Northern Ireland's Rory McIlroy has urged tournament organisers to proceed with 'caution' regarding the course set-up for this week's US Open at Shinnecock Hills, New York. The world number two highlighted the potential for conditions to 'get out of control', referencing previous controversies at the Long Island venue and the forecast for significant winds.
McIlroy, a six-time major winner, specifically pointed to the need for organisers to manage green speeds, especially with gusts of 35-40 miles per hour predicted for Thursday. He noted that during practice on Monday, even with 25-30mph gusts, balls were not holding on the 11th green, underscoring the delicate balance required. The USGA, which admitted to errors in preparing the course in 2004, will be under scrutiny to ensure fair play.
Shinnecock Hills has a history of challenging conditions that have drawn criticism from players. In 2004, Tiger Woods famously stated the USGA 'lost control of the course' during Retief Goosen's victory. More recently, in 2018, the championship saw unusual scenes when Phil Mickelson deliberately struck a moving ball to prevent it from rolling off the 13th green. Despite these past issues, England's Matt Fitzpatrick, the 2022 US Open champion, stated this week that he 'never believed they lost' control of conditions six years ago.
McIlroy also addressed the logistical challenge of maintaining competitive integrity given the split between morning and afternoon playing groups on Thursday and Friday. He expressed initial skepticism about reports of the USGA potentially watering greens between these groups but conceded that, after understanding their reasoning, it made sense, particularly with the strong winds expected. He believes this measure could be prudent for fairness, especially on Thursday and Friday, though less necessary over the weekend.
Despite his past struggles at Shinnecock, including a missed cut in 2018 after an opening 80, McIlroy holds the venue in high regard, calling it 'the best championship test' in the United States. He anticipates a demanding tournament where patience and conservative strategy will be paramount. He believes the large greens demand precise approach shots into small target areas, and players will need to be content with hitting to 30 feet regularly. With past US Open scores at Shinnecock often hovering around even par, McIlroy expects a similar scenario, suggesting that no one will significantly pull away from the field.