OAKMONT, Pa. – In a stunning display of how quickly fortunes can shift in golf, Rory McIlroy experienced a dramatic turn during his first round at the U.S. Open.

The 33-year-old Northern Irish star kicked off Thursday with an electrifying start, but after a promising lead, he faltered on the final stretch, ultimately finishing with a 4-over 74. This score left him a staggering eight strokes behind the leaders.

McIlroy had hoped to rediscover the magic that earned him a prestigious career Grand Slam at the Masters earlier this year. Energized by two birdies in his first three holes, his early performance appeared to signal a resurgence—especially after a challenging week in Canada where he faced a post-major slump and struggled with motivation.

With his driver setup seemingly on point, McIlroy unleashed some impressive drives, including a jaw-dropping 392-yard blast down the 12th fairway, perfectly setting him up for a birdie. However, after starting strong at 2-under, the wheels began to come off.

The trouble began on hole 1, where a costly three-putt from 37 feet marred his scorecard. Things worsened on the 4th, as he found himself in the native area, needing multiple attempts to regain the fairway, salvaging a bogey with a long 30-foot putt.

The nightmare continued on 6 and 7, where he missed two crucial short putts. Then, the monstrous par-3 eighth hole proved catastrophic; after his tee shot went off-course, a poorly executed pitch led to a double bogey after he missed a 13-foot putt.

McIlroy's frustrating day culminated in a whopping 34 putts on one of the toughest greens in golf.

Despite his struggles, his final score of 74 was still better than those of his playing partners, with Justin Rose carding a 77 and Shane Lowry finishing with a 79, even as they both navigated rough patches in their own games.

As the leaderboard evolved throughout the afternoon, McIlroy found himself tied for 54th—an unexpected position for a player of his caliber. Following his round, he opted not to address reporters, leaving fans and analysts alike wondering what tomorrow holds for this talented golfer.