Rory McIlroy Makes Major Decision Before US Open

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Dibyendu Mondal | Last updated May 24, 2025 1:46 PM ET

Rory McIlroy lifted the Masters trophy with an 11-under, completing his grand slam. But after that major win, his performance fell flat.

In the PGA Championship, he finished T47 with a total score of 287 (+3), which was a major upset for him. He denied media availability throughout the tournament, possibly due to frustration with his performance.

Now, McIlroy made another major decision before the US Open. He has decided to skip next week's Memorial tournament, starting May 29.

With the U.S. Open teeing off on June 12, his decision might stem from a desire to spend more time improving his game.

McIlroy's main competition heading into the U.S. Open will be Scottie Scheffler. He recently won the PGA Championship with a dominant 11-under performance and will aim to replicate that success in the upcoming tournament to secure his second major win of the year.

❌️ #SITTING OUT — Rory McIlroy elects to skip next week’s Memorial Tournament for the 1st time since 2017. He is scheduled to play in Canada the week prior to the U.S. Open instead. @TrackingRory pic.twitter.com/VMfUTZOplV
— NUCLR GOLF (@NUCLRGOLF) May 23, 2025

Bryson DeChambeau is another golfer McIlroy needs to watch out for. He finished T2 at the PGA Championship with a 6-under score and fell out of contention for the Wanamaker Trophy due to some poor play in earlier rounds. He will surely work on his game before the U.S. Open.

Neither McIlroy nor DeChambeau is currently active in any tournaments. Scheffler, however, is playing in the Charles Schwab Challenge. With the third round going on right now, he is sitting at T8 with a 6-under. He is also set to tee up at Muirfield Village Golf Club on May 29.

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

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