Rory McIlroy Fights to Make the Cut at the U.S. Open

The Masters champion said he had been struggling to find motivation and in his second round at Oakmont showed frustration, but made it to the weekend.

Rory McIlroy was fighting to make the cut Friday at the U.S. Open. / Erick W. Rasco/Sports Illustrated

OAKMONT, Pa. – The Masters champion had a frustrating Friday, but played just well enough to survive to Saturday at the U.S. Open.

Rory McIlroy birdied two of his last four holes in the second round to get to 6 over, inside the cut line which was expected to fall at 7 over.

He shot 74-72 for the first 36 holes; he got off to a quick start Thursday with two birdies in three holes but was undone with a 41 on his second nine (the front nine).

On that same nine Friday (he started on No. 1), McIlroy made double bogeys on two of his first three holes. He birdied the par-4 9th to make the turn at 7 over and remained there through 15 holes, bogeying the par-4 11th after missing the fairway but then making birdie at the par-4 15th.

McIlroy failed to birdie the drivable par-4 17th and when his drive sailed right he smashed a tee box marker.

Chubby Rory would’ve never smashed that tee box into a million pieces at a Major Championship pic.twitter.com/iISEdaKuEL

— Jim Nantz’ big toe (@TimRantz) June 13, 2025

McIlroy also failed to birdie the par-5 12th and tossed his iron after his second shot landed in the rough.

Rory is not having a great time out there at the US Open:

pic.twitter.com/AGpHjjuH09

— Flushing It (@flushingitgolf) June 13, 2025

McIlroy finally won his green jacket in April, ending an 11-year run of misery to complete the career Grand Slam. But he finished T47 a month later at the PGA Championship, struggling to find the fairway after his regular driver failed pre-tournament testing. McIlroy refused to talk to the media after each round at Quail Hollow, saying later at the RBC Canadian Open that he “was a little pissed off” about how the news of his test became public.

The 29-time PGA Tour winner then missed the cut at TPC Toronto, shooting a stunning 9 over for two rounds. He then arrived at Oakmont for the U.S. Open and shared that he shot 81 a week prior in a scouting round.

Facing the media before the start of the U.S. Open, he was frank about where his mind was after completing the Grand Slam quest.

“I'm sort of just taking it tournament by tournament at this point,” McIlroy said. “Then just trying to find the motivation to go back out there and work as hard as I've been working.

“I worked incredibly hard on my game from October last year all the way up until April this year. It was nice to sort of see the fruits of my labor come to fruition and have everything happen.

“But at the same time, you have to enjoy that. You have to enjoy what you've just accomplished. I certainly feel like I'm still doing that and I will continue to do that.”