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Rory McIlroy Makes Concerning Admission Before U.S. Open

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Cole Sullivan | Last updated Jun 11, 2025 9:30 AM ET

The third major of the year is set to begin Thursday, as the U.S. Open heads to Oakmont Country Club in Pennsylvania—a course that many golfers, including world No. 1 Scottie Scheffler, have called one of the toughest on the PGA Tour.

What’s stood out most during early practice rounds is the brutally thick rough surrounding the greens. And ahead of the opening round, former 2011 U.S. Open champion Rory McIlroy—coming off his worst showing of the year after missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open—made a concerning admission that caught the attention of fans.

On Tuesday, McIlroy revealed that he shot an 81 during a practice round at Oakmont, despite saying he didn’t feel like he played poorly. With par set at 70, that would amount to an 11-over score, which is a clear indication of just how punishing the course can be.

⛳️ #NEW — Rory McIlroy reveals that he shot 81 last week during a practice round at Oakmont with birdies on his final two holes. He added: “I didn’t even feel like I played that bad.” @TrackingRory pic.twitter.com/blzVetfUn7
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) June 10, 2025

"Anyone that’s watched Rory recently is not shocked by this. Damn near shot this in Canada last week," a fan said.

"He’s done. Ready to play tennis he said. Guessing he misses cut this week," someone else added.

Another fan posted, "Incoming missed cut."

One more fan commented, "That’s pretty believable because he shot that in Canada a few days prior."

Rory McIlroy has had a strong season overall, capturing three tournament wins. But ever since his historic victory at Augusta National—where he finally completed the career Grand Slam—McIlroy admits he’s struggled to find that same competitive fire.

"You dream about the final putt going in at the Masters, but you don't think about what comes next," McIlroy said Tuesday ahead of the U.S. Open just outside Pittsburgh. "I think chasing a certain goal for the better part of a decade and a half... I think I'm allowed a little bit of time to relax. But here at Oakmont, I certainly can't relax this week."

He added, "I think it's about trying to have a little bit of amnesia and forget what happened six weeks ago. Then just trying to find the motivation to go back out there and work as hard as I’ve been working."

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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