Rory McIlroy makes US Open prediction after watching rival run away with title

Rory McIlroy Anticipates Tight Contest at Pinehurst No. 2, Unlike Kaymer’s 2014 Triumph

Rory McIlroy has downplayed any expectations of a repeat of Martin Kaymer’s commanding victory at Pinehurst No. 2 in 2014. Despite a promising start with a bogey-free round, reminiscent of his performance at the 2014 Open Championship, McIlroy faced significant challenges in the North Carolina heat on Friday, finishing with a two-over 72.

McIlroy, currently world No. 3, sits three-under as the weekend approaches. Reflecting on his round, he said, “I was 2-over pretty early. My goal going into that second nine was if I could get it back to even for the day, I would have been pretty happy. Got that birdie on 3. I was trying to claw one back there. Ultimately I gave one back again.”

The Northern Irish star emphasized the difficulty of the course setup and tricky pin positions, suggesting that these factors would prevent anyone from running away with the tournament. “With the way the golf course is and the way some of those hole locations are, I don’t see anyone running away with it today, building up too much of a lead. That’s certainly what Martin did a few years ago here. It will be interesting to see how it all pans out this afternoon.”

McIlroy had hoped to capitalize on favorable early conditions and pristine greens, but he, along with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and PGA Championship victor Xander Schauffele, faced challenges from the start. Missing a birdie opportunity on the par-five 10th hinted at the struggles ahead for McIlroy.

His round was marred by early setbacks, including bogeys on the 11th and the challenging par-three 15th. He managed to recover slightly with a birdie on the third and an impressive chip-in for par before making the turn, but another bogey followed, contributing to a rollercoaster round amid tough playing conditions.

The four-time major champion expressed his frustration with the demanding greens, noting, “It just requires a lot more thought. Even though I hit a great drive up the 8th hole, I had 151 adjusted to the hole. I’m trying to land it 146. I can’t land it 144 because it’s not going to get up there. I can’t land it 148 because it’s going to go over the back of the green.

“You just need to have a lot of precision. I feel like for the most part I’ve done that well this week. I’ve got the ball pin-high quite a lot, which is really important. I’m not trying to land the ball pin-high. You’re trying to hit it to a number with a wedge, and then with a mid-iron you’re trying to land it 30 feet short of the pin to try to get it pin-high.

“Just a little more thought and consideration to everything that you’re doing. Very conservative strategy off the tee. And because most of us are playing conservative off the tee, with irons you can aim down one side of the fairway to try to give yourself better angles to these pins.”

Meanwhile, Bryson DeChambeau utilized his unique style of play to lead at the halfway mark, carding five birdies for a very respectable 69. As the tournament progresses, all eyes will be on how the players navigate the challenging course conditions at Pinehurst No. 2.