Rory McIlroy walked onto Shinnecock Hills on Saturday with a real shot at making noise. He left it with a lot of ground to make up.
The six-time major champion entered Moving Day at even par, five shots off the lead. And for a stretch there, it looked like the old magic was back. He birdied three straight holes from the 5th through the 7th after an early bogey at No. 3. The crowd got loud. The momentum felt real.
Then the back nine happened.
McIlroy dropped shots at 10 and 12, barely missed a birdie putt on 13 that could have steadied things, and made another bogey at 14. Just like that, he went from lurking to seven strokes behind leader Wyndham Clark. The kind of deficit that feels bigger than it looks when the wind starts howling off the Atlantic.
It’s Not Over Yet — But It’s Close
Look, nobody’s counting out a guy who just won back-to-back Masters and finished top 10 at the PGA Championship a month ago. McIlroy’s driving is still elite. He can flip a round in a hurry. But Shinnecock has a way of punishing aggression. The rough is thick. The greens are firm. And the wind on Long Island is not exactly cooperating with anyone trying to make a charge.
He’s got a few holes left Saturday to chip away at the lead before the final round. A couple of early birdies Sunday could change the whole vibe. But realistically, Clark is playing steady golf and the course isn’t giving up much. McIlroy needs something close to a career round to steal this thing.
The Bigger Picture
Even if this weekend doesn’t end with a trophy, let’s not lose the plot. McIlroy’s 2025-2026 run is already legendary. He finished off the career Grand Slam at Augusta last year, then did it again. Nobody’s done that in decades. Whatever happens Sunday, he’s still the guy everyone’s watching at every major.
But Father’s Day Sunday at the US Open? That’s a different kind of pressure. And right now, McIlroy is running out of holes to make it interesting.
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