LOS ANGELES — Rory McIlroy isn’t sure why, but for whatever reason he’s been going down YouTube rabbit holes of some of his past wins, like the 2014 Open Championship at Royal Liverpool.
“I actually couldn’t believe how many irons and 3-woods and stuff I was hitting off the tee,” explained McIlroy on Friday after his second round of the 2023 U.S. Open. “It set something off in my mind about, you know how to do this. You know how to play smart. You don’t have to hit driver all the time. Yes, it’s a big weapon, it’s a big advantage. But I keep saying I’ve got more weapons in my arsenal I feel now than I did back then, so I may as well use them and play to them.”
It’s said that patience is a virtue, but it’s also been a 15th club in the bag for the four-time major champion.
“I’ve went through periods over the last few years where I haven’t been patient enough and I’ve taken on too much,” McIlroy continued. “But I think we’ve had some tests recently where you have to display patience, and hopefully those few experiences recently will help me this weekend.”
The 2011 champion will head into the weekend at -8.@McIlroyRory #USOpen pic.twitter.com/qOlTuWnRvo
— U.S. Open (USGA) (@usopengolf) June 16, 2023
After 36 holes at the famed Los Angeles Country Club, McIlroy is back in contention once again at 8 under after a second-round 3-under 67. The 34-year-old got off to a hot start on Thursday, but a Friday morning tee time off the back was less welcoming. McIlroy bogeyed two of his first four holes on Nos. 11 and 13, with his lone birdie of his opening nine sandwiched in the middle at the par-4 12th. Another bogey at No. 17 saw McIlroy make the turn to the front at 2 over. The Northern Irishman got back on the birdie train immediately with circles on the scorecard at Nos. 1 and 3 before he added his final bogey of the round at No. 4. From there McIlroy birdied four of his last five holes to shoot 30 on the front for the second consecutive round.
“Yeah, obviously at least for me, there’s quite a scoring discrepancy from the front nine to the back nine. The front nine gives you some scoring opportunities and some wedges in your hand, a couple of par 5s. Sixth hole,” said McIlroy. “Yeah, the back nine is just a lot tougher. You’ve got a lot of — those last three holes, 16, 17, 18, are playing tough even if it is pretty benign conditions out there. It feels like a sort of golf course where you try to make…
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