Rory McIlroy visited Oakmont Country Club on Monday in preparation for the 2025 US Open – which looks set to be brutal.
Notoriously dubbed the ‘toughest test in golf’, the USGA are expected to earn that reputation next week with a fiercely difficult set-up in Pennsylvania.
While PGA Tour players are mostly used to going as low as possible, this year’s US Open will likely be a case of clinging on for dear life.
McIlroy discovered that first-hand during a warm-up trip at the beginning of this week, telling golf reporter Eamon Lynch he made a triple bogey on the second hole ‘despite hitting three good shots’.
With tight fairways, thick rough and rapid greens, good shots are not necessary rewarded at a venue which is set to have golfers tearing their hair out.
The reigning Masters champion also made a bogey on the 298-yard, par-3 eighth – having hit 3-wood off the tee.
With McIlroy being one of the longest hitters in the game, this means some competitors at the US Open will struggle to reach a par-three with their drivers.
Also set to drive the players mad is the thick rough which lines those narrow fairways at Oakmont.
Reporters on site have been dropping balls into the rough on camera to demonstrate just how juicy it is – with multiple videos going viral on social media.
Big scores await those who miss the short grass, as hitting it in the rough will be the equivalent of a one-shot penalty, forcing players to wedge it out sideways.
However, Lynch also reported that ex-Masters champion Adam Scott hit every fairway on the front-nine and still finished three-over-par.
After checking out the course, golfer Jhonattan Vegas posted: “Get ready boys. This is going to be fun” – accompanied by 12 frightened emojis.
McIlroy will get a short respite from the chaos of Oakmont as he heads north to Toronto for the Canadian Open this week.
The world no.2 has only played three times since winning the career grand slam at the Masters in April.
McIlroy has drawn negative headlines for missing signature events on the PGA Tour – a concept he helped create – most recently skipping The Memorial Tournament without informing host Jack Nicklaus.
The Northern Irishman was also criticised for his radio silence at the PGA Championship, snubbing the media after all four rounds amid controversy surrounding his driver.
McIlroy is scheduled to hold a press conference on Wednesday ahead of the Canadian Open, where there will be plenty to answer for.
In his absence, world no.1 Scottie Scheffler has reasserted his dominance, following up his PGA Championship win with another victory at The Memorial on Sunday.
