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."
