Rory McIlroy makes concerning ‘don’t care’ admission over competing in U.S. Open.
It has been a tough week for Rory McIlroy at the U.S. Open, and it appears the five-time major champion is looking forward to see it come to an end following his third round
Rory McIlroy broke his media silence at this week’s U.S. Open by appearing to admit that he “didn’t care” about making the cut at Oakmont.
McIlroy fought back from a tough start in Friday’s second round to book himself a weekend place thanks to two birdies late on. Returning to the golf course on Saturday morning, the recently-crowned Masters champion will have been hoping for an improvement after a testing opening two rounds.
The brutal Oakmont conditions once again proved difficult, though, as the Northern Irishman carded his second four-over-par 74 of the week to move to 10-over for the championship.
After refusing to speak to the media during the first two rounds of the U.S. Open at Oakmont—just as he had at last month’s PGA Championship—Rory McIlroy finally changed his mind on Saturday. When he did face the press, the five-time major winner spoke candidly.
Reflecting on his battle to make the cut on Friday, McIlroy said, “It’s easier to perform well when you’re indifferent about making the weekend. I was honestly asking myself whether I even wanted to stay here for two more days.”
On Saturday, McIlroy returned to the course but continued to struggle, carding two birdies and six bogeys. He’s set to compete in Sunday’s final round but made it clear he’s eager to finish quickly. “Hopefully I can get it done in under four and a half hours and get out of here,” he remarked.
Speaking publicly at a major for the first time in seven rounds, McIlroy addressed his recent trend of avoiding media duties. He attributed it mainly to frustration with the press. His media silence at the PGA came during a week when it was revealed his driver failed a USGA test, forcing him to replace it.
When asked if that controversy influenced his decision to stay quiet, McIlroy admitted, “That was part of it, yes.” He also pointed out that skipping press sessions isn’t new for him: “I did it at Augusta on Thursday too—so it’s not unusual. I’ve done it before, just more frequently now.”
Finally, when asked whether he feels entitled to skip media obligations given his past contributions to the sport, McIlroy replied confidently, “I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want.”
