Rory McIlroy - 4 Time Major Winner

Vinnie222

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120703639#Comment_120703639

Not a hope that's going to happen. Team USA will have 1 or 2 of those Liv players in their Ryder Cup team

Mantis Toboggan

Dissapointing final round but his putting was keeping him competitive, that was likely not going to last which it didn't.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120703741#Comment_120703741

Driving it all over the place, some awful short irons. He has a lot of work on today and tomorrow. He'll struggle to make the cut if he doesn't fix those two things.

eagle eye

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120703663#Comment_120703663

I know they won't, I was just saying it'd be awesome if they did. None of them would rejoin the tour if they did.

daithi7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120703810#Comment_120703810

Yeah, as ever he's going to be interesting to watch this coming weekend.

My guess is that he'll do 1 of 3 things:

1. Not play well & not make the cut

2. Contend really well for 3 or so rounds

3. Seriously contend right into late on the Sunday.

My guess is that he'll do # 2 above, as that has been his mo of late, of course I'd like to see him do #3, but unfortunately, it's quite plausible he'll just do # 1. I think this whole PIF/PGA player's spokesman (&director) has taken a real toll on him & his golf tbh, and hopefully he can extract himself from that as things develop, then it's likely his golf will improve also imho.

fullstop

Front door top 10 😁

sxt

Rory needs to change things up a bit this week, whether that's changing his routine a tidge or growing a mean looking beard or goatee

Citizenpain

Only 70 holes to go ….

good start

zocklie

Wind picking up might suit Rory too, just needs to stay in the pack today and keep the blowouts off the card

The Guru 123

-3 through 5. Absolute dream start if he can push on from here. Course not playing that easy just those 2 guys had a day when everything went right.

The Big Easy

That 4 iron is exactly why people love Rory - majestic 😍

coillcam

He had some front 9 in fairness and I thought he was a cert to hunt the two boys down when I was going to bed. Great bogey save on 18 though, clutch putt and a perfect example of how the rough can catch easily trap the best players. Phil got caught being greedy earlier and punted it 100 yards into more rough.

I was texting my mate earlier in the round and we were both saying, don't f*'n tease us again 😂. He looked quite relaxed and confident. Off the tee, he was savage with the driver and placed his woods/irons pretty well too. If you exclude the par 4 that he went for, he missed 2 fairways and they weren't miles off.

Hopefully he can keep this performance for the weekend.

pakman

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721234#Comment_120721234

The follow up shot after the second dig out from Mickelson was top class to save Par though.

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721390#Comment_120721390

Unreal wedge shot tbf.

OEP

His wedges still look shaky but everything else was top class. His putting was excellent, he seemed to hole every "makeable" putt he had a look at.

DellyBelly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mcFee5XLzUk

Round 1 highlights

daithi7

Brilliant round by McIlroy.... out with Koepka and comes home 6 ahead of him & just 3 off the pace.

His front 9 was pure excellence, his putting was excellent and his driving was excellent.

Now 3 more of those rounds please Rory!!!

antimatterx

I would love if he won his. I think he needs another major to get the monkey off his back. He can play with less pressure in the future and who knows how many more he'll win.

Miley Byrne

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721806#Comment_120721806

While it was a great round from Rory I'm still not convinced he has it to go through the 4 days with his best stuff and win. That round was built around his driver and putter. While it's no surprise to see he has sorted his driving (probably the best driver of the ball of all time), I don't think his wedge game was hectic yesterday. Lots of pulls, poor distance control. So while I'd love to say that I'd be confident in him going on and winning from this position I just don't think his entire game is bulletproof enough to get through to Sunday evening in front.

I hope I'm wrong

daithi7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721806#Comment_120721806

Likewise, I think if he wins another major this year, there'll be no stopping him.

P.s. all players have weaknesses in their games, if Rory is still in the hunt by back 9 Sunday I wouldn't bet against him.

Dr. Bre

Hopefully conditions are good this morning as he’s an early starter

big_drive

Haven't seen even a shot from it yet but sounds like an impressive opening round

tayto lover

Rory played brilliantly until the inevitable mistake on the last hole, something that has been happening far too often with him when he gets into a position to really challenge.

moycullen14

That 4-iron (?) on the 7th must be one of the best shots I've ever seen. Went to bed then and was a bit disappointed to see he 'only' made it to 5-under. Though he might catch/pass the lads on -8.

Hope the bogey on the last doesn't mess with his head.

Presume he'll start on the back 9 today?

coillcam

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120721833#Comment_120721833

Agreed that his wedges are a weakness but definitely improved of late.

If he can drive and putt like that all week he's one of the front runners.

I didn't catch much of Xander's round but I must get the highlights later. Saw a bunch of Ricky front 9, I can't remember the last time I saw him play that well and the putter was on fire. Maybe the zozo one he was close to winning last year.

Loads of golf to play just really not looking forward to the late finish.

Motivator

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120722437#Comment_120722437

Improved of late? 2 weeks ago he put up one of the worst wedge performances I’ve ever seen from a professional golfer. 4 wedges from 100 yards or less and he made 4 bogeys.

Very good round yesterday but McIlroy does this to people, he lures them in with a great round and then slowly but surely he disappoints people. Rinse and repeat. I’m a big fan of his, he’s a majestic player to watch when he’s in the kind of form he was in yesterday but there’s no getting away from the fact that he blows and awful lot of opportunities. Winning is extremely hard and I get that but for a fella that puts himself in the situations he does in tournaments, to not close them out or worse again bow out tamely it’s very frustrating to watch I can only imagine what it’s like for him.

daithi7

Yeah, I'm giving him a pass over the past few weeks & months tbh, there's been just too much sh1te going on, & he's been unfortunate to be caught in the middle of it.

I think overall (~ all last season & most of this season until PIF gate loomed) his wedge play is much improved. I'd like to see him get back to his best this major & there is enough both great & good enough in his game right now to give encouragement imho.

Yes he has to put 4 rounds like yesterday together, yes that rough will cost him a few times, but if he drives, putts & hits his irons & wedges like yesterday for the next 3 days he'll be there or thereabouts & that's all you can ask of him imho.

P.s. as for errors, nearly every other player in the field made bigger & far worse errors than McIlroy yesterday & those last 3 holes are supposedly brutishly tough...

the.red.baron

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120722743#Comment_120722743

He was in position to win just before that unlike almost the entire rest of the field

big_drive

After putting in some back 9 tonight, nicely set up for weekend

The Big Easy

Well that's as close to Rory's A game as we've seen in near 10 years at a major.

He's been fantastic the first two days, that 7 iron at the last was almost as good as the 4 iron yesterday.

He's been so dialled in the first two days, he has to finish it off obviously, but I for one am hoping he does.

Mantis Toboggan

Yeah nice bounce back after a ropey front 9, in decent shape going into the weekend.

Just the 5 and a half hours for the round, usual pga crap.

Dr. Bre

Brilliant back nine - in contention

Brief_Lives

deleeeeeeeeeeeeete

boardise

Rory sure likes that front nine -he's played it twice in 60 !

The Guru 123

He’s right there now in a great position, just hope Fowler doesn’t take the lead out too far. Even if he does there’s still 2 days to go and I’d be confident enough -15 or so will finish the job and he’s easily capable of getting to that.

AyeGer

Rory or Fowler for me, id be delighted for either of them to win.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725182#Comment_120725182

I'd say 15 under would nearly win by a half dozen!

A couple of 69s would probably get the job done, course is only going to get harder from here

zocklie

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725182#Comment_120725182

I reckon it'll be single digits, usga got done in by the weather first day and two lads went super hot. Can see it getting much tougher at the weekend and I personally can't wait

The Guru 123

Yeah to be honest I’d say ye’re probably right that -10 or so will most likely do it. They’ll do everything they can to trick it up a bit for the weekend.

But no matter what they do there’s still a lot of birdie holes out there, especially on the front 9

sReq | uTeK

If Rory doesn't win it I just hope to God Ricky does.

Mushy

Won't be seeing too much golf today, 11.30pm tee off for him

daithi7

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725667#Comment_120725667

Hope they do that us ga highlights reel of his round again, that's a nice ~15 min summary job in fairness.

P.s. if anyone comes across yesterday's highlights reel of Rory, please post it here, thanks.

daithi7

Rory, wonderful again yesterday, that's 2 brilliant rounds, think he's just 3 back with loads of others falling away. Way to go!!

Mantis Toboggan

How is it so late? That's him teeing off at half 3 in the evening their time. Won't get to see any of it.

Mushy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725678#Comment_120725678

1st player out on his own at 9.30 their time. I'd be hoping the Sunday might be different, but then they could say same about The Open, although not to same extent as have to fit daylight in

Mantis Toboggan

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725714#Comment_120725714

The tee times look odd for 2 balls, 11 minutes gap which is long but then there's plenty of 16 minute gaps also!

Brief_Lives

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725672#Comment_120725672

The US open website has every golfers, every every shot...

https://www.usopen.com/2023/scoring.html

click on any golfer, and underneath you will see a little play button for every hole.

enjoy.

Rikand

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725728#Comment_120725728

Because of the 14 minute delay Rickie had on the 4th tee. They are trying to space it out more so as to minimize those delays

techdiver

Why are the tee times so late? Sunset in LA is 8pm local time. The last group are out at 3.40pm local time. Doesn't give much wriggle room. Hopefully the final round is not as late to allow for a potential playoff.

The Big Easy

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/120725910#Comment_120725910

For primetime East coast viewing figures I'd say