Shane Lowry endured an opening round to forget at Oakmont on the opening day of the U.S. Open, and the Irishman opted not to discuss his performance in the aftermath

The US Open continues today at the unforgiving Oakmont course in Pennsylvania. Irish hopefuls Rory McIlroy and Shane Lowry have been paired together for the first two rounds but struggled on day one posting +4 and +9 respectively and will need big improvements today to make the cut.

Rory McIlroy was among the top players to struggle on the opening day of the US Open at Oakmont before once again declining to speak to the media about his round

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy have already spent plenty of time together at Oakmont, and that is set to continue after they were paired together for the first two rounds of the U.S. Open

American J.J. Spaun, who imploded against Lowry’s pal, Rory McIlroy, in a playoff at the Players Championship in March, held a solo lead after shooting a 4-under 66 to close out his first round. Leading up to this year’s U.S. Open, Lowry was among the chorus of players who vocalized how strenuous playing Oakmont can be.

Shane Lowry and Rory McIlroy will be playing together for the third time this year in the opening two rounds of the U.S. Open, and Lowry is ready to see the back of his close friend

Even when two players have always been close, tournaments like this ignite a level of motivation and hunger for success that makes you forget everything else.

Rory McIlroy had a horrible feeling of deja vu after his US Open hopes were dented on the opening day at Oakmont. The Masters champion, trying to shake off the hangover of his Augusta National win in April,

Shane Lowry has a score to settle in this week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont, where he let a four-shot, final-round lead slip through his hands in 2016.