'Another Missed Opportunity' - McIlroy Discusses US Open Agony

McIlroy dropped three shots on his front nine and ultimately came up four short of Fitzpatrick's six-under total

Rory McIlroy hits a golf shot
(Image credit: Getty Images)

Rory McIlroy says his US Open top five "doesn't really mean anything" and that it will take a while to see the positives after yet another close miss in a Major.

The Northern Irishman finished T5th at Brookline after an 8th at last month's PGA Championship and a 2nd at The Masters in April, with his Major drought now stretching closer and close to eight years.

"Another top five in a major. I guess doesn't really mean anything," he said. "Yeah, the game's there. I felt like I did a good job of that this week. I feel like I've done a good job of that at this tournament the last few years. I feel like this is my fourth top ten in a row coming off the back of three missed cuts in this event.

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"So it's definitely been better. It's still not quite close enough. There was a few holes there today where I made the birdie and then did the reverse one back with the bogey at the next. To win golf tournaments, you just can't do that. But it's there. It's close. I just have to stay patient. As I said, I've got one more opportunity this year to try to get a major, and I'm looking forward to that."

He shot a closing 69 that included a rollercoaster front nine with three birdies and three bogeys, and eventually finished the week at two-under-par and four back of Matt Fitzpatrick. He says it'll take a while to see the positives.

"It will take a while probably," he said. "I'll look back at this as another missed opportunity just as Southern Hills was, but missed opportunities are better than not contending at all. So that is a positive. I have to stay patient at this point because if I just keep putting myself in position, sooner or later it's going to be my day and I'm going to get one."

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV