Rory McIlroy climbs to the top of the leaderboard on the first day at the US Open

It might stand as the best putting round in a major of his entire career. It certainly put the exclamation point on 18 holes that offered the full Rory McIlroy experience, with even a couple of proper temper tantrums thrown in for good measure.

‘They’re helpful at times in reminding yourself what it all means,’ he said. ‘It’s been eight years since I’ve had my hands on a major and I want to win one again.’ That much is now obvious. We might never have seen more intent from him than this, as he got the 122nd US Open off to an electrifying start with a highly eventful first round 67.

It left the Northern Irishman tied for the early lead with little-known Englishman Callum Tarren and Swede David Lingmerth. Defending champion Jon Rahm birdied the 18th for a useful one under 69, the same mark as his playing partner, Open Champion Collin Morikawa.

Rory McIlroy made an great start to his US Open ambitions with an opening round of 67

McIlroy started on the tenth and had frustration in the fifth as he shot bunker to bunker

McIlroy knows he might never have a better chance than this to get back on track in the majors, with his wedge game honed to new heights and his confidence high following his success last Sunday in the Canadian Open.

‘The most important win of his career,’ was how his putting coach Brad Faxon summed up that triumph on Sky Sports, and you know what he is driving at. But for that comment to have meaning, McIlroy has to build on his fast start here in a manner that eluded him at the USPGA last month, where he began with a 65. We’ll have a better idea this afternoon, when he’s due to play in a freshening wind.

He’s certainly demonstrated how much he cares after 18 holes filled with sound and, yes, fury.

McIlroy stepped on to the 10th tee shortly after 7-30am in a shirt so decorative it rather unkindly led some to draw comparisons with the garish outfits worn by the American Ryder Cup team for the fateful singles matches here in the 1999 Ryder Cup. It might not have been Nike’s finest moment, but it was hardly that bad.

Far more concerning were a number of wayward shots that would have led to considerable damage to his scorecard but for the fact his short game is presently razor-sharp.

He finished on three under par after losing a shot on the final hole of his round on Thursday

A good 8ft putt for par at the 13th was followed by a marvellous up and down at the 15th that appeared to settle him. At the par three 16th he hit his first authentically crisp iron shot of the round and followed the 12ft putt he holed on the previous green with one from 20ft for his first birdie.

Duly emboldened, he took a line with his drive off the 17th so outrageous it cut out the intended dog-leg shape completely and left him with just a 40 yard pitch for his approach to this 380 yard par four. A fine shot to 6ft left him with a slippery sidehill putt that didn’t carry enough pace. McIlroy then compensated by holing from 20ft for a birdie at the 18th to complete an encouraging first nine holes.

At the par three 2nd, a wayward tee shot left him in an awful spot, where he did well to recover to 20ft. It was proving his favourite length of putt, as he rolled that one in for an unlikely par and gave a little clenched fist salute. Sometimes the putts for par mean more than the ones for birdie and particularly at a grinding event like this.

Even more valuable was the one gathered at the driveable par four 5th, following an extraordinary tantrum. He explained afterwards his ire was fuelled partly by the slowness of the group in front, including the appropriately-named American, Scott Stallings.

England’s Callum Tarren made a promising start and shares the lead with McIlroy on -3

McIlroy’s three wood finished in a horrible spot just above a bunker that necessitated him choking down on a wedge to the point where his hands were on the shaft rather than the grip in order to play the shot. It only travelled 15 yards….into another bunker.

You could say he wasn’t happy. Not once but twice, he thrashed at the sand, his face incandescent. Once more, though, his short game saved him. A bunker shot to 20ft and yes, he rolled that one in as well.

He holed another at the 7th and then the 8th. It was getting silly now. It was like watching Jordan Spieth in his prime. It couldn’t last and he could hardly complain when he went to the well one more time at the 9th, after he had tossed his club angrily following a poor approach and missed for once, for his first bogey of the day. Given what had gone before, you half expected him to throw his putter to the crowd but he kept his cool on this occasion.

He’s never boring, is he?