Rory McIlroy falling in love with Chambers Bay despite topsy turvy opening day

But the world number one was not as generous with his compliments following an opening two-over 72 at the U.S. Open on Thursday.

McIlroy, who grew up playing on true links courses in Northern Ireland, arrived in the Pacific Northwest ready to embrace the Chambers Bay challenge with its huge sand dunes, semi-blind shots from several fairways and 'British Open' feel.

While encouraged by his play from the tee, the slick undulating greens were another matter, as McIlroy was never able to find a confident stroke on the fescue grass.

"It was frustrating, especially how I felt I hit the ball from tee to green," grumbled McIlroy. "They (the greens) are not the best that I've ever putted on.

"I still feel like if you make a good enough stroke and you have the right speed, there's a good enough chance the ball will go in.

"I need to find a rhythm in my stroke over the next three days, work a bit on the putting green and hopefully it will be better tomorrow."

McIlroy, who claimed his first major victory with a runaway win at the 2011 U.S. Open, gave himself plenty of chances to get under par on a day of ideal scoring conditions, only to be betrayed by his putter.

"I drove the ball great," said McIlroy. "I hit my iron shots very, very well.

"I felt like I gave myself enough chances out there to convert a few and wasn't able to do that."

The world number one wobbled into the year's second major well rested after missing two consecutive cuts at the BMW Championship and Irish Open.

The PGA Tour, however, has been a happy hunting ground, the 26-year picking up a pair of titles at the World Golf Championships Cadillac Match Play and Wells Fargo Championship, along with fourth place at the Masters.

McIlroy has admittedly been more at ease avoiding the hype that followed him at Augusta National as he chased the final piece to a career grand slam and even after a stuttering start to the U.S. Open remains a red hot favourite to add a fifth major to his collection this week.

"I just didn't quite have it with the putter today and that's something that I need to get right over the next three days if I want to have a chance," said McIlroy.

US OPEN FIRST ROUND LEADERBOARD

-5 Dustin Johnson (U.S.) 65

Henrik Stenson (Sweden) 65

-4 Patrick Reed (U.S.) 66

-3 Matt Kuchar (U.S.) 67

Brian Campbell (U.S.) 67

Ben Martin (U.S.) 67

-2 Jason Day (Australia) 68

Jordan Spieth (U.S.) 68

Joost Luiten (Netherlands) 68

Francesco Molinari (Italy) 68

Jason Dufner (U.S.) 68

Marc Warren (Britain) 68

Cody Gribble (U.S.) 68

-1 Phil Mickelson (U.S.) 69

Brian Harman (U.S.) 69

Kevin Chappell (U.S.) 69

Brandt Snedeker (U.S.) 69

Colin Montgomerie (Britain) 69

Miguel Angel Jimenez (Spain) 69

Branden Grace (South Africa) 69

Ollie Schniederjans (U.S.) 69

Geoff Ogilvy (Australia) 69

Charlie Beljan (U.S.) 69

Tony Finau (U.S.) 69

Shane Lowry (Ireland) 69

Level par - Daniel Summerhays (U.S.) 70

Brad Fritsch (Canada) 70

Nick Hardy (U.S.) 70

Jamie Lovemark (U.S.) 70

Adam Scott (Australia) 70

Sergio Garcia (Spain) 70

Hideki Matsuyama (Japan) 70

Masahiro Kawamura (Japan) 70

Chris Kirk (U.S.) 70

Kevin Na (U.S.) 70

Sebastian Cappelen (Denmark) 70

Alexander Levy (France) 70

Bubba Watson (U.S.) 70

Angel Cabrera (Argentina) 70

Cameron Smith (Australia) 70

Michael Putnam (U.S.) 70

+1 Marcus Fraser (Australia) 71

Morgan Hoffmann (U.S.) 71

Russell Henley (U.S.) 71

Jim Furyk (U.S.) 71

Denny McCarthy (U.S.) 71

Andres Romero (Argentina) 71

Beau Hossler (U.S.) 71

Kevin Kisner (U.S.) 71

Thongchai Jaidee (Thailand) 71

Pan Cheng Tsung (Chinese Taipei) 71

+2 Ernie Els (South Africa) 72

Mark Silvers (U.S.) 72

Jimmy Gunn (Britain) 72

Sam Saunders (U.S.) 72

George Coetzee (South Africa) 72

Billy Horschel (U.S.) 72

Justin Rose (Britain) 72

J.B. Holmes (U.S.) 72

Shiv Kapur (India) 72

Danny Willett (Britain) 72

Martin Kaymer (Germany) 72

Rory McIlroy (Britain) 72

Bernd Wiesberger (Austria) 72

Brooks Koepka (U.S.) 72

Webb Simpson (U.S.) 72

Hiroyuki Fujita (Japan) 72

David Hearn (Canada) 72

John Senden (Australia) 72

Andy Sullivan (Britain) 72

John Parry (Britain) 72

Kurt Barnes (Australia) 72

Troy Kelly (U.S.) 72

Zach Johnson (U.S.) 72

Ian Poulter (Britain) 72

Jimmy Walker (U.S.) 72

Camilo Villegas (Colombia) 72

Paul Casey (Britain) 72

+3 Charl Schwartzel (South Africa) 73

Bill Haas (U.S.) 73

Hunter Mahan (U.S.) 73

Lucas Bjerregaard (Denmark) 73

Jack Maguire (U.S.) 73

Marcel Siem (Germany) 73

Liang Wenchong (China) 73

Keegan Bradley (U.S.) 73

An Byeong-Hun (Korea) 73

Marc Leishman (Australia) 73

Luke Donald (Britain) 73

Tom Hoge (U.S.) 73

Oliver Farr (Britain) 73

Lee Westwood (Britain) 73

Lee Janzen (U.S.) 73

Davis Riley (U.S.) 73

Bo Van Pelt (U.S.) 73

Alexander Noren (Sweden) 73

Lucas Glover (U.S.) 73

+4 Jake Knapp (U.S.) 74

Matt Mabrey (U.S.) 74

Ryan Palmer (U.S.) 74

Andy Pope (U.S.) 74

Thomas Aiken (South Africa) 74

Kevin Lucas (U.S.) 74

Brandon Hagy (U.S.) 74

Roberto Castro (U.S.) 74

D.A. Points (U.S.) 74

Ryo Ishikawa (Japan) 74

Bryson DeChambeau (U.S.) 74

Jamie Donaldson (Britain) 74

Graeme McDowell (Britain) 74

Yang Gunn (Korea) 74

Victor Dubuisson (France) 74

Lee McCoy (U.S.) 74

Jason Allred (U.S.) 74

Robert Streb (U.S.) 74

Tim O'Neal (U.S.) 74

Stephan Jaeger (Germany) 74

Gary Woodland (U.S.) 74

Richard Lee (U.S.) 74

Garth Mulroy (South Africa) 74

Baek Seuk-Hyun (Korea) 74

Tommy Fleetwood (Britain) 74

+5 Steve Marino (U.S.) 75

George McNeill (U.S.) 75

Cameron Tringale (U.S.) 75

Sam Horsfield (Britain) 75

Ryan Moore (U.S.) 75

Anirban Lahiri (India) 75

+6 Bradley Neil (Britain) 76

Brad Elder (U.S.) 76

Jason Palmer (Britain) 76

Matthew NeSmith (U.S.) 76

Erik Compton (U.S.) 76

Charley Hoffman (U.S.) 76

+7 Louis Oosthuizen (South Africa) 77

Cole Hammer (U.S.) 77

Retief Goosen (South Africa) 77

Tjaart Van der Walt (South Africa) 77

Darren Clarke (Britain) 77

Michael Davan (U.S.) 77

+8 Jared Becher (U.S.) 78

Tyler Duncan (U.S.) 78

Danny Lee (New Zealand) 78

Brendon Todd (U.S.) 78

Blayne Barber (U.S.) 78

Shunsuke Sonoda (Japan) 78

Matt Every (U.S.) 78

Kyle Jones (U.S.) 78

Stephen Gallacher (Britain) 78

+9 Josh Persons (U.S.) 79

Pat Wilson (U.S.) 79

+10 Alex Kim (U.S.) 80

Billy Hurley III (U.S.) 80

Tiger Woods (U.S.) 80

+11 Rickie Fowler (U.S.) 81

+13 Rich Berberian Jr. (U.S.) 83