As Rory McIlroy hunts down more major championship glory at Shinnecock Hills, we take a look at his best performances in the US Open.
America’s national championship is, of course, traditionally the toughest of all the majors.
McIlroy has won it once and has a superb recent record. In fact, six of his last seven starts have reaped top 10 finishes.
But how do his efforts rank? Let’s find out.
1. 2011 – victory
2011 had been a strange year for the Northern Irishman.
He’d led the Dubai Desert Classic through 54 holes and finished T10. He’d led the Malaysian Open through 36 holes and finished third. He’d grabbed the first round lead in the Memorial and finished fifth.
Most famously of all he’d led the Masters by four through 54 holes – and he still led when stood on the 10th tee in the final round.
Then he hooked his drive into cabins no-one actually knew existed before then, collapsed thereafter and there were worries he was a scarred man.
Cue the US Open at Congressional, his very next start in the majors. He led by three shots after 18 holes. By six after 36 holes. And by eight after 54 holes.
He couldn’t screw this one up, could he? No. A first major championship win and he was away.
2. 2024 – final hole agony
2024 was peak McIlroy-trying-to-end-the-major-drought.
Because he was playing good golf at Pinehurst. He tied the first round lead. He drifted on Friday. He rebounded to T2 on Saturday. And then he closed in on the long time leader Bryson DeChambeau during Sunday’s round.
Three shots behind at the start of play, he led by the middle of the back nine, but both he and DeChambeau struggled at the close.
However, DeChambeau stood tall on the tough 18th and McIlroy wilted, missing a tiddler to force a play off.
3. 2023 – pipped at the post
LA Country Club was a quirky venue in 2023 but McIlroy took to it.
He prowled the long time leaders Wyndham Clark and Rickie Fowler and when he opened the final round with a birdie he was only one stroke back of them.
Fowler then wilted, Clark stood tall, and McIlroy just couldn’t find the birdies to apply pressure.
He finished second, two shots clear of Scottie Scheffler in third, but Clark beat him by one.
4. 2022 – wilting at the weekend
At The Country Club in Brookline in 2022 McIlroy opened with a 67 to sit one back of the leaders, and he added a 69 to remain one stroke off top spot.
A 73 on Saturday wasn’t catastrophic – he slipped three shots back – and a birdie at the first had him within two.
But Matt Fitzpatrick stood tall and McIlroy could only finish T5.
5. 2020 – Mr Inconsistency
Bryson DeChambeau has toppled McIlroy twice at a US Open.
At Winged Foot in 2020, McIlroy opened with a 67 to sit two shots off the pace. But then a Friday 76 saw him tumble backwards while DeChambeau eased into second place.
McIlroy climbed to seventh after 54 holes with a Saturday 68 but a Sunday 75 ruined his week’s efforts.
DeChambeau closed 70-67 to win his first major by six strokes. McIlroy’s wild rounds hurt him.
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