As Rory McIlroy prepares for the U.S. Open starting June 12 at the relentless Oakmont Country Club, cracks have begun to show in the armor of one of golf’s brightest stars.
A Rollercoaster Since Augusta
Since completing the career Grand Slam with his Masters triumph in April, McIlroy has experienced an uncharacteristic dip. He tied for 47th at the PGA Championship—hampered by a backup, non-conforming driver—and followed that with a missed cut at the RBC Canadian Open, where he shot a disappointing 78 in round two .
He confessed:
“I’ve always been a player that struggles to play after a big event… you want to enjoy it and relish the fact that you’ve achieved a goal” .
Oakmont Practice Round Sets off Warning Flags
In a practice round at Oakmont, McIlroy carded an 11-over 81. Though he salvaged it with birdies on the final two holes, he said it “didn’t feel like I played that bad,” a sentiment that has stirred concern among fans and pundits . Conditions have softened since due to softened greens and milder pin placements, but the brutal layout remains unforgiving.
As he acknowledged:
“Last Monday felt impossible… If you put it in the fairway, it’s certainly playable” .
Driver Controversy Lingering
McIlroy faces residual effects from equipment drama: his long-time TaylorMade driver failed a USGA conformity test at Quail Hollow. He switched to a 44‑inch TaylorMade Qi35 for the Canadian Open, but it backfired—missing half his fairways and sparking the cut failure .
He admitted:
“There’s still learnings you have to take… I’m still searching for the missing piece off the tee” .
McIlroy plans further tinkering over the weekend to rediscover a driver that balances distance and accuracy .
Mindset: Reset, Refocus, Rediscover
Mentally, McIlroy is acutely aware of the hangover from achieving a lifelong goal. He says he’s trying for “a little bit of amnesia” about April and grudgingly accepts that Oakmont won’t let him relax .
His focus now shifts to regaining the process that took him from October to April into peak form: off‑tee precision and short game sharpness .
Can He Turn It Around?
There’s every reason to think he can—McIlroy has transformed his relationship with these ultra‑tough setups, going from U.S. Open having been his least favorite major to now his favorite . And while Oakmont has seen him miss two U.S. Opens in the past (2016, 2017), he has bounced back: finishing runner‑up in the last two editions .
He still hopes this week’s experience will help reset his season, ahead of Portrush and the Ryder Cup .
Bottom Line
McIlroy’s game and mentality are in a delicate phase. Motivational reset and equipment tweaks are underway, but Oakmont’s punishing course leaves no room for error. If he can physically regain control off the tee and mentally switch back into competitor mode, he’s still dangerous. But if doubt lingers, this week could prove brutal.
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