Rory McIlroy spoke to the media for the first time in seven major championship rounds since winning the Masters and he cut a fed up figure who is looking for a quick final round before making a dash for the exits.
McIlroy carded a round of 74 to lie on ten-over-par and firmly out of contention. Friday saw him throw a golf club and smash a tee marker on the 17th and he admitted that he has long lost his patience with Oakmont.
“Pretty average,” was McIlroy’s summation of his US Open so far. “That’s the name of the game this week is staying patient, and try to do a good job of it out there, but it’s one of those golf courses that you can lose patience on pretty quickly.”
McIlroy’s post Masters hangover has stretched longer than anyone would have expected with two average major championship performances coming either side of a career worst finish at the Canadian Open last week.
The Holywood man admitted he has been struggling for motivation and has regularly shunned the post round media since winning the career grand slam.
McIlroy has usually been superb with his media access and for better or worse has poured his heart into a microphone but that has changed in recent weeks.
“It’s more a frustration with you guys,” he told reporters. “I’ve been totally available for the last few years, and I’m not saying — maybe not you guys, but maybe more just the whole thing.”
McIlroy’s name was leaked for failing a driver conformity test ahead of the PGA Championship, leading to him avoiding media duties, but his frustrations with the game of golf seem to have stemmed from that moment at Quail Hollow.
“I mean, that was a part of it. Yeah, that was a part of it. But it’s not as if — like at Augusta I skipped you guys on Thursday, so yeah, again, it’s not if as if — it’s not out of the ordinary. I’ve done it before; I’m just doing it a little more often.
“I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do, yeah.”
McIlroy had a Taylormade Qi10 driver in the bag this week and he has ranked 9th for strokes gained off the tee and first in driving distance but it was his iron play which deserted him this week.
“I’ve driven the ball better. I’ve driven the ball as good as I have in a long time, so that’s at least a positive this week,” he said.
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