Oakmont, Pa. — Standards set on Saturday afternoon meant that Rory McIlroy achieved two goals in the final round at the US Open on Sunday.
First, he finished the round in under four hours – 4 hours, 9 minutes to be exact. Secondly, and perhaps most importantly, for the world’s second-largest golfer, he can now go home.
The indifferent McKilroy told the media that it was his hope for the final round after shooting 74 in the third round at Oakmont on Saturday. And he played well on Sunday at a 3-under 67, but when play was interrupted late in the afternoon he was made his 23rd tie, but the fact that he was obtained on a dangerous course was a relief.
“I’m generally looking forward to returning to Europe,” he said Sunday. “Obviously I’ve had another week here. Play Hartford next week. …We’re looking forward to it. I’ll get a new home in London and play Scots, then obviously open in Portrush.”
Since winning the Masters earlier this spring and finally completing his long-awaited career grand slam, McIlroy played uninspired golf as he missed a cut at the RBC Canada Open last week and finished well at the PGA Championship. His show at the 125th US Open was the same.
“Look, I climbed Everest in April, and I think you need to come back after you do something like that. “The Portrush opening is certainly one of them.”
For McIlroy, who missed the cut when the Open Championship was last played in 2019, next month’s tournament took place in front of his compatriots, is an opportunity to sync his mental game with the physical game.
“I didn’t realize how emotionally emotional I was in Portrush,” McIlroy said of 2019.
“…I need to get myself in the right mental framework to feel those feelings again.”
He said his physical game was “out there” on Sunday, but McIlroy admitted that it’s been mentally short since he won the Masters. The 36-year-old’s frustration was open and evident throughout the United States. On Friday, he threw a club and destroyed a tee marker. Despite improving Sunday’s performance, he threw another club. This time the club bouncing off the grass and he came back to him, so he hooked it with his left hand.
“If I can’t motivate myself to stand up to the open championship at home, I don’t know what will motivate me,” he said. “I just need to put myself in the right mind frame. I probably haven’t been there for the last few weeks.
“Bringing home and having a few weeks off before that will make me feel refreshed and rejuvenated and bring me back to the right place again.”
McIlroy didn’t take a month to play for Portrush, but he regained momentum in a solid final round at Oakmont.
He had six birdies and three bogeys on Sunday. He only had seven birdies in total in the three rounds before him. He averaged 321.5 yards in the fourth round and finished the field-leading tournament with 330.3 yards per drive.
“I feel like I’m driving the ball well all week,” he said. “After the way I drove it today, I think I finished the top five with strokes I got from the tee. I really encouraged the driver and how I drove, too. It’s not necessarily the driver, it’s where my swing was.
“…Physically, I feel like my game is there. I’m in a mentally correct mental framework to make the most of myself.”