Rory McIlroy fell out of contention on the back nine Saturday at Shinnecock Hills and finished the U.S. Open at six over par on Sunday.
McIlroy made a 66-foot birdie putt on the sixth hole Saturday afternoon and reached two under par after nine holes, four shots behind Wyndham Clark. He then made bogeys on the 10th, 12th, 14th, 15th and 18th holes to drop nine shots behind the leader.
On Sunday he started with three bogeys in his first three holes and finished with a 39 on the front nine. McIlroy said he was disappointed after the round and noted that the back nine Saturday cost him his chance.
Eight years earlier McIlroy had vowed to improve on difficult U.S. Open courses. From 2019 to 2025 he recorded six straight top-10 finishes and two runner-up results at the event before this week at Shinnecock Hills.
