OAKMONT, Pa. — Rory McIlroy concluded a challenging week at the U.S. Open on Sunday by delivering his best performance of the tournament. Shooting a remarkable 67, McIlroy not only posted his personal best but also recorded the lowest round of the day at Oakmont. After the round, a visibly weary McIlroy shared his thoughts on the need for a break, expressing a desire to return to his new home outside of London. “It’s always nice to get home,” he reflected, highlighting the duality of his life as both a golfer and a family man. “I feel like I live two different lives. I’m a dad and a husband when I’m away from here, and then I’m who I am when I’m here. It’s always nice to get away and feel a bit of normality.”
However, McIlroy’s much-needed break will have to wait as he prepares for the Travelers Championship this week in Hartford, Connecticut. Last year, he opted to miss the Travelers, opting instead for some solitude in Manhattan following a tough U.S. Open loss at Pinehurst. This time around, McIlroy is focused on recovering from the emotional intensity that followed his recent Masters victory in April, which marked a significant milestone in his career as it completed the career Grand Slam.
Since his historic win at Augusta, McIlroy has struggled with his game. He finished tied for 47th at the PGA Championship and missed the cut at the Canadian Open last week, only narrowly making the cut at Oakmont. “We’ve got a lot to look forward to,” he said, referencing his new house in London and upcoming tournaments, including the Scottish Open and The Open at Portrush. “I’m just trying to get myself in the right frame of mind to approach that.”
McIlroy has been candid about the challenges he has faced in reigniting his motivation for tournament golf after achieving such a monumental goal. He hopes that the British Open, set to take place less than an hour's drive from his childhood home, will reignite his competitive fire. “If I can’t get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don’t know what can motivate me,” he stated. “Look, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that you’ve got to make your way back down, and you’ve got to look for another mountain to climb. An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.”
McIlroy emphasized the importance of mental preparation in his journey back to form. “I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind,” he acknowledged. “I probably haven’t been there the last few weeks. But getting home and having a couple weeks off before that, hopefully feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, will get me in the right place again.”
Leaving the grounds at Oakmont, McIlroy felt encouraged by his performance, considering his game “close.” “Physically, I feel like my game’s there,” he said. “It’s just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.” Reflecting on his emotional experience during the 2019 Open at Portrush, where he missed the cut, McIlroy admitted that he was unprepared for the overwhelming support from local fans. “I didn’t realize how emotional I was going to be at Portrush,” he shared. “That support and that love from your own people … I was unprepared for that. I need to just get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again.”
