McIlroy Eyes Home Triumph After US Open Showing
Following a challenging week at Oakmont, Rory McIlroy is looking ahead to the British Open with renewed optimism. His performance at the U.S. Open showed promise, and he’s eager to compete in his home country.
A Positive Finish
McIlroy concluded the U.S. Open with a 3-under 67 on Sunday, concluding the tournament at 7 over par. This offers a foundation for improvement before next monthโs British Open at Royal Portrush.
โIt will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people,โ McIlroy said. โIโm really looking forward to it. It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today.โ
โRory McIlroy
His Sunday round was tied for the lowest with Jon Rahm. McIlroy finished tied for 19th after several unremarkable days. He felt confident in his physical game.
Mental Focus Is Key
McIlroy is focusing on his mental approach to return to top form. Winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam was a momentous achievement for him.
โLook, I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, youโve got to make your way back down, and youโve got to look for another mountain to climb,โ he said. โAn Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.โ
โRory McIlroy
Globally, the average performance improvement of golfers with mental coaching is 3-5%, underscoring the importance of mental preparation (NCBI, 2019).
Looking Ahead
Before the British Open, McIlroy will compete at the Travelers Championship and the Scottish Open. He has also been working on his tee game, including the driver.
He felt encouraged by his driving this week, and is hopeful to continue this. Heโs eager to compete at home.
โIf I canโt get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I donโt know what can motivate me,โ he said. โI just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably havenโt been there the last few weeks.โ
โRory McIlroy