The Albany Gazette - McIlroy makes charge at US Open leader Cantlay

World number three McIlroy rolled a 67-foot birdie putt up a huge slope and into the hole at the par-5 fifth after sinking a seven-foot birdie at the fourth to stand 2-under at the turn.

The 35-year-old, four-time major winner from Northern Ireland has not won a major since the 2014 PGA Championship but was second in last year's US Open, his fifth top-10 effort in a row at the US Open with each better than the last.

World number nine Cantlay, a back-nine starter, birdied three of his last five holes to shoot a five-under 65 for a one-stroke lead in the clubhouse over sixth-ranked Ludvig Aberg of Sweden, runner-up at the Masters in his major debut.

In the afternoon feature group with top-ranked Scottie Scheffler, the Masters champion, and second-ranked Xander Schauffele, who won May's PGA Championship, McIlroy threatened to steal the show after his birdie bomb.

Scheffler and Schuaffele were each one-over at the turn. McIlroy missed a seven-foot birdie putt at the ninth.

American Cantlay, seeking his first major triumph, matched the low US Open rounds at Pinehurst, two 65s by Martin Kaymer on his way to victory in 2014.

"Played pretty solid most of the way," Cantlay said.

"The golf course played pretty difficult. But drove it well. Lot of balls on the fairways. Left the ball in the right spots, for the most part."

Aberg sank a six-foot birdie putt at the par-3 ninth to finish on 66 with six birdies and two bogeys.

"Very nice round of golf. Not a lot to complain about," Aberg said. "Made a couple nice putts, hit some really nice shots. Staying very disciplined is important."

Domed greens, sandy waste areas and wiregrass was making for a difficult day for most of the field of 156.

"It's the US Open. It's supposed to be hard," Aberg said. "That's what we're doing here."

France's Matthieu Pavon, ranked 24th, fired a 67 to stand third, soaring with eagles at the par-5 fifth on an 18-foot putt and on a 27-foot putt at the par-5 10th hole.

"I made my four best swings of the day on the par-5s and dropped two putts, so it gave me a nice two eagles," Pavon said. "It gave me a little bit of freedom."

Scheffler has five PGA Tour wins this year, the most by any player at this stage since Tom Watson in 1980.

Two-time Masters champion Scheffler has 12 top-10 showings in 13 starts this year and could match 15-time major winner Tiger Woods as the only players to win a US Open while atop the world rankings.

Schauffele snapped a two-year win drought last month with his first major triumph.

Cantlay, the 2021 PGA Tour playoff champion, has a best major showing of third at the 2019 PGA. He's a contender for a US berth at the Paris Olympics but must finish no worse than second this week to have a chance.

- Garcia's bogey-free day -

Canada's Corey Conners, Spain's Sergio Garcia and South Korean Kim Seong-Hyeon were on 69.

Garcia fired only the sixth bogey-free US Open round at Pinehurst, making birdie at the fifth and 17 pars.

"To shoot under par in a US Open, which is a championship that I love, it's always great. To go bogey-free is even greater," Garcia said.

Five-time major winner Brooks Koepka, chasing a third US Open title after wins in 2017 and 2018, and seventh-ranked Collin Morikawa, a two-time major winner, were among those on 70.

Tiger Woods, a 15-time major winner struggling to overcome severe leg injuries from a 2021 car crash, struggled to a 74. He had five bogeys in a seven-hole stretch starting at 16.

(S.Perez--TAG)