Take a bow, Tommy Fleetwood!

Buoyed by a birdie four at the last, the world number six holds a long iron against the wind from 208 yards at the sixth. It lands just shy of the pin and trundles up to five feet. Two birdies on the spin.

Rory McIlroy finds another fairway, sends another approach over the top of the flag, but settles for par after a misjudged birdie try from 27 feet.

Brooks Koepka lines up a birdie putt on 16 and puts a nice stroke on it, but the ball has a bit too much pace to take the break as it whizzes past the hole.

Sam Stevens is one of the stories of the first round.

Having just dropped a shot, he responds immediately.

A stunning approach and a brilliant putt see him sign for a round of 68.

Not bad at all.

How about that!

After picking up his first birdie at the third, Alex Fitzpatrick splashes out of the bunker at the fourth and drains a 20-footer to remain level par.

Scottie Scheffler is just starting to find his groove now as he has a great birdie look on 13, but despite hitting a good putt there's just a bit too much heat on it on that line and the ball does a big horseshoe and stays above ground.

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The Shinnecock Hills grounds crew are out watering the putting greens now as the late wave of players are about to start their first rounds, but why?

The course dries out incredibly fast due to the winds whipping around, and when the US Open was here in 2004 and 2018 the putting surfaces become unplayable at times.

So a splash of water now will just keep the greens from getting out of control, and also ensure that the later players get similar conditions to play in as the early wave - they'll do the same tomorrow too for fairness.

Also, the water should prevent the grass from decaying on the greens heading into the weekend, when they won't be watering during the round, but won't have to as they'll still be green enough. There's a lot of thought gone into this.

Feel like I've seen Sam Burns putting from distance on so many occasions today.

Shows his approach shots are holding the green pretty well, but he's not getting many birdie looks.

Another par and three holes to go.

Three birdies in five holes for Rickie Fowler and he's into the red for the first time.

It's been a fine round for the Californian who has three top-five finishes at the US Open.

Still chasing his first major though.

Sam Stevens started his round with a double bogey, and then dropped another shot three holes later.

Since then, he has been in total control - until now.

He is unable to get up and down, and drops a shot with one hole remaining.

Ranked 54th in the world, Stevens, who was the previous leader, still would have taken this.

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As Nial mentioned in the post at 19:08, Rory McIlroy sent a stratospheric drive 396 yards down the fairway at the downwind par-five fifth.

He followed that with a towering approach from 192 yards to 12 feet and makes the eagle putt.

And just like that, he catapults to three under and takes sole possession of the lead.

His first eagle at the US Open since 2017!

No eagle for Tommy Fleetwood but he makes a welcome birdie to move back to one over.

Scottie Scheffler has been grinding away saving pars when out of position but finally he hits a fairway and a green and bang, funnily enough after doing that he's able to roll in from 11 feet for birdie.

JJ Spaun is losing his grip on the title already though - a birdie on 12 at least stops the rot after back-to-back bogeys but he's five over for the day and without a single birdie as yet.

Mason Howell has a birdie, but sadly the 18-year-old amateur champion also has five bogeys and a triple bogey in his stuttering seven over so far.

Neither Tyrrell Hatton or Sam Burns can eke into the lead of those above them at the par-five fifth.

Couple of pars pocketed and on they go.

The end is in sight for this group.

Nial Foster
BBC Sport NI at Shinnecock Hills

Rory McIlroy has just made the 597-yard fifth hole, Montauk, look a lot shorter.

Using the breeze to his advantage, he launched a 396-yard drive down the split fairway, leaving himself barely 200 yards into the elevated green.

Most are plotting their way around this par five. Rory appears to be surfing the wind straight towards it.

Oh hello!

Alex Fitzpatrick has had to wait three hours for his first birdie but he's just recorded it in style after nearly holing out for an eagle two at the third.

A seven-inch putt for a birdie. Even I'd make that one.

Fitzpatrick moves back to level par, just two off Sam Stevens.

Sam Stevens saves par after a brilliant bunker shot put him in good position, and the American remains in the lead.

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What a day Chris Gotterup is having! He's made his second birdie in three holes to drag himself back into the contest at four over after a nightmare spell around the turn.

He carded two double bogeys and two bogeys in the space of five holes to drop six shots and almost play his way out of the tournament already. But those two birdies put him back in touch. Rollercoaster ride so far.

Sam Stevens, now the solo leader after Ludvig Aberg's bogey, finds the bunker with his tee shot.

He will do well to save par - not ideal after just taking the lead.

Well, that was an adventure.

Rory McIlroy tugs his drive into the left rough at the par-four fourth. Despite drawing a good lie where the spectators have been walking, a wild swipe sends his ball flying to the right.

He chips up to 20 feet and slams the putt home! Brilliant par save.

Tommy Fleetwood holes his own 20-footer to save par but Ludvig Aberg slips up and a five takes him back to one under.

Add a sand saver to a successful scramble for Scottie Scheffler as he gets up and down from the bunker on 10 to make his par, courtesy of a six-foot putt.

Pars are still more than decent out there in the conditions, and it doesn't look like it's going to be any easier later on today.