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Rory McIlroy admits how he really feels about Shinnecock Hills ahead of the 2026 US Open

Originally posted on HITC | By Antony Martin | Last updated Dec 17, 2025 5:00 PM ET

Rory McIlroy has completed the Grand Slam, but he wants to achieve much, much more before he retires.

McIlroy enjoyed a sensational 2025 season, winning three times on the PGA Tour, including his victory at The Masters.

He won the Irish Open on the DP World Tour and went on to capture his seventh Order of Merit title in Europe.

On top of all of that, McIlroy played a pivotal role in Europe’s Ryder Cup triumph against the United States at Bethpage Black in September.

To have achieved all of those things in the same season really is the stuff that dreams are made of.

However, McIlroy is not resting on his laurels. He still has plenty left to achieve in the game and another US Open trophy would go down very well with the five-time major champion.

Rory McIlroy admits how he feels about 2026 US Open venue Shinnecock Hills

McIlroy’s US Open win came at Congressional in 2011, when he won by eight shots.

Congressional was playing extremely easy by US Open standards that week, and the Northern Irishman is desperate to prove to himself that he’s capable of winning America’s national championship on a really difficult golf course.

When speaking on The 5 Clubs Podcast, McIlroy delivered his verdict on Shinnecock Hills – the host of the 2026 US Open.

Photo by Richard Heathcote/Getty Images

“You know, I think I won a U.S. Open very early on in my career that in all honesty, it felt more like a PGA Championship in the way the setup was,“ McIlroy explained.

“I won with 16-under-par. I did win by a lot, but you know, it was sort of soft that week in D.C.

“Yeah, I would I would love to win a US Open in what we would consider typical US Open conditions. I think just to prove to myself that I can do it, I was obviously very close at LACC. I was very close at Pinehurst.

“And Shinnecock will provide another example of what we would call typical US Open conditions. So yeah, as you said, I love golf in Long Island and Shinnecock is one of my favourite golf clubs in the world.“

Shinnecock Hills is a quintessential US Open venue. It usually plays incredibly hard and fast and every single department of your game has to be in tip-top condition if you are to stand any chance of winning around the highly revered track.

Rory McIlroy makes Scottie Scheffler statement ahead of the 2026 US Open

McIlroy’s greatest rival in the game right now is Scottie Scheffler.

The 29-year-old world number one will attempt to complete the career Grand Slam at Shinnecock in June, and McIlroy suggested that we could be in for a seriously exciting US Open in 2026.

“Obviously, Scottie will be going for his career Grand Slam,“ he said.

“So yeah, I mean, if we both play well at that tournament, I hope we both do, then we could be in for one of the more exciting golf tournaments in 2026. But yeah, I’ve won a couple of PGAs. I’d love to win a couple of US Opens. The Open Championship is something, you know.

“Look, the major championships are so important and now that I have finally gotten over that hump of winning my fifth one, you know, I want to sort of keep that run going.

“But as you say, Shinnecock in eight months’ time is going to be very exciting.“

Golf fans would absolutely love to see Scheffler and McIlroy battle it out for the US Open at Shinnecock Hills in June.

And there is every chance that could actually happen, given the supreme quality of both players.

This article first appeared on HITC and was syndicated with permission.

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