Rory McIlroy’s Bold U.S. Open Prediction as He Enters Weekend in Contention

Rory McIlroy’s Bold U.S. Open Prediction as He Enters Weekend in Contention

After surging into the co-lead of the U.S. Open alongside Patrick Cantlay, Rory McIlroy experienced a turbulent second round to sit three-under heading into the weekend.

Rory McIlroy has forecasted a tight finish at this year’s U.S. Open, contrasting sharply with Martin Kaymer’s runaway victory a decade ago at Pinehurst No. 2. As McIlroy navigates his way through the challenging course, he remains convinced that no one will dominate the leaderboard this time around.

The four-time major champion began the tournament with a remarkable bogey-free round, reminiscent of his triumph at the 2014 Open Championship. Starting Friday tied for the lead with Ryder Cup rival Patrick Cantlay, McIlroy faced the intense North Carolina heat and shot a two-over 72, revealing the unpredictability of the course.

Reflecting on the previous U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, where Kaymer claimed an eight-shot victory, McIlroy is confident that history will not repeat itself. Entering the weekend at three-under par, he spoke candidly about the course’s difficulties and his strategy moving forward.

“I was 2-over pretty early,” McIlroy admitted. “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.”

Discussing the course conditions, McIlroy emphasized the challenge posed by the greens and pin placements. “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.”

Despite anticipating better conditions and fresher greens for his round with world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler and PGA Championship winner Xander Schauffele, McIlroy struggled early. He missed a birdie putt on the par-five 10th, which foreshadowed a series of setbacks.

McIlroy faced bogeys on the 11th and the par-three 15th but managed to secure a crucial birdie on the third hole and a par-saving chip before the turn. However, another bogey at the end of his round highlighted the demanding nature of the course.

“The greens require a lot more thought,” McIlroy noted. “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.”

Emphasizing precision and strategic play, McIlroy explained his approach: “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.”

Adopting a conservative strategy off the tee, McIlroy aims for better angles to the pins. “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.”

As the tournament progresses, Bryson DeChambeau’s five birdies and a score of 69 set the halfway target at four-under. With McIlroy close behind, the stage is set for an exciting and unpredictable weekend at the U.S. Open.