Rory McIlroy’s visit to Oakmont ahead of the 125th US Open gave him a sobering reminder of the course’s difficulty. The Masters champion played a practice round last week that left him stunned by its challenge. Despite birdieing the final two holes, he carded an 81 and admitted it didn’t feel like he played that poorly. “It felt impossible,” he remarked, noting the greens were running at a lightning-fast 15.5 on the stimpmeter and pins were placed in extremely difficult positions.
Although conditions have softened slightly since then, McIlroy emphasized how crucial accuracy and patience will be at Oakmont. Staying in the fairway is vital, but even then, players must focus on leaving the ball below the hole and grinding out pars. “You get yourself in the way of a few birdies, that’s a bonus,” he said.
Oakmont’s rough remains punishing. Losing a ball just off the fairway last week often meant a prolonged search. “It’s very penal if you miss. Sometimes it’s penal if you don’t miss,” McIlroy said, adding that patience and attitude will be key to winning.
The rough has historically played a central role in high scoring at Oakmont. The last time the US Open was staged there in 2007, the winning score was five over par. Jon Rahm echoed concerns about the unpredictability, noting how a ball just a foot off the fairway can force players to simply punch out, reducing scoring opportunities to a game of chance.
McIlroy’s recent form raises questions heading into this major. He missed the cut at the Canadian Open, continuing struggles with his driver, though he’s since swapped the club in preparation for Oakmont. But the bigger issue may be mental rather than mechanical. After finally capturing the elusive green jacket at Augusta to complete the career grand slam, McIlroy admitted he’s had a hard time resetting his focus.
He acknowledged the emotional toll of chasing that dream for over 15 years. Now that it’s been realized, motivation has become a challenge. “You dream about the final putt going in at the Masters but you don’t think about what comes next,” he said, confessing that he’s always found it hard to compete immediately after major wins. For now, he’s taking things “tournament by tournament.”
Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau enters as the defending US Open champion. He described Oakmont as the hardest golf course in the world, emphasizing the need to hit fairways, reach greens, and hole crucial putts. Off the course, he’s also preparing for contract negotiations with LIV Golf. Confident in his value to the organization, DeChambeau anticipates a positive resolution and expressed optimism about the future of team-based professional golf.
