Rory McIlroy’s largest win may need additionally been his biggest curse.
On Saturday, the five-time main champion spoke with reporters for the primary time at this 12 months’s U.S. Open following one other subpar spherical, and his feedback had been a revealing — and regarding — look into the mindset of the 2025 Masters champion, which gave him the profession grand slam after 11 makes an attempt.
“You do not actually know the way it should have an effect on you,” McIlroy mentioned Saturday after capturing a 74 to fall to 10-over par via 54 holes at Oakmont. (h/t ESPN). “I’ve felt just a little flat on the golf course afterwards.”
McIlroy additionally revealed his apathetic strategy to this 12 months’s U.S. Open, saying, “It is a lot simpler being on the minimize line when you do not actually care in the event you’re for the weekend or not.
“I used to be type of pondering, ‘Do I really need two extra days right here or not?'”
Following his thrilling playoff win on the Masters, McIlroy has one top-10 end in 4 occasions. Throughout his two most up-to-date tournaments, McIlroy tied for forty seventh on the PGA Championship (plus-3) and missed the minimize on the RBC Canadian Open with a plus-9 via 36 holes.
He has a textbook case of championship hangover, and it is unclear what it should take to snap out of the rut. Simply do not count on it to occur on Sunday.
McIlroy informed reporters that his main targets through the remaining spherical are to complete “in beneath 4 and a half hours … and get out of right here.”
After his tough first three rounds, it is exhausting responsible him. And till he shakes off his post-Masters malaise, McIlroy may need for a number of extra early exits earlier than the season’s over.
