Rory McIlroy, motived to win first major in eight years, begins U.S. Open with impressive 3-under 67

BROOKLINE, Mass. — It might seem coincidental that Rory McIlroy is again playing some of the best golf of his career at a time when the new LIV Golf Invitational Series is threatening the PGA Tour.

However, McIlroy, an outspoken critic of the new circuit being fronted by two-time Open winner Greg Norman and financed by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment fund, insists that's not the case.

After grabbing a share of the first-round lead at the 122nd U.S. Open after the morning wave at The Country Club on Thursday, McIlroy insists he's motivated by something else.

«It's been eight years since I won a major, and I just want to get my hands on one again,» McIlroy said.

With an opening-round 3-under 67, McIlroy put himself in great position to do just that. In each of his four previous major championship victories, in the 2011 U.S. Open, 2012 and 2014 PGA Championships and 2014 Open Championship, he started the tournaments with a round of 67 or better.

«You feel like you're right in the tournament from the start of the week, which is nice,» McIlroy said. «I'm going into [Friday] with the mindset of let's keep it going, rather than where is the cut line or whatever. If you don't get off to a great start, those thoughts start to creep in. It's certainly a different mindset when you get off to a good start, and yeah, I've just got to keep it going.»

It was an eventful opening round for McIlroy at the golf course outside Boston. He started on the back nine and carded a bogey-free, 2-under 33. Then on the par-4 fifth hole, he pushed his tee shot right. His ball ended up in very thick rough above a bunker.

«You're going to encounter things at a U.S. Open, whether they be lies or stuff like that, that you just don't really encounter any