Rory McIlroy admitted on June 10 that he underestimated how difficult it would be to stay motivated after finally completing the career Grand Slam with his Masters victory in April. Now, he’s aiming to reset and refocus in time for this week’s U.S. Open at Oakmont Country Club.
Speaking to reporters ahead of the tournament’s June 12 start, McIlroy acknowledged his form has dipped since Augusta. He’s now working to rediscover the drive and precision—especially off the tee—that he’ll need on Oakmont’s demanding layout.
“I’ve always found it tough to get up for tournaments right after a big win,” said McIlroy. “You’ve hit a goal, and you want to enjoy it. After chasing the Grand Slam for over 15 years, I think I’ve earned a little time to relax. But here at Oakmont, there’s no room for that.”
Since the Masters, the four-time major winner finished a disappointing 47th at the PGA Championship, where he had to switch to a backup driver, and then missed the cut in Canada. Despite those results, McIlroy sees value in the setbacks.
“Quail Hollow and Canada showed me I need to get back to the routine and mindset I had from last October through April,” he said. “It’s a wake-up call to get things back on track.”
Oakmont will present a major challenge for McIlroy and the rest of the 156-player field. The punishing rough and narrow fairways demand accuracy off the tee—an area where McIlroy has struggled recently.
In preparation, he played a round at Oakmont last week, carding an 81 despite finishing with two birdies.
“It didn’t feel like I played that badly,” he noted. “But this place is brutal. You really have to be sharp in every part of your game.”
Now, McIlroy is hoping that hitting the mental and technical reset button will put him back in contention at the year’s third major.
