Rory McIlroy made his feelings about the US Open delay clear, as a lip reader interpreted his comments amid a two-hour fog suspension at Shinnecock Hills on Thursday morning.
Fog Causes Chaos at Shinnecock Hills
Dense fog caused a two-hour suspension of play early Thursday at the US Open, frustrating players before they even teed off. Only a few groups had started when officials sounded three horns for a non-dangerous weather delay. The fog blanketed the course, making several holes unplayable as greens were barely visible.
McIlroy had already arrived at the venue before the delay, with about 50 minutes until his scheduled start. According to a professional lip reader, via Covers.com, McIlroy immediately recognized the disruption.
"It's kind of a mess," McIlroy said, as interpreted by Nicola Hickling, Expert Analyst & Professional LipReader at LipReader Ltd. "It's all in a disarray... the mist is holding everything up."
McIlroy's Tee Time Delayed
McIlroy was set to begin from the 10th tee at 7:52 a.m. local time alongside Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood. After the stoppage, they started exactly two hours later at 9:52 a.m.
Earlier in the week, McIlroy praised Shinnecock Hills but noted its difficulty depends heavily on weather. "Yeah, it's a great golf course. I think if everything is going the way everyone wants it in terms of weather, set-up, I think it's the best championship test in the country," he said. "It tests all aspects of the game: driving, iron play, you need to have your wits about you on the greens. It's a lot of strategy, thoughtfulness."
He added: "Look, it's a golf course where it can turn very quickly. You get a day like yesterday with a lot of wind and dry, clear conditions like this, and I think we're just going to have to be mindful of that as the week goes on."
Strategy and Patience Key
McIlroy emphasized patience: "You look at a hole like [No.] 1, if you get the right wind direction, there's the possibility of getting it up close to the green, but then you're sort of thinking, is it worth it? Is it worth risking putting the ball in the fescue, on the wrong side?"
"So I think this course, it demands so much patience, and it can really lure you into taking on things that you probably shouldn't. 13 is a good example. If you get the right wind direction, as well, you can get it close to the green there."
"To me, it's - you know, they're big playing areas, big fairways, pretty big greens, but I think a lot - especially with the weather forecast and the conditions and looks like we're going to get some pretty heavy wind for a couple of days anyway. If you can get your ball to the middle of the greens here and just putt to the corners wherever the flags are going to be, that's never going to be a bad strategy."
"I think that's a lot - you know, the strategy that I've employed at the US Open over the past few years has been a lot like that, and that's served me well. It hasn't gotten me the trophy, but it's gotten me pretty close a few years."
"But I definitely feel like I've become a lot better of a US Open player by trying to really stay patient throughout the week and not taking on too much."
