Rory McIlroy has expressed his hope that US Open officials will prevent the green speeds from becoming excessively fast, stating that the putting surfaces at Shinnecock Hills are already challenging enough. The Northern Irishman visited the Long Island course on Monday en route to the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.
Course Conditions at Shinnecock Hills
McIlroy was pleasantly surprised by the generous width of the fairways, unsurprised by the depth of the rough, and generally satisfied with the condition of the notoriously tricky greens. However, with the forecast predicting nearly two weeks of sunny weather and temperatures in the low to mid-20s Celsius, along with minimal rainfall, he is concerned that the greens may become too fast.
In previous US Opens, some courses have featured putting surfaces so slick that balls rolled off them. During the 2018 Shinnecock Hills event, Phil Mickelson received a two-shot penalty for running after his ball and hitting it while it was still moving to prevent it from rolling off the false front.
McIlroy's Observations
“The fairways are very generous. They’re more generous than they were in 2018, but the first cut of rough is five inches long,” McIlroy said. “The greens are rolling around 11 or 11.2 on the Stimpmeter, and I really don’t think they need to get much faster. If they can keep them at that speed, they can firm them up and use the desired hole locations without encountering the struggles seen in recent US Opens. It’s all about maintaining the green speeds where they are and not letting them get out of hand. That would make for a great week.”
McIlroy's Schedule and FedEx Cup
McIlroy is competing in only his sixth regular PGA Tour event of the year as he continues to adjust his schedule to suit his personal circumstances. He is not worried about how changes next season might affect him, but he acknowledges that playing less reduces his chances of winning the season-ending FedEx Cup.
“I would back myself to finish in the top 100 to retain my status if I play a limited schedule,” he added. “Does it make it harder to win the FedEx Cup? Absolutely, but I’m okay with that because it brings balance to my life and lets me enjoy things outside of the game.”
Scottie Scheffler's Aim
World number one Scottie Scheffler is aiming for a third consecutive victory at the Memorial Tournament, hosted by 18-time major winner Jack Nicklaus at Muirfield Village. “The last two years don’t mean much when you stand on the first tee,” Scheffler said. “But this is a golf course where I’ve had success, and it would be a special place to win the same tournament three years in a row, especially at Jack’s place.”
