Rory McIlroy Faces Setback at Canadian Open Ahead of US Open Challenge
It’s been a rough outing for Rory McIlroy at the Canadian Open — one that has clearly shaken his confidence heading into the US Open. Coming off the momentum of a Masters win earlier this season, expectations were high. But instead of fine-tuning his game before Oakmont, McIlroy now finds himself regrouping after an unexpectedly poor performance in Canada.
The second round was particularly brutal. A staggering 78 — eight over par — pushed McIlroy out of the tournament, marking the first time he’s missed a cut since the Open at Royal Troon last July. His round included a quadruple bogey, a double bogey, and four more bogeys. He ended up 21 shots behind the halfway leader, Cameron Champ.
The frustration is written all over his face — and in his words. Speaking candidly, Rory admitted his concerns: “Of course it concerns me. You don’t want to shoot high scores like the one I did today.” And it's not just about this tournament. It’s about next week — the US Open at Oakmont, a course that demands precision off the tee. Unfortunately, that's exactly where McIlroy is struggling.
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The root of the issue may lie with a recent change in equipment. His previous driver was ruled non-conforming during a random test just before the PGA Championship. Since then, he’s been trying to adapt to a new setup. The results, however, speak for themselves — a disappointing T-47 finish at the PGA and now this early exit in Canada.
McIlroy’s problems were apparent right from the start of his Friday round. A disastrous eight on the par-4 fifth hole set the tone. After firing his second shot out of bounds and compounding the error with penalties and missed shots, his round never recovered. More bogeys followed on 8, 10, 13, and 17, with only a couple of late birdies offering a sliver of consolation.
Still, McIlroy is staying pragmatic. “Even though the last two days didn’t go the way I wanted them to, there’s still things I can take from it and still things I can learn,” he said. He plans to return home for some intense practice sessions to get back in form ahead of Oakmont.
Meanwhile, on the Canadian front, Nick Taylor gave fans something to cheer about. His 3-under round on Sunday was the best among Canadians, putting him at 13-under overall and finishing tied for 13th. Others like Corey Conners, Adam Hadwin, and Taylor Pendrith ended at 10-under, tied for 27th. The infamous 17th hole proved problematic for many of them, derailing otherwise solid performances.
As the dust settles on the Canadian Open, one thing is clear: Rory McIlroy has work to do — and fast. The US Open is looming, and the margin for error at Oakmont is razor-thin. Whether he can find the missing piece in his game over the next few days remains to be seen, but all eyes will be watching.
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