Rory McIlroy didn't care about making US Open cut and is adamant he's earned right to do as he wants
Grand Slam superstar opens up on his gripes and Oakmont misery
Frustrated Rory McIlroy admits he can't wait to get of Oakmont and didn't really care if he made the cut.
The Northern Irishman superstar is also adamant he's not daring officials to do anything with his recent refusals to speak to the media post-rounds and says he's earned the right to do what he wants.
McIlroy's Saturday effort at the third Major of the season ended with him going over par for three consecutive rounds at a big one for the first time since the 2012 Open. It's been a painful US Open week for the career Grand Slam hero and his frustrations have boiled over with smashing a tee-marker and lobbing a club.
McIlroy was asked to give an assessment of his display with a round to go and said: 'Pretty average. That's the name of the game this week is staying patient and try to do a good job of it out there, but it's one of those golf courses that you can lose patience on pretty quickly. I've driven the ball better. As good as I have in a long time, so that's at least a positive this week. I was hoping to play better but I didn't.'
McIlroy maintained the fact he's struggling for spark post- Masters high as he continued: 'Yeah, I alluded to it in my pre-tournament press conference, you don't really know how it's going to affect you. You don't know how you're going to react to such a, I wouldn't say a life-altering occasion, but at least something that I've dreamt about for a long time. I alluded to the fact that, yeah, I have felt a little flat on the golf course afterwards."
With a winning chance out of reach, McIlroy made the weekend by a stroke, but said: "It's funny, like it's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not. I was sort of thinking: Do I really want two more days here or not. So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset. I've certainly experienced times where I haven't played the way I've wanted to. I actually feel like I've played okay this week. It's a sort of golf course where the tiniest mistakes get penalised a lot and that's sort of how it's felt this week.'
McIlroy's decision to speak for the first time since his pre-tournament presser was brought up having also skipped media duties post-rounds at the PGA Championship. Asked if that was down to frustration over his play, he said: 'No, not really. It's more a frustration with you guys.' Pushed in what way he meant, he continued: 'I don't know. I've been totally available for the last few years and I'm not saying, maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing.'
The driver issue at the PGA annoyed him and he said: ' I mean, that was a part of it, but it's not as if, like at Augusta I skipped you guys on Thursday, so yeah, again, it's not ut of the ordinary. I've done it before; I'm just doing it a little more often. I feel like I've earned the right to do whatever I want to do, yeah.'
McIlroy's choice to dodge interviews has been put forward by some as an attempt to put pressure onto PGA Tour to make them mandatory. But he said: 'No, I'm not daring them to do anything. I hope they don't change it because it's a nice luxury to have. But I'm just pointing out the fact that we have the ability to do it.'
McIlroy will finish on Sunday and asked what he was looking for from the final round, he said: 'Hopefully a round in under four and a half hours and get out of here.'
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The statistics of the four players under par so far in this tournament make for fascinating reading as each one is excelling in different fields. Sam Burns, the leader, has been the second best in the field with his approach play and around the greens, but ranks 53rd out of 66 off the tee. Adam Scott has meanwhile been the best player off the tee but has struggled around the greens. JJ Spaun has been the best putter in the field, while Viktor Hovland's approach play has been the best — although he has been poor off the tee and putting. Rick Broadbent, Oakmont Golf, and golfers, do not help themselves sometimes. Tron Carter, of No Laying Up podcast, was the first to report that Wyndham Clark, the 2023 US Open champion, had trashed his locker after missing the cut here. A photo is now doing the rounds on social media. The Times has sought confirmation from his management, while the USGA refused to confirm or deny the report. If he is guilty then why keep it in-house? Alas, this has always been golf's way. Last month Clark broke his driver as he flung it into advertising hoardings at the US PGA. He issued a fulsome apology after that one. 'My actions were uncalled for and completely inappropriate, making it clear that I have things I need to work on. 'I hold myself to a high standard, trying to always play for something bigger than myself, and yesterday I fell short of those standards. For that I am truly sorry. I promise to improve the way I handle my frustrations on the course going forward, and hope you all can forgive me in due time.' McIlroy said yesterday that he wanted his final round to be done 'in under 4½ hours' so he could 'get out of here' but he is stringing some of his best golf of the week together. He holes a 21ft putt for birdie at the par-four 7th then almost makes a 54ft putt at the 301-yard par-three 8th. He is yet to make a bogey and is now eight over for the tournament. Fox is also off to a flyer and birdies at the 2nd and 4th have got him to six over. Rick Broadbent, Oakmont So here we go. Fair to say it had been a slow-burner at Oakmont, but today could be a cracker. Adam Scott is there to prove there is life after 40. Justin Rose was a shot away at the Masters but could Scott, pushing 45, get over the line? Three rounds at par or better — nobody else has managed that — and the lack of a star name in front of him will make many think he can, but plenty have a chance here. In the past 20 years the winner has always been within four of the lead going into Sunday. Tyrrell Hatton is just beyond that but his approach play was stellar on Saturday, and Bob MacIntyre can make a lot birdies and will be relishing the chance of chasing. You can easily make a double bogey here and scores can go south very quickly, but overcast and softer conditions should provide opportunities for the adventurous. Buckle up. How hard is Oakmont playing so far? Well, of the 26 players already out on the course, only two of them — McIlroy and Ryan Fox, who won the Canadian Open last week — are under par. McIlroy has had three good looks for birdie at the 3rd, 4th and 5th after that strong start but putts from between eight and 28ft have stayed high. He remains at nine over. Spain's Jon Rahm has meanwhile just started his final round by finding the right side of the 1st fairway. Sitting just three shots off the lead is Viktor Hovland, who — like Burns and Spaun — is also bidding to win his first major. The Norwegian reached a career-high third in 2022, won the FedEx Cup in 2023, but gave an honest assessment of his frailties in March after a run of four missed cuts in five tournaments. 'It sucks — I just don't have control over what I'm doing,' he said. Two days late, Hovland had his hands on the trophy at the Valspar Championship. 'Stupid, stupid game,' he wrote on social media afterwards and he has now posted rounds of 71, 68 and 70 this week. Statistically, he has been the best player from tee to green at Oakmont, his wedge play is remarkably improved after extensive work with chipping guru Joe Mayo, and he could become the man to beat if his putter gets hot today. Rick Broadbent, Oakmont McIlroy may have become a puzzling enigma since completing the career grand slam at Augusta in April, but a bevy of less-fancied players are relishing the prospect of contending for a major on one of the world's toughest courses. Sam Burns reached 54 holes at four under par, a shot clear of an age-defying Adam Scott and JJ Spaun. 'I'm pretty happy to be one behind and not sleeping on the lead,' Scott said after a superb round of 67. 'This would be huge for me.' Rolling in the putts and rolling back the years, the popular Aussie has the chance to become the second-oldest US Open champion at 44 and set a record for the longest gap between majors; his first came at Augusta in 2013. Viktor Hovland dropped a shot on the last but played some lustrous irons and is only three off the lead. They are the only men under par. • Rick Broadbent: Sam Burns and Adam Scott lead charge as Rory McIlroy heads for exit So how do we think Oakmont is going to play today? Well, there are only four players in the entire field under par — Burns, Scott, Spaun and Hovland — and a number of players including McIlroy have lost their temper as they grapple with the brutal conditions. Through three rounds, Oakmont's lightning greens have produced nearly twice as many three putts (462) as Augusta did for the entire 2025 Masters (238). To make matters even more challenging today, the tee box at the par-three 8th sets the hole at its full 301 yards. There is every possibility that the winning score will be over par later today. After slumping to ten over par following three frustrating days, Rory McIlroy could no longer let his golf do the talking yesterday. So having refused to speak to the media after six consecutive rounds at the majors, he said that he had not really cared if he had made the cut or not. His amended ambition for Sunday? 'A round in under 4½ hours and get out of here.' McIlroy is clearly struggling for motivation after his Masters victory in April but has made an early birdie at the 2nd at the start of his final round. Good afternoon, golf fans, and what a day this promises to be. There is no major quite like the US Open when it comes to punishing, gruelling golf and, even against that benchmark, the course at Oakmont can be particularly vindictive. Sam Burns comes into the day on four under and with a one-shot lead over Adam Scott and JJ Spaun, while Viktor Hovland and Tyrrell Hatton are also in the chasing pack. On a course where shots are so tough to gain and even easier to lose, that could change very quickly. Stay with us for updates and Rick Broadbent's expert analysis from Oakmont.
