Rory McIlroy's driver isn't his biggest problem at U.S. Open
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OAKMONT, Pa. — Nobody does existential crisis like Rory McIlroy.
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'Look, you dream about the final putt going in at the Masters, but you don't think about what comes next,' he said on Tuesday at Oakmont.
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Staring down the barrel of a somewhat terrifying U.S. Open test, McIlroy was back at his best in front of the microphone on Tuesday, but whether he'll be back at his best on the course anytime soon is a very different question.
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Following one of the worst performances of his career last week at the RBC Canadian Open, McIlroy announced he will be using yet another new driver this week. As one of the game's all-time greatest drivers of the golf ball, there is no doubt he will sort out this equipment issue relatively quickly.
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The more difficult puzzle for Rory is going to be figuring out what he wants next for himself, and how much he still wants from the game of golf that he has dedicated so much of his life mastering.
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Completing his lifelong ambition of the career grand slam at Augusta National has unsurprisingly left a void. McIlroy was asked about the plan for the next phase of his career, and one of golf's great talkers was left nearly speechless.
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'I don't have one. I have no idea,' he answered. 'I'm sort of just taking it tournament by tournament at this point. Yeah, I have no idea.'
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Rory answered some questions about his new driver, including a great quip on what he learned about the driver he used in Canada: 'I learned that I wasn't using the right driver.'
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Eventually, the conversation drifted back to the deeper issue of motivation, and where ones mind goes when they look up from the top of the mountain and see nothing.
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'I think I've always been a player that struggles to play after a big event, after I win whatever tournament. I always struggle to show up with motivation the next week because you've just accomplished something and you want to enjoy it and you want to sort of relish the fact that you've achieved a goal.'
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'I think chasing a certain goal for the better part of a decade and a half, I think I'm allowed a little bit of time to relax a little bit.'
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Most athletes feel the emptiness after they retire, but the funny thing about golf is it never really ends. Jack Nicklaus is still at the Masters hitting tee shots and weighing in on the game. Rory's childhood dream was to win all four majors. That's done, so what's next?
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Winnipeg Free Press
12 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Adam Scott at another US Open and headed for century mark in the majors
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Adam Scott is one year away from an impressive streak that the Australian considers to be a classic glass half-full moment in golf. The U.S. Open is his 96th consecutive major championship appearance dating to the 2001 British Open at Royal Lytham & St. Annes. 'It sounds like a lot to have won one,' Scott said with a laugh, referring to his lone major title in the 2013 Masters. 'It would be twice as good if there was one more.' Still, he realizes he is approaching a big milestone. The PGA Championship next year, assuming he qualifies or gets an invitation, will be his 100th career major. He could make it 100 in a row if he makes it to Shinnecock Hills for next year's U.S. Open. A streak like that requires eligibility and good health. Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson only had eligibility in their favor. Woods played 46 straight majors until knee surgery after he won the 2008 U.S. Open. Mickelson played 61 in a row before he sat out the 2009 British Open as his wife was being treated for breast cancer. The record is among the most untouchable in golf — Jack Nicklaus played 146 in a row from the 1962 U.S. Open through the 2008 U.S. Open. 'Probably whenever it ends, whether it's 100 or more or less, I think it will be hard for guys to get to that number going forward,' Scott said. 'I think it's getting harder. And I think I have been a consistent player over a 25-year career. I could probably pick three troughs where my game was looking pretty ordinary and I fell outside the top 50 and I was really struggling. But over 25 years, I'd expect that of almost any player.' Scott had a few close calls in the U.S. Open. He made it through 36-hole qualifying with one shot to spare in 2018. He failed to make it through qualifying last year (he was first alternate) but became exempt at No. 61 in the world. Grayson Murray, who took his life in May 2024, was still ahead of him in the world ranking and the USGA went down one spot. Scott said Mickelson and Rory McIlroy are among the few who never went through bad spells or serious injury 'and we're talking about two of the greatest of their generation.' McIlroy's streak was interrupted when he injured his left ankle and couldn't play the 2015 British Open. Oakmont is his 39th consecutive major. US Open prize money For the first time since 2021, the U.S. Open is not increasing its prize money. It will be $21.5 million for the second straight year, with $4.3 million going to the winner. It remains the biggest purse of the four majors. The Masters was $21 million this year, while the PGA Championship was at $19 million. The British Open hasn't announced its total purse for next month at Royal Portrush. It was at $17 million last year. The U.S. Open purse was $12.5 million in 2020 and 2021 before making a big leap to $17.5 million in 2022 at Brookline. 'I feel comfortable that we've been a leader in moving fast and bigger,' USGA CEO Mike Whan said Wednesday. The Players Championship has a $25 million purse. The USGA and R&A get the bulk of their revenue from their Opens. They also use that money to invest back in the game, including the Women's Opens and amateur events such as the Walker Cup and Curtis Cup that several of the top stars once played. 'But at the same time, we understand. We want to be relevant,' Whan said. 'We know that this probably isn't really about the money for the person who puts it there, but at the same time, we want the money to be commensurate with the achievement. … It's part of creating what we want to be the greatest championship in the game.' Driver testing Xander Schauffele couldn't contain his laughter when he said both his drivers were tested this week and both passed the USGA limits of trampoline effect. It was no joking matter for Rory McIlroy at the PGA Championship when word got out that his driver didn't pass the test from too much use. Turns out Scottie Scheffler's driver didn't pass for the same reason, and they had to get new drivers. The results are supposed to be confidential. The post on McIlroy's driver was published without any context — the random testing at every major, and the service being done for players (and equipment makers) who otherwise would be unaware when the faces of the drivers become too thin from constant strikes. Whan said he felt stronger than ever to keep results private 'In terms of what happened at the PGA Championship, it made us more committed to not wanting to have this be the topic of the town,' Whan said 'Because I think when you talked about a rules violation or somebody who's playing with a hot driver, that gets so much more sensational than the reality. 'I can tell you as a rules body, if we had concern about this incredible advantage, we would change the degree in which we test,' he said 'But we think the testing that we're doing now is commensurate with the size of both the issue and the size of the reality of the issue.' Rain and rocks The Pittsburgh area had one of the wettest Mays in history, not ideal for a U.S. Open that would prefer Oakmont to be firm, fast and scary. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. But it's not just the golf course. It can turn into a sloppy mess outside the ropes, and for some of the lots the U.S. Open is using for parking. That's why Whan was quick to celebrate Thomas Construction, a local company that has supplied gravel to create paths in walkways and parking lots. 'He no longer has gravel — true story — and he's only had one customer in the last 60 days — us,' Whan said. 'Suffice it to say, he told us there's more gravel here than in the quarry right now. And I apologize to all you (Oakmont) members. Good news is it's outside of the rope lines.' ___ AP golf:
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Canadians ready for challenge of U.S. Open at Oakmont after demanding Canadian Open
This is arguably the toughest stretch for Canada's best male golfers, with two of their biggest events of year on back-to-back weeks. Nick Taylor, Corey Conners, Taylor Pendrith and Mackenzie Hughes were all in the mix in the final round of the RBC Canadian Open on Sunday, the only PGA Tour event north of the border and a tournament that they consider 'the fifth major' of their year. On Thursday they will tee it up at an official major, the third of the men's season, when the U.S. Open starts at the infamously challenging Oakmont Country Club outside of Pittsburgh. Taylor, from Abbotsford, B.C., said that the transition between the two tournaments can be difficult. 'Managing your rest, your energy levels, is huge,' said Taylor after finishing his final round of the Canadian Open at TPC Toronto at Osprey Valley in Caledon, Ont. 'The hard part going into next week, I've never been there. I'm going to see the golf course. I'm going to put some time in on the greens, around the greens, and just try to get as much rest as possible. 'I'll have three days to manage that. It's not like I'm going to be searching for anything golf game-wise because I feel like I'm in a good spot, so that's definitely a nice thing.' There are more media demands placed on Canada's golfers ahead of the Canadian Open as they help promote the national men's championship. Coupled with the desire to win the title — Taylor is the only Canadian to manage the feat in over 70 years — and the pressure of larger galleries, it can be an exhausting week. Pendrith, from Richmond Hill, Ont., said that he and the other 23 Canadians at the national championship look forward to the Canadian Open every year. 'It's the one time of the year that we've got everybody cheering for us, and we want to put on a good show for the fans. They get it once a year,' he said. 'They were awesome this week, really, tons of great crowds. 'It's a long week for us. We don't get this every week, so it's a little more mentally draining (…) There's a lot of people around, saying hi to a lot of people, a lot of familiar faces, but it's awesome.' Conners, from Listowel, Ont., is the top-ranked Canadian on the PGA Tour so far this season, sitting ninth headed into the U.S. Open. Taylor is 14th on the FedEx Cup points list, Pendrith is 30th and Hughes is 47th. Like Pendrith, Conners praised the fans at the Canadian Open, even going so far as to say it helped prepare him for the major at Oakmont. 'It's cool to play in front of the home fans here, and a lot of people show up and support all the Canadian guys,' said Conners. 'It's a special feeling to be out there kind of living my dream. 'They kind of make me more relaxed. They give me some more energy. I've had a blast playing in front of them this week. Not feeling too worn out heading into what I know will be a demanding week (at the U.S. Open).' Hughes, from Dundas, Ont., also took the back-to-back events in stride. 'I wouldn't say it's too difficult. We kind of do that sort of stuff all the time,' he said. 'Week to week we make adjustments, and we get ready to go for the next one. 'Obviously, (the Canadian Open) is more of a taxing week for us as Canadians, but I'll get myself ready to go for Thursday and hopefully have a great week over there.' Although there are some similarities between TPC Toronto and Oakmont — especially penal rough — there's no doubt which one is harder to play. 'I've heard some scary thing the last few days,' said Taylor, who will be playing Oakmont for the first time this week. 'It's probably hack-out rough, as in just hit a wedge 50 yards down the fairway and play from there. 'So if you can, be up and around the greens as much as possible.' Pendrith said that the although they both have deep rough, the fairways are relatively wide at TPC Toronto compared to Oakmont. Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. 'I went two weeks ago. It's hard, yeah,' said Pendrith. 'It was a day that was probably 10 degrees Celsius and blowing 20 and raining. It was very, very difficult. Hit driver on a par-3. 'Probably never done that before or not in a long time. It's tricky.' LPGA TOUR — Brooke Henderson of Smiths Falls, Ont., is the top ranked Canadian heading into this week's Meijer LPGA Classic for Simply Give. She's 50th on the Road to CME Globe standings. Savannah Grewal (124th) of Mississauga, Ont., Hamilton's Alena Sharp (135th) and Maude-Aimee Leblanc of Sherbrooke, Que., (164th) are also in the field at Blythefield Country Club in Belmont, Mich. EPSON TOUR — Maddie Szeryk of London, Ont., leads the Canadian contingent into the Great Lakes Championship at the Highlands presented by Johnnie Walker. She's 37th in the Race for the Card standings. Josee Doyon (53rd) of Saint-Georges, Que., Monet Chun (64th) of Richmond Hill, Ont., Yeji Kwon (112th) of Port Coquitlam, B.C., Brigitte Thibault (135th) of Rosemere, Que., Vancouver's Leah John (137th) and Mary Parsons (148th) of Delta, B.C., are also in the field at The Highlands in Harbor Springs, Mich. This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 11, 2025.
Winnipeg Free Press
13 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
US Open gets a peaceful day of practice ahead of tough test that awaits at Oakmont
OAKMONT, Pa. (AP) — Serenity at Oakmont could be found Wednesday morning when Rory McIlroy stood on the first tee as the sun rose against a hazy sky on the horizon. He was playing with his best mate in golf, Shane Lowry, their final practice before the U.S. Open. The peace gets shattered as soon as the score starts to count. Even with Scottie Scheffler in full flight as the No. 1 player in golf, even as McIlroy tries to build on his dream moment of being the Masters champion, as Bryson DeChambeau gets a chance to see if his brawn can handle this rough, there has been one name — Oakmont — that rises above all others going into the 125th U.S. Open. 'Oakmont is relentless,' said John Bodenhamer, the chief championships officer at the USGA who sets up the course for the toughest test in golf. 'There's no letup. It's a grind. That's the U.S. Open.' It gets started on Thursday with Matt Vogt, the former Oakmont caddie now an Indiana dentist, selected to hit the opening tee shot. Jon Rahm, who won his U.S. Open four years ago at Torrey Pines, made his debut at Oakmont in 2016 when he was fresh out of Arizona State. He shot 76 on the first day, went 1-over par the rest of the way and finished as low amateur. Even with changes to the course from a restoration project, including a ditch that now meanders across the landing area in the 10th fairway, the Spanish star has a better idea what to expect. 'You're aware of what a golf tournament here is going to be like. It's going to be a challenge,' Rahm said. 'A lot of unfortunate things are going to happen. It's hard fairways to hit, bad lies, difficult bunkers, difficult greens. It's going to be a nice test, a difficult test, and I think one of the truest representations of what a U.S. Open is all about.' Dustin Johnson set the Oakmont scoring record for a U.S. Open at 276 when he won in 2016. The USGA mentioned a few other numbers that also describe Oakmont, mainly the 5-inch rough so dense at the bottom there were no guarantees a golf ball might be lost. Another number had historical context — only 27 of the 1,385 players who have competed in a major championship at Oakmont finished under par. That includes when Oakmont, now a par 70, was played as a par 71 or par 72. 'Our mantra is tough but fair,' Bodenhamer said. 'And what does that mean? It's pretty simple. It's not about the score. It's about getting every club in a player's bag dirty, all 15 of them — the 14 in their bag and the one between the ears. And we work hard on that. 'And that's how we've gone about our business here at Oakmont.' The other number that stands out is 10 — the number of times the USGA has brought its marquee championship to the course built to be tough in 1903. No other course has held the U.S. Open more often. The USGA has been accused over the years of trying to protect par, which it long has denied. Johnny Miller remains the only player to win the U.S. Open with a 63 in the final round, in 1973 at Oakmont. The following year, Hale Irwin won at 7-over par in what became known as the 'Massacre at Winged Foot.' It also fed into the belief that par matters. In some respects, it does. Bodenhamer was asked what score would indicate the USGA didn't get it right. 'Interesting question,' he replied. 'Off the top of my head, something in double digits. I've said this before, we don't want 20 over to win and we don't want 20 under to win. It might be tough. It might not be tough enough. There's a number in there somewhere.' Scheffler is in search of the third leg of the career Grand Slam after winning the PGA Championship by five shots at Quail Hollow last month. Scheffler has won his last three tournaments — all in a five-week stretch — by a combined 17 shots. 'What is he doing? Well, everything,' Justin Thomas said. 'It's effortless. Every single aspect of his game is unbelievable. I think his mental game is better than anybody out here. To be able to play with those expectations and to stay present as often as he has to me is maybe more impressive than even the golf he's playing. 'He just doesn't make any mistakes and almost kind of lets himself be in contention versus forces himself in contention. He just seems to be playing better.' If there is a common trait among U.S. Open champions at Oakmont, strength would be on the list. Johnson won in 2016, Angel Cabrera in 2007, big Ernie Els in 1994. The first of 18 professional majors by Jack Nicklaus and those powerful legs came at Oakmont in 1962. 'I'd say there's definitely a strength factor coming out of the rough,' Scheffler said. 'I don't really know if this is a golf course you can necessarily just overpower with a bomb-and-gouge type strategy, especially with the way the rough is.' Winnipeg Jets Game Days On Winnipeg Jets game days, hockey writers Mike McIntyre and Ken Wiebe send news, notes and quotes from the morning skate, as well as injury updates and lineup decisions. Arrives a few hours prior to puck drop. Scheffler's strength, much like Tiger Woods, is knowing where to miss and playing the angles. That works almost anywhere. Almost. 'There's not really many areas where you step on the tee box and you're like, 'Hey, I can miss it right here; hey, I can shade towards the left side of the fairway because right is really bad,'' he said. 'Actually, if you hit it in the right rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green. If you hit it in the left rough, you're probably not going to get it to the green. So might as well try and split the difference there and hit it in the middle.' Sounds simple enough. It rarely is at Oakmont. And that's just the way the USGA likes it. ___ AP golf:
