'it Felt Impossible' - Mcilroy Carded 81 In Us Open Practice

Masters champion Rory McIlroy says this week's US Open venue Oakmont "felt impossible" arsenic precocious arsenic past week.

The world number 2 revealed he changeable 81 during a believe information past Monday, though he added that nan pursuing time he recovered it not rather arsenic fearsome a challenge.

The Northern Irishman missed nan trim erstwhile nan demanding Pittsburgh layout past staged nan US Open successful 2016, earlier its redesign successful 2023.

And while he said he tried to swipe that week from his memory, he was handed a stark reminder of Oakmont's terrible demands - five-inch unsmooth and undulating greens - while carding 11-over successful believe connected 2 June.

"Last Monday felt intolerable - I birdied nan past 2 holes for 81," said nan five-time awesome winner, who described Oakmont arsenic a "big brute of a play course".

"It felt beautiful good, it didn't consciousness for illustration I played that bad.

"It's overmuch much benign now - they had nan pins successful dicey positions and nan greens were moving astatine 15 and a half. It was astir impossible."

McIlroy, nan 2011 US Open champion, has struggled pinch his driver successful caller weeks and is coming disconnected a nightmarish week astatine nan Canadian Open, wherever he missed nan trim by 12 shots.

However, he admitted Oakmont - which is hosting its 10th US Open - felt "softer" during believe connected Tuesday.

"If you put it connected nan fairway, it's surely playable," added nan 36-year-old.

"But past you conscionable person to deliberation astir leaving your shot beneath nan spread and conscionable trying to make arsenic galore pars arsenic you can. If you get yourself successful nan measurement of a fewer birdies, that's a bonus.

"I'm gladsome we person spotters retired there, because past Monday you deed a shot disconnected nan fairway and you were looking for a bully mates of minutes conscionable to find it.

"It's very penal if you miss. Sometimes it's penal if you don't miss. The personification pinch nan astir patience and nan champion cognition this week is nan 1 that's going to win."

McIlroy's shape has deserted him successful caller weeks. After his Masters triumph sealed nan profession Grand Slam, he vanished tied seventh successful his adjacent arena earlier a necktie for 47th astatine nan US PGA Championship, wherever his driver grounded a pre-tournament legality test.

And having endured a sadistic believe information astatine Oakmont, he carded an eight-over 78 to miss nan play successful Toronto past week.

While speaking to reporters connected Tuesday, McIlroy admitted he has struggled for information pursuing his career-defining Augusta triumph.

"I deliberation it's trying to person a small spot of amnesia and hide astir what happened six weeks agone [at nan Masters], past conscionable trying to find nan information to spell backmost retired location and activity arsenic difficult arsenic I've been working," he said erstwhile asked astir moving forward.

"I worked incredibly difficult connected my crippled from October past twelvemonth each nan measurement up until April this year.

"It was bully to benignant of spot nan fruits of my labour travel to fruition and person everything happen."

McIlroy, who has reverted to his aged driver aft struggling disconnected nan tee successful Canada, added it was important to savour his astir important achievement.

"You person to bask that. You person to bask what you've conscionable accomplished," he said.

"I surely consciousness for illustration I'm still doing that and I will proceed to do that. At immoderate constituent you person to realise that there's a small spot much play near to play this season.

"Weeks for illustration Quail Hollow [at nan US PGA] aliases moreover weeks for illustration past week, it makes it easier to reset successful immoderate measurement - to beryllium for illustration 'OK, I benignant of request to get my worldly together present and get backmost to nan process'."

McIlroy besides explained that he has "always been a subordinate that struggles" to execute instantly aft a large win.

"I ever struggle to show up pinch information nan adjacent week because you've conscionable accomplished thing and you want to bask it, and you want to benignant of relish nan truth that you've achieved a goal," he said.

After failing to make 3 consecutive US Open cuts betwixt 2016 and 2018, McIlroy has posted six successive top-10 finishes and been runner-up nan past 2 years.

He tees disconnected alongside Ireland's Shane Lowry and Englishman Justin Rose - who he hit successful a play-off astatine nan Masters - astatine 12:40 BST connected Thursday.