that put him on the back foot eight years ago. His one‑under‑par 69 was an eleven‑shot improvement on his 80 in 2018, and leaves him firmly in contention