US Open golf: Rory McIlroy makes pre-major driver change and in ‘better place’ ahead of Oakmont | Golf News

Rory McILroy has reverted to a familiar driver ahead of the us open, as he looks to “forget about” recent disappointments and continuing his impressive major record.

McILroy Became Just The Sixth Player to Complete The Career Grand Slam after his dramatic play-off Victory at the masters in April, Although failed to content at last month’s pga championship before Missing the Cut at Last Week’s RBC Canadian Open.

The world no 2 was forced into a last-minute club switch ahead of quail hollow, following his ‘Gamer’ Taylormade qi10 Driver – That Had Helped Him to Major Glory at Augusta National – Being considering non -conforming After a routine inspection.

McILroy used a back-up driver in his tied-47th finish and switched to a new taylormade qi35 driver ahead of the RBC canadian open, where he admitted to “Still Searching for a Missing Piece off the tee” After Finishing in Tied-149th-The Lowest position in His Pga Tour Career.

The Five-Time Major Champion Said He Would Be “Testing Quite a Few Drivers Over the Weekend” and was used a Qi10 Driver During a Practice Round at Oakmont, with McILroy Confiming Hewld Use the Familiar Model During This Week’s Major.

“Hitting a lot of drivers, Every Driver Sort of Has Its Own Character and You’re Trying to Manage The Misses,” McILroy Said in His Pre-Tournament Press Conference. “It’s Definitely A Little Bit of Both.

“I feel like, as the last few weekes ago, i think i learnt a lot on thursday and friday last weekend. Did a good bit of Practice at home and feel like I’m in a better place with Everhything Going Into this Week.”

McILroy Revealed he carded an 11-Over 81 During a Practice Round at “Nearly Impossible” Oakmont on June 2, Before His Miss Cut in Canada, Despite Birdieing His Last Two Holes in A Performance Where He “Didn’t Feel Like He Played”.

On What He Gained from Practising With Drivers Over The Past Week, McILroy Added: “I Learned that I was Using the right driver!”

World No 1 Scottie Scheffler’s Driver was also considering non-conforming ahead of the PGA championship, Although Still Went Ontto Claim A Five-Shot Victory to Register A Third Major Title.

“”It was a big deal for scottie, so it shouldn’t have been a big deal for me, “mcilroy admitted.

McILroy’s Three Targets for Big Finish to the Season

The 36-Year-Old Previously Revealed It Had Been “Hard to find the Motivation to get Back on the Horse and Go Again” Since His Grand Slam Success, Although The Disappointing Finishes in His Last Two Starts has helped Him Switch Focus Heading Into the rest of the 2025 Campaign.

“I think it’s trying to have a little bit of amnesia and forget about What Happened Six Weeks AGO, then Just Trying to Find the Motivation to Go Back Out there and work as hard as i’ve Been Working,” Mcilroy Added.

“I worked incredibly hard on my game from Octuber Last Year All The Way Up Unil this Year. It was Nice to Sort of See the Fruits of My Labour Come to Fruitition and have Everthing Happen. But at the same time, you have to Enjoy What You’ve just accomplished.

“I certainly feel like i’m still doing that and i will continue to do that, at some point, you have to realise that there’s a little bit bit golf left to play this season. There’s here, Royal Portrush, Ryder Cup… Those Are Obviously The Three Big Things that at for the rest of the year.

“I Think Weeks Like Quail Hollow Or Even Week Last Week, It Makes It Easier To Reset in Some Way, To Be Like, ‘Okay, I Sort of Need To Get My Stuff Together Here and Get Back to the Process’.”

McILroy’s Evolution to Regular US Open Conne

McILroy Stormed to an Eight-Shot Victory in the 2011 US Open, His Maiden Major Title, but Mosed Three Consecuive Cuts from 2016 Before Finishing No Worse Than Ninth in Each of His Last Six Appearances.

He finished Runner-Up to Wyndham Clark in 2023 Before Agonisingly Missing Out to Bryson Dechambeau Last June, where He Bugeyed Three of His Last Four Holes to Finish One Shot Behind, with McILroy Fully Embracing the Tough Conditions Faced Annually at the US Open.

“I felt like i was better that that reputation [someone who struggles on US Open set-ups]so that is ego driven in some way, “mcilroy said.” shinnecock [2018] Was a really Hard One Becuse I Love that golf race, and to perform the way i did there, it really Hurt me.

“I think it was that weekend where it clicked. It was like, why am so Comfortable here in Hartford [PGA Tour] But last week i had no clue What to do? So that’s when i made the decision at that back end of 2018 Into 2019, I Want to Try to build my game Around the Toughest Tests that we have in the game.

“Then as you’ve seen since 2019, six top 10s in a row at this tournament, Obviously finished the Last Two Years in a Row, and the definitely Become a Much More Confident Us Open Player and I’m Way More Comfortable On Those Firm, Fast Set-ups.

“The US Open Went from probably my least favourite major to my favourite because what it asks from you, and i love that challenge.”

Who will the us open? Watch Extended Coverage Throughout The Week Live on Sky Sportswith the Opening Round Live On Thursday from 12.30pm on Sky Sports Golf. Get Sky Sports gold Stream no contract on now.