Rory McIlroy expects 'different' New York reception as US Open returns to Shinnecock

After a run of near misses, McIlroy believes patience can help deliver a first US Open title since 2011

The last time the US Open was at Shinnecock Hills in 2018, Rory McIlroy missed the cut. Pic: Warren Little/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy’s last official visit to Long Island was filled with tears of joy and pain, a victorious European Ryder Cup triumph interrupted at times by boisterous and overbearing spectators at Bethpage.

That was in September, at a venue some 60 miles and more than an hour away from the toney Hamptons, where Shinnecock Hills Golf Club sits among some of America’s finest golf courses amid luxurious vacation homes just a short distance from the Atlantic Ocean.

The scene for the staging of the 126th U.S. Open will be far different than the one at the very public Bethpage Black, and McIlroy expects the decorum to be different, too, when the tournament begins on Thursday.

Still, will those New Yorkers now shower the six-time major winner with love?

“Look, I love playing around New York. I love playing in this area. It's got some of the best golf in the world,” McIlroy said Tuesday during a pre-tournament news conference. 

“This is different. The Ryder Cup is us versus them, very partisan, very... like it's just a different beast. So... yeah, was it a rough week for me at times? Absolutely. But it is what it is. If that's a price to pay to live the life that I'm living, then I'm okay with that.”

Clearly the Ryder Cup experience was more than rough at times. McIlroy and several of his teammates including Shane Lowry were subjected to considerable abuse. McIlroy’s wife, Erica, was showered with insults and had beer tossed in her direction.

The scene eventually led to the PGA of America officials apologising to McIlroy in the aftermath.

The atmosphere will be different here, but not without the occasional loudmouths. McIlroy encountered some of that last month at the PGA Championship outside of Philadelphia, where he had a spectator removed after he incessantly shouted “USA, USA” with some sense of false bravado.

During a practice round, McIlroy said the vibe was far different. “It was great,” he said. “It was amazing. Look, New York is New York, and they're going to make their voices heard, but that's a good thing. That's a good atmosphere to play in.” 

McIlroy comes in after a tie for 12th at Jack Nicklaus’ Memorial Tournament two weeks ago.

Since defending his Masters title in April, McIlroy tied for 19th at the Truist Championship in Charlotte and was tied for seventh at the PGA Championship.

In 10 worldwide starts, McIlroy has four top-10 finishes, including the Masters victory.

The last time the US Open was at Shinnecock, McIlroy missed the cut. That was during a period when the 2011 champion was in a US Open rut, having missed three consecutive cuts. But starting in 2019, McIlroy has been in the top-10 every year but his tie for 19th in 2025, which followed consecutive runner-up finishes.

“If you can get your ball to the middle of the greens here and just putt to the corners wherever the flags are going to be, that's never going to be a bad strategy,” he said. “I think that's the strategy that I've employed at the US Open over the past few years has been a lot like that, and that's served me well.

“It hasn't gotten me the trophy, but it's gotten me pretty close a few years. But I definitely feel like I've become a lot better of a US Open player by trying to really stay patient throughout the week and not taking on too much.” 

McIlroy begins play on Thursday morning off the 10th tee (7:52 a.m. ET, 12:52 IST) along with Ludvig Aberg and Tommy Fleetwood. They go off the first tee on Friday afternoon (1:47 ET, 6:47 IST).