‘It was St Andrews all over again’: Rory McIlroy suffers familiar major woes at US Open
Much like his performance at St Andrews in 2022, Rory McIlroy said he didn’t do a lot wrong in the final round of the US Open but the Northern Irishman left LACC empty-handed
It was another tough scene for us Rory McIlroy fans watching the US Open on Sunday.
When the Northern Irishman made a birdie on the 1st hole in the final round, optimism began to build and the dreams of a fifth major started to re-emerge.
But, as McIlroy admitted himself after the day was done at Los Angeles Country Club, this disappointment felt similar to when he didn’t win The 150th Open Championship last summer in agonising fashion.
“It was St Andrews all over again,” he was overheard saying to his agent as reported by various outlets.
“The last real two chances I’ve had at majors I feel like have been pretty similar performances, like St Andrews last year and then here,” McIlroy added to the media.
“Not doing a lot wrong, but I didn’t make a birdie since the first hole today. Just trying to be a little more efficient with my opportunities and my looks.
“Overall when you’re in contention going into the final round of a US Open, I played the way I wanted to play.
“There was just a couple of shots, two or three shots over the course of the round that I’d like to have back.”
McIlroy hit 15 out of 18 greens and he now has the arguably unwanted record of hitting the most greens in regulation in US Open week without winning.
His missed short putt on the 8th hole which led to one of his 16 pars and the short wedge shot on the par-5 14th hole which embedded in the ground were two McIlroy identified as his main regrets.
He failed to chase down Wyndham Clark who played so impressively to card a level-par 70 and cling on to a one-shot victory for his maiden major title.
Things were a touch different on the Old Course for McIlroy last July – but the feeling was presumably the same.
He held the lead with nine holes of the event to play before Cameron Smith made five consecutive birdies on the back nine to take the Claret Jug.
Despite a late wobble from Clark on holes 15 and 16, McIlroy couldn’t find the shots to end his major drought which is approaching the decade-long mark.
His last chance in 2023 will come at Hoylake and the 34-year-old is already looking ahead to the fourth and final major of the year.
“I’ll play Travelers next week, I’ll play the Scottish Open, but I’m focused on making sure that I’m ready to go for Liverpool,” he said.
“I thought I did really well at executing my game plan, hitting a lot of fairways, hitting a lot of greens, again, what you should do at a US Open.
“If anything, I felt like over the last two days when the greens started to get quite crispy that my speed control was off a little bit, and I think that’s the reason I didn’t hole a lot of putts.
“I don’t think I was hitting bad putts; just hitting them with slightly the wrong speed. Some were coming up short, some were going a little long.
“I can play free. I think I proved that today. Just felt like my speed control was a little off with the putter. That’s probably why I didn’t make a birdie since the first.”
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Matt Chivers
Now on the wrong side of 25, Matt has been playing golf since the age of 13 and was largely inspired to take up the game by countless family members who played golf during his childhood.
Matt is a member at Royal Cinque Ports in Deal playing off a 5 handicap, just a pitching wedge away from his hometown of Dover where he went to school and grew up. He has previously been a member at Etchinghill and Walmer and Kingsdown in Kent.
Having studied history at the University of Liverpool, Matt went on to pass his NCTJ Exams in Manchester a year later to fulfil his lifelong ambition of becoming a journalist. He picked up work experience along the way at places such as the Racing Post, the Independent, Sportsbeat and the Lancashire Evening Post.
Matt joined NCG in February 2023 and is the website’s main source of tour news, features and opinion. He has reported live from events such as The Open, the Ryder Cup and The Players Championship, having also interviewed and spoken to the likes of Rory McIlroy, Tommy Fleetwood, Lee Westwood, Graeme McDowell, Henrik Stenson, to name just a few.
Consuming tour golf on what is a 24/7 basis, you can come to Matt for informed views on the game and the latest updates on the PGA Tour, DP World Tour, LPGA Tour, Ladies European Tour and LIV Golf.
What’s in Matt’s bag: Cobra LTDx LS driver, Cobra LTDx 3-wood, TaylorMade P7MC irons, Ping Glide 4.0 wedges, Odyssey putter.
