Rory McIlroy during a practice round ahead the 2024 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club. (Photo: Sam Upshaw Jr./Courier Journal)
“Oh, Riley, you pick him every major, he’s never gonna win another one. Haven’t you learned your lesson yet?”
Here’s the thing: I expect to be disappointed Sunday afternoon, but I refuse to miss out on Rory’s fifth major title, so he’s going back on the card.
Despite his C game, McIlroy grabbed a share of 15th last week at Jack’s Place. He’s played well in the U.S. Open since missing the cut at Shinnecock in 2018: T-9 (2019, Pebble Beach), T-8 (2020, Winged Foot), T-7 (2021, Torrey Pines), T-5 (2022, The Country Club) and 2nd (2023, Los Angeles Country Club).
Pinehurst No. 2 is for the bombers, and not many players on Earth can do that better than the Northern Irishman.
To win, he has to clean up the iron play.