The 2011 U.S. Open officially got underway this morning, but two of the tournament favorites, Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy, have yet to tee off. The duo are scheduled to begin play at 1:35 PM ET from hole No. 10; their group also includes four time major winner Phil Mickelson. The latest Sports Betting Odds have McIlroy listed as a -120 moneyline favorite to finish ahead of Johnson in today's first round of action from the Congressional Country Club in Bethesda, Maryland.
No doubt Dustin Johnson and Rory McIlroy 
will be looking to get off to strong starts this afternoon as each player pursues his first major championship. Neither player has had a particularly stunning year thus far, but they have both played well enough.
Johnson, currently ninth in the Official World Golf Rankings, is 19th on the PGA Tour moneylist coming into today's start ($1,870,773). He has procured four top 10 finishes in 14 events played, but he also has three missed cuts.
The South Carolina native turned in his third best performance of the season two weekends ago at the Memorial with a 12 under par 276 (fourth place). Johnson shot a 68 in the first round of action at Muirfield Village, a solid follow up to his first round 66 at the HP Byron Nelson Championship at the end of May.
Johnson has posted an average first round score of 69.5 in his last four tournaments.
McIlroy, who finished one stroke behind Johnson at the Memorial, enters U.S Open play having averaged a 10th place finish in his last three PGA Tour events (excludes a missed cut at the Wells Fargo Championship).
McIlroy, the third place finisher at the 2010 U.S. Open and PGA Championships, shot a first round 66 at Muirfield Village. Prior to his missed cut at Quail Hollow in early May (shot a first round 75), McIlroy notched first round scores of 65 and 68 at The Masters and the World Golf Championships (Blue Monster at Doral), respectively.
Given that both players have opened well of late, Johnson, at -110 moneyline odds, seems like the slightly better play in today's first round of action. Johnson, at +0.5 strokes, despite the slightly longer odds (-135), may be an even better tack for those looking to take advantage of the early U.S. Open action.
2011 US Open First Round Dustin Johnson vs Rory McIlroy Odds:
Dustin Johnson -110 (Moneyline), +0.5 Stroke (-135)
Rory McIlroy -120 (Moneyline), -0.5 Stroke (+105)
