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Rory McIlroy explains how he improved from past US Open failures
Rory McIlroy’s opening-round 69 at the 2026 U.S. Open offered another reminder of how much his game has evolved since his difficult experience at Shinnecock Hills in 2018.
The Northern Irishman finished 1-under par during a challenging first day at Shinnecock, placing himself firmly in contention at the third men’s major of the year. Eight years earlier, however, McIlroy opened with an 80 at the same venue and missed the cut, extending a run of disappointing results at the U.S. Open.
Speaking after Thursday’s round, McIlroy explained that the setback ultimately became a turning point in his career. He revealed that a diary entry written at the end of 2018 helped reshape his approach to golf and laid the foundation for his improved performances in major championships.
Rory McIlroy’s game has developed over the last few years to a point where he is competing regularly on the hardest courses in the world at major championships, and has been especially consistent at the US Open. After a 1 under par 69 today at Shinnecock, he spoke about why:
McIlroy said the biggest change came from adjusting his mindset after struggling at Shinnecock during the 2018 U.S. Open.
Reflecting on that week, he recalled arriving at the Travelers Championship immediately afterward and realizing he felt far more comfortable on a regular PGA Tour setup than he did at one of golf’s toughest tests.
“Yeah, I think the big thing was I needed to change my mindset,” McIlroy said.
“I played those two days in 2018, and then I got to the Travelers the next week. I remember feeling so much in my comfort zone going to TPC River Highlands and thinking to myself, I’ve got this backwards. I should be in my comfort zone at Shinnecock and not here.”
McIlroy explained that the realization led him to reevaluate the skills he prioritized in practice and competition.
“It hasn’t looked as if I’ve went and done a rebuild of my game, but it’s felt like it in terms of the way I approach the game and the value I place on certain shots and certain skills within the game,” he said.
The four-time major champion then revealed the diary note he wrote while flying home from Dubai at the end of 2018.
“I remember flying back from Dubai at the end of 2018, and I would keep, like, a journal or a diary,” McIlroy said. “I wrote in it that from 2019 going forward, I’m going to build my game to compete at the major championships and excel at the toughest tests that we have.”
According to McIlroy, that process focused on developing the parts of his game most valuable at demanding venues.
“Working on the things that you need to do well to excel at these, which is flighting the ball, hitting your numbers, wedge play, short game, putting, which is all the stuff that I feel like I’ve improved over the last few years.”
GettyRory McIlroy of Northern Ireland
The improvements have become particularly evident at the U.S. Open.
After missing three consecutive cuts in the championship earlier in his career, McIlroy has transformed into one of the event’s most consistent performers. Since his missed cut at Shinnecock in 2018, he has regularly contended on some of the toughest courses in golf and entered this week’s championship with a string of strong U.S. Open finishes.
His first-round 69 at Shinnecock reflected that evolution. McIlroy remained patient throughout difficult conditions, relying on course management and controlled ball striking rather than forcing aggressive shots.
The round included birdies at the 11th and 12th holes before he added another birdie and an eagle on his inward nine. Although he closed with consecutive bogeys, he still finished the day under par and in position to challenge heading into the second round.
McIlroy acknowledged that the score itself was only part of the achievement.
“It was a day to really just keep yourself in the tournament and not shoot yourself out of it, which is exactly what I did eight years ago here,” he said.
That perspective highlighted the contrast between the player who struggled at Shinnecock in 2018 and the one who returned in 2026. The technical adjustments, combined with the mindset shift documented in his diary, have helped McIlroy become one of the most reliable performers in major championship golf.
As the tournament continues, the site of one of his most difficult U.S. Open experiences has become a reminder of how far his game has come.
Debayan Biswas Debayan Biswas is a sports writer at Heavy Sports covering NBA, NFL, Soccer, and Golf. His work has been syndicated on Yahoo Sports, Yardbarker, Flipboard, The Sun News, and The Olympian. Previously, he contributed to Athlon Sports, EssentiallySports, and PFSN. More about Debayan Biswas
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