Rory McIlroy Eyes 2nd U.S. Open at Shinnecock 8 Years After Missing Cut

Q: Can McIlroy's new strategy conquer a course that has haunted him and broken past champions?

Yes — McIlroy’s new strategy gives him a better chance at Shinnecock than at any point since his 2011 U.S. Open win, but it is no guarantee against a course that punishes even small mistakes. The strongest case for him is that his game now matches what Shinnecock demands. He no longer talks about overpowering a U.S. Open setup; he talks about patience, middle-of-the-green targets and treating the week as a “war of attrition.” That is a natural fit for Shinnecock’s crosswinds, run-offs and severe par-3s, where restraint and angle control matter more than aggression. His recent U.S. Open record — six straight top-10s before a T19 at Oakmont — shows that this approach travels. The course itself may also be fairer than the version that overwhelmed him in 2018, when he opened with 80 and missed the cut. The USGA is planning wider fairways, slower greens around 10.5 on the Stimpmeter and light watering to avoid the “lost course” criticism of 2004 and 2018. McIlroy has endorsed that logic, saying Shinnecock is at its best when it is tough but playable. Still, Shinnecock remains one of golf’s hardest major venues. Only three players have finished under par there in U.S. Open history, and forecast winds could again make survival the priority. McIlroy’s maturity improves his odds, but conquering Shinnecock will depend on whether his patience holds for four days and whether his putter cooperates under pressure against rivals such as Scottie Scheffler.

3 articles · Updated · CBS Sports · Jun 17

Shinnecock Hills brings McIlroy back to the site of his 2018 collapse, where he opened with a 10-over 80 and missed the cut.
The 2011 U.S. Open champion says he is now a more patient, percentage-driven player, aiming for middle greens and avoiding the risky shots that once hurt him.
That approach has made him a steadier U.S. Open contender: after Shinnecock, he posted six straight top-10 finishes before a T19 at Oakmont last season ended the run.
Close calls at Los Angeles in 2023 and Pinehurst in 2024, plus this year's successful Masters title defense, frame a return built less on raw power than on strategy and composure.