Rory McIlroy enjoyed a decent week at The Memorial Tournament in his last competitive run-out before the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills in two weeks’ time.
McIlroy drove the ball incredibly poorly this week at The Memorial, but every other part of his game was in fine working order.
If the 37-year-old can brush up on his driving accuracy, he will fancy his chances at Shinnecock Hills in two weeks.
Rory McIlroy already has one U.S. Open title to his name, and if he manages to secure another one, he will move on to seven major championships for his career.
Jack Nicklaus urged McIlroy to hit more fades this week at Memorial, but he struggled with the club getting stuck behind him.
The good news is that he still has 11 days to fix things before the start of the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
Rory McIlroy complains about U.S. Open practice rounds ahead of Shinnecock
The Northern Irishman addressed the media after his final round at Muirfield Village on Sunday.
McIlroy made a complaint about practice rounds at the U.S. Open, when asked about how he plans to prepare for Shinnecock Hills in two weeks’ time.
“Too many people inside the ropes I think is the big part of it,“ he said.
“I think as well, like, guys are resigned to the fact that they’re going to play nine holes, so it’s okay to be out there for nine holes and in three hours.
“Like, no one plays 18-hole practice rounds anymore the week of. So I guess it gives everyone the ability to play slow and hit as many balls as they like. I guess that’s what practice rounds are for.
“I think as well there’s, like, just too many hangers on inside the ropes and that sort of seems to slow things down as well.
“I guess you have to book tee times for the U.S. Open. Yeah, sometimes I’ll just — I’ve got a pretty good relationship with the guys. I’ll put my name down and then just put three reserved.“
Rory McIlroy comments on the state of his game ahead of the U.S. Open
McIlroy was asked if he knows what he needs to work on with his driver.
“Yeah, I absolutely do,“ he said.
“I get a little bit underneath the plane on the way down and then from there I try to drag the handle to match it up, and then I get toe strikes, and then the toe strikes are — like, so if I’m aiming a touch left trying to hit a cut and I get a touch underneath it and then I try to save it by dragging the handle, I hit it off the toe and then it goes left.
“But then if I try to hit with one with a draw or pretty neutral, I’ll still get a little bit underneath it, and I’ll release it and it will overturn a little bit.
“But I have to try to get the club back out in front of me. But then when it gets out in front of me, if I do get it there, then it’s about having the right release pattern on the way through.“
The fact that Rory McIlroy knows exactly what his main issue with the driver is ahead of the U.S. Open is actually very good news.
Now he just has to work hard and fix it before he heads to Shinnecock Hills.
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