Rory McIlroy Analyzes the Oakmont Challenge for the US Open
The renowned golfer Rory McIlroy shared his impressions of the demanding Oakmont Country Club course, venue for the upcoming US Open. After a practice round last week, McIlroy recounted that he achieved a score of 81, with two birdies on the final holes.McIlroy, who didn’t make the cut in 2016, when the US Open was last played at Oakmont, noted that the course conditions this week are more favorable due to recent rains in the area. The winner of five majors and current Masters champion, was one of the first to go out to practice on Tuesday morning, accompanied by Shane Lowry, before dedicating time to the driving range. “It was a little softer. The pins won’t be on 3 or 4% slopes all the time,” McIlroy explained. “If you put the ball in the fairway, it’s certainly playable. But then you just have to think about leaving the ball below the hole and trying to make as many pars as you can. If you make some birdies, that’s a bonus.” Oakmont’s challenge for the world’s best golfers lies in this. Some pars will feel like birdies, while bogeys on some of the toughest holes will be welcomed. The course’s large, sloping greens are difficult enough, but the challenge begins from the tee, where thick, deep rough awaits players just off Oakmont’s narrow fairways.“They had the pins in tricky locations, and the greens were running at 15½. It was almost impossible,” McIlroy commented. “I birdied the last two holes for 81. It felt pretty good. I didn’t feel like I played that bad.”
Rory McIlroy
While driving is usually McIlroy’s strong point, his recent performances have shown unusual performance in this aspect. After his driver was deemed non-conforming at the PGA Championship at Quail Hollow last month, McIlroy tried using a shorter driver and a different head at the RBC Heritage last week. He only hit 42% of the fairways and found only four in the second round, where he recorded an 80.
In courses like TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National, where he has won this year, a miss on the fairway still allowed McIlroy to resort to his skill and make recovery shots to climb the leaderboard. But at Oakmont this week, he won’t be able to. All players know that hitting the fairway is essential to succeed on this course.McIlroy indicated that he would try different driver heads before the US Open, and finally decided on the TaylorMade driver model from last year, with the same configuration he used to win the Masters. On Tuesday, he commented that he has been practicing since he didn’t make the cut in Canada and feels much more confident with that club this week. “I feel a little better with the driver over the weekend at home and even today playing a practice round,” McIlroy said. “So hopefully I can hit some more fairways than I’ve been hitting and give myself some chances.” Opportunities to score could be scarce this week. In 2016, only four players finished under par. But McIlroy is not the same player as in 2016, especially at the US Open. After failing to make three cuts at this event between 2016 and 2018, McIlroy decided to evolve as a golfer and rebuild his game to face the toughest tests in the sport. Since then, he has achieved six consecutive top-10 finishes at the US Open, including two consecutive second-place finishes in the last two years.“If you miss a fairway here, you really can’t do anything with the ball unless you’re in the middle of a bunker and can get the ball over the lip,” McIlroy said.
Rory McIlroy
“I have definitely become a much more confident US Open player, and I feel a lot more comfortable on those firm and fast courses as was seen at Pinehurst last year and LACC the year before,” McIlroy said. “The US Open went from probably my least favorite major to probably my favorite because of what it demands of you. And I love that challenge.”
Rory McIlroy
