Inspired by playing alongside top rivals, Rory McIlroy grabbed a share of the U.S. Open lead Thursday, saying he has boosted his chances to end a 10-year major win drought.
The 35-year-old Northern Ireland star, who last won a major at the 2014 PGA Championship, fired a bogey-free 5-under-par 65 to match ninth-ranked American Patrick Cantlay for the first-round lead at Pinehurst.
"I went through a run there for a while where my starts at major championships weren't very good. Probably got myself a little too worked up at the start of the week," McIlroy said.