What Rory McIlroy said after U.S. Open round 2

SOUTHAMPTON, New York — Rory McIlroy is seven shots behind after two rounds at the U.S. Open, but knows recent history proves he’s not out of contention.

He noted that, the last time Shinnecock hosted in 2018, eventual champion Brooks Koepka was pretty far after 36 holes (five shots behind).

“So, yeah, if there’s a course where you feel like you still have a chance if you’re seven back going into the weekend like I am, it’s definitely this one,” McIlroy said.

On Friday, McIlroy was clean on the front nine with two birdies. Then he bogeyed Nos. 10, 11 and 12, birdied 13 (approach to 10 inches) and 14 (43-foot putt) and double-bogeyed 15.

He goes into the weekend tied for 11th at even par, seven shots behind leader Wyndham Clark.

Scottie Scheffler and Rory McIlroy are among the challengers to J.J. Spaun’s U.S. Open title.

“The wind felt like it was laying down first the first few holes,” McIlroy said. “Then it certainly got back up again, sort of around when we made the turn. I thought we were going to get away with it and get some easier conditions, but the back nine was very, very tough. So I think anyone on this side will feel like they got the rough end of the draw, but still feel like I’m in the tournament and in with a decent chance.”

McIlroy certainly got the tougher draw on Thursday, when he was part of the morning wave that faced tougher winds than the afternoon groups (that included Clark).

He expects tougher course conditions this weekend, noting the notorious Shinnecock greens started to dry out a little on Friday.

“So I would expect them to sort of keep trending in that direction, as we get into tomorrow and as the weekend goes on,” McIlroy said. “I think the weather has been perfect. They’ve got everything back on track, so I’d say people should expect the Shinnecock they’ve gotten to know over the past couple of decades.”

McIlroy gave the course setup his seal of approval, just as he did Thursday.

“The storyline over the first two days hasn’t really been the setup; it’s been the golf course,” he said. “Yes, they’ve had to set it up in some ways quite benign because of at least the expected wind yesterday that materialized for some part but not all of the day.

“Then today was, I would say, a typical day here at Shinnecock where the wind was, you know, 15 to 20 (miles per hour), gusting to 25 to 30. But I would say less players in the weekend, starting a little bit later, I think you’ll start to see the golf course dry out a little bit and ramp up.”

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