Watch: Rory McIlroy loses his cool, launches club after miss at U.S. Open

McIlroy needed a strong second round to stay in contention after opening with a 4-over-par 74 on Thursday. However, things didn’t go well and he double-bogeyed two of his first three holes on Friday and looked uncomfortable from the start. The Northern Irishman is now in danger of missing the cut and unless he finds his rhythm quickly, his U.S. Open hopes could end early.

Only the top 60 players and ties will make the cut at Oakmont, which is currently at +6. The 36-year-old sits at +8 after an uninspiring performance on Friday. However, McIlroy isn’t the only big name struggling at Oakmont. The likes of Justin Thomas, Tony Finau, Justin Rose, Bryson DeChambeau, Shane Lowry, Dustin Johnson, Patrick Cantlay, and Patrick Reed are all in danger of missing the cut.

McIlroy won the Masters in April to complete his career Grand Slam but has struggled for consistency since then, missing the cut at the RBC Canadian Open after shooting a dismal second-round 78. McIlroy’s game has been off, and his frustration is now spilling out onto the course, as he launched his club into the rough following a poor tee shot.

McIlroy refuses to speak to media after losing his cool

McIlroy chose not to speak to the media after both rounds, continuing his decision at the PGA Championship where he ignored the media after each of his four rounds. The 36-year-old also decided not to accept the USGA’s request to make a few statements on his round. This has led to some criticism from some quarters, especially at a major championship where top players are expected to face the press—win or lose.

The Northern Irishman put in a disappointing performance at the PGA Championship, tying for 47th. It appeared he would finally regain some momentum when the USGA paired him with Shane Lowry, his good friend and fellow Irishman. The familiar pairing appeared to help at first, as McIlroy started strong, shooting a 2-under 33 on his opening nine, which began on the back nine at Oakmont. But things fell apart for him after the turn. He lost momentum and carded a 6-over 41 on his closing nine, with bogeys on holes 1, 3, 6, and 7, and a costly double bogey on the 8th—his second-to-last hole of the day.