Rory McIlroy goes into the US Open at Oakmont next week as one of the favourites—and the course has already made quite an impression on him.
McIlroy has already bagged three wins this season—at the AT&T Pebble Beach Pro-Am, The PLAYERS Championship and The Masters. He was widely seen as the front-runner for Player of the Year after his win at Augusta.
Since then, however, the narrative has shifted a bit. Scottie Scheffler has won three of his last four starts, and McIlroy has been criticised for his non-conforming driver at the PGA Championship, as well as his decision not to speak with the media after the event.
Now, with the US Open just around the corner, McIlroy is hoping to reset. But first, he’ll need to get through the Canadian Open, where he’s at risk of missing the cut.
After that, all eyes will be on Oakmont—a course known for pushing players to their limits. The question is whether McIlroy’s game will be ready for the challenge.
Rory McIlroy’s thoughts on Oakmont after practice round ahead of the US Open
He played a practice round at Oakmont on Monday, and it didn’t go smoothly.
The Masters champion hit a three-wood into the par-three 8th and walked away with a bogey. He also triple-bogeyed the second hole, despite saying he’d hit “three good shots.”
To have any chance of winning next week, he’ll need to tighten things up considerably.
Speaking to the Golf Channel, McIlroy didn’t mince words about what players can expect from Oakmont.
He said: “It is a brutal test. I think everyone is going to have to pack their patience and just accept that whatever happens, happens. It is always a difficult golf course but then you just couple that with the US Open set up. Even par is going to be a really, really good score.
“You have got to go there and make as many pars as you can and try to keep the doubles and triples off your scorecard. If you do that you will have a good chance.”
A high score could win the US Open
Bryson DeChambeau has said that if the wind picks up, even five-over par could be a solid score at Oakmont.
With greens expected to run near 15 on the Stimpmeter, we could see some very high numbers posted next week.
Given the course conditions and recent trends, it wouldn’t be a surprise if level par ends up in the mix again. McIlroy, if he’s in good form, will certainly back himself to be in contention.
It’s shaping up to be a true battle of attrition, and only the toughest players are likely to come out on top.
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