OAKMONT, Pa. — Rory McIlroy said Tuesday that he shot 81 with two birdies on the last two holes at the OAKMONT Country Club during a scouting trip to the course last week.
“They had pins in dangerous places and the greens were running at 15½. That was nearly impossible,” McIlroy said. “I birded the last two holes of the 81. It felt pretty good. I didn’t feel like it played that bad.”
McIlroy, who missed the cut in 2016, said that when the US Open was last held in Oakmont, the conditions for this week’s course were more benign than those previously experienced due to the heavy rains that the area has received recently.
The five-time major winner and defending Masters champion was one of the first Tuesday morning.
“It was a bit soft. The pins wouldn’t always be on the 3% or 4% slope,” McIlroy said. “If you put it on the fairway, it’s certainly playable. But you have to think about leaving the ball under the hole and trying to make as many pars as possible. You get in the way of a few birdies, that’s a bonus.”
This is the challenge Oakmont presents to the best players in the world this week. Some pars will feel like birdies, but some of the toughest holes on the course are welcome. The large, sloping greens on the course are difficult enough, but the challenge starts with the tee. There, something thick, deep, rough awaits you, right next to Oakmont’s tight fairway.
Driving is usually McIlroy’s strength – he is second on the PGA Tour with strokes obtained from the tee this season – several startes in his past featured uncharacteristic performances in the area. McIlroy tried to use a shorter driver and another head last week at RBC Heritage after his driver was considered a non-fit at the PGA Championship held at Quazul Hollow last month. He hit just 42% of the fairway and found only 44% in the second round when he posted 80 over 80.
On winning courses this year, such as TPC Sawgrass and Augusta National, missed the fairway allowed McIlroy to use his skills to hit recovery shots to fight the way he climbs the leaderboard. But at Oakmont this week, he can’t do that. Every player on the field knows that hitting fairways is essential to successful in this particular setup.
“If you miss the fairway here, you can’t really do anything unless you’re in the middle of the fairway bunker. You can get something on your lips,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy says he will test various driver heads ahead of the US opening, and acquired it using last year’s Taylormade driver model, featuring the same settings as the drivers he used to win the Masters. On Tuesday, he spent time practicing after missing a cut in Canada and feels more confident at the club this week.
“I felt a little better with the driver who is still playing practice rounds on weekends at home and today,” McIlroy said. “So I hope I can hit a few fairways than I was hit and give myself some opportunities.”
You may not have a chance to score this week. In 2016, only four players were shot in the PAR. However, McIlroy is not the player he was in 2016, and not particularly at the US Open. After missing three cuts at the event from 2016 to 2018, McIlroy decided to evolve as a golfer and said he would rebuild the game about the sport’s toughest tests. Since then, he has scored six straight top 10 finishes at the US Open, including a second-place finish for the past two years.
“I definitely became our open player with confidence. With solid and quick setups like last year’s Pinehurst and LACC, I was even more comfortable the year before,” says McIlroy. “The US Open has probably become my favorite from my least favorite major, probably because of what you’re asking, and I love the challenge.”