Rory McIlroy has been left amazed by one big change he’s noticed to Pinehurst No.2 ahead of next month’s U.S. Open.
The year’s ‘toughest’ major returns to the North Carolina venue for the first time in ten years after Martin Kaymer secured an eight-shot victory back in 2014.
Four-time major winner McIlroy has one U.S. Open on his resume, picking up his first major title at Congressional Country Club back in 2011.
McIlroy has a busy couple of weeks in store, competing at the Wells Fargo Championship before the PGA Championship returns to Valhalla on May 16.
The Louisville venue was the scene of the Northern Irishman’s last major victory, also back in 2014.
Rory McIlroy loves one amazing change to Pinehurst No.2
Kaymer’s U.S. Open triumph ten years ago demonstrated why the event is coined the most challenging test in golf.
The German finished on nine under, with second-place Rickie Fowler finishing on one under par.
When the U.S. Open has the majority of the field on level par or higher, organisers know the competition has lived up to its billing.
McIlroy finished T23 back in 2014 on six over and has shared his initial thoughts on the venue.
He said [via TenGolf]: “Martin Kaymer didn’t give us much of a chance last time, he kind of ran away with it. I think I love what they’ve done with Pinehurst. It’s not a traditional U.S. Open set-up the way you would think with long rough. The fairways run off into those waste areas.”
McIlroy also highlighted a change to Bermuda grass on the greens, which he really loves.
“The greens are amazing,” he added. “I like that they’ve made the greens Bermuda grass instead of the Bent that they had last time. It will play, hopefully, firm and fast, as I think it should. I like the fact that the U.S. Open is going back to those traditional venues.”
It feels like major season has gone back in time this year
It feels like we’ve gone back in time with the U.S. Open returning to Pinehurst and PGA to Valhalla.
And for McIlroy, a repeat of his 2014 form would give him an excellent chance of landing his fifth major.
The year’s third major championship needs to return to its core values. What makes the U.S. Open different is the difficulty level. In 2012 and 2013, Webb Simpson and Justin Rose took the title with plus-par scores. It was a similar story for Brooks Koepka at Shinnecock Hills in 2018.
However, in the past five years, scores of 13 under, six under, and ten under have been the winning totals. This year, producing a brute of a track at Pinehurst No.2 is what all golf fans want to witness.
Seeing the likes of McIlroy, Bryson DeChambeau, Scottie Scheffler and Koepka being tested to the absolute limit would be enthralling viewing.
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