Rory McIlroy narrowly survives cut at US Open

14 June 2025, 10:15

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his shot on the 3rd fairway during the second round of the 125th U.S. Open Golf Championship
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland watches his shot on the 3rd fairway during the second round of the 125th U.S. Open Golf Championship. Picture: Alamy

By Ella Bennett

An angry Rory McIlroy needed a birdie on the last hole of his second round to make the cut at the US Open.

Listen to this article

Loading audio...

McIlroy said before the tournament that he needed to shake off the hangover of his epic Masters win at Augusta National in April, but he could not have chosen a harder place to do that.

The brutal Oakmont course in Pittsburgh has been chewing up and spitting out the best players in the world and McIlroy is one of them.

After a four-over-par 74 on Thursday, McIlroy had hopes of fighting back into contention in the second round, but he again struggled to tame the course, posting two double bogeys in the opening three holes.

Such was his frustration, he launched his club in anger at the 12th hole after sending another shot into the unforgiving rough before smashing a tee marker on the 17th when finding the bunker.

He produced some magic on the 18th with a stunning approach shot to five feet and converted for a birdie to reach six-under-par which keeps him around for the weekend.

Read more: Rory McIlroy and Scottie Scheffler struggle in brutal US Open opening round

Read more: ‘Look at me, you PIG’ snaps tennis star during tense handshake on court after defeat

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland throws his club on the 12th hole
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland throws his club on the 12th hole. Picture: Getty

Whether he will be pleased about that or not is another story entirely and he will not be challenging for the title come Sunday night.

His late birdie did not quell the frustration enough for him to speak to the media as he skipped post-round duties for the sixth successive round at a major.

American Ryder Cup player Sam Burns tops the leaderboard, making a mockery of everyone else’s struggles with a head-scratching five-under-par 65.

“I didn’t really think of much of a score before. The golf course is really too difficult to try to figure out what’s a good score and what’s not,” Burns said.

“You’re really just shot by shot and trying to play each hole the best you can.

“There’s obviously a lot of golf left on a very tough golf course. It’s a 72-hole golf tournament, and if you can get a round under par out here, no matter if it’s one under, you’ll take it.”

Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland shake hands
Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland and Shane Lowry of Ireland shake hands. Picture: Getty

Burns sits one shot clear of first-round leader JJ Spaun, who carded a two-over 72 to sit on two-under-par.

Spaun said: “I knew it would be hard to back up a bogey-free four-under at Oakmont in the US Open. So I’m just glad that I kept it together. I’m two over today, but given where we are that’s a pretty good score.”

It is no wonder the players have been calling the terrifying Pennsylvania course Transylvania as Viktor Hovland, at one-under-par, is the only other player under par at the halfway mark of the tournament.

World number one Scottie Scheffler reckons he is still in the mix, despite sitting seven shots off the lead.

Scheffler, who was seen angrily remonstrating with his coach after his round, carded a 71 to sit four-over-par but is not ruling himself out.

“It felt like me getting away with one over today wasn’t all that bad. It could have been a lot worse,” he said.

“I’m definitely not out of the tournament. Today I think with the way I was hitting it, it was easily a day I could have been going home, but I battled pretty hard to stay in there.”

There have been plenty of high-profile casualties, none more so than defending champion Bryson DeChambeau, who will go home after finishing on a bruising 10-over-par.

Justin Rose, Shane Lowry, Justin Thomas, Tommy Fleetwood and Gary Woodland also get the weekend off.

It could also be a farewell to the US Open for Phil Mickelson, who could not find a birdie at the final hole to make the cut.

Mickelson admits he is unlikely to play this tournament again unless he can win next month’s Open at Portrush or hope for a USGA exemption.

More Latest News

See more More Latest News

Artist's impression of the new national biosecurity centre at Weybridge, Surrey

New centre to tackle 'risk of future pandemics' gets billion-pound investment

Screenings for cervical cancer save at least 2,000 lives each year in the UK

NHS to offer at-home cervical cancer screening test kits that 'could save 5,000 lives per year'

Zelensky visits 10 Downing Street for talks with Keir Starmer on Monday

Zelensky warns Putin could launch an attack on NATO 'within five years'

Tom Cruise and Brad Pitt arriving at the F1 The Movie premiere in Leicester Square.

'Interview with the Vampire' co-stars Brad Pitt and Tom Cruise make 'surprise' public reunion after 24 years

The first Brits are arriving in the UK after being evacuated from Israel.

First Brits rescued from Israel touch down at Heathrow Airport as more to arrive in coming days

The president of the Royal College of Psychiatrists (RCPsych) said professionals are in distress

Stretched mental health services leaving psychiatrists ‘in emotional and ethical distress’

Jobs will be created at warehouses in locations including Hull and Northampton

Amazon’s new UK warehouses to hire thousands as Starmer hails ‘win’ for Britain

Iran has launched an attack on a US military base.

Trump claims Israel and Iran have agreed 'complete and total ceasefire' in wake of Iranian strike on US air base

A Qatar Airways flight from Manchester was forced to divert earlier this evening

UK flight bound for Doha forced to turn back after Iran launches missiles at US air base in Qatar

Sir Keir Starmer will fly to the Hague today for crunch meetings against a backdrop of global volatility in the Middle East and Ukraine.

UK and NATO allies to include 'money spent on tackling small boats' to boost defence spending in bid to appease Trump

The

Thousands raised after family die in motorway crash - daughter, 8, is only survivor

Kate Shemirani, conspiracy theorist, anti-vaxxer and former nurse

Daughter of notorious conspiracy theorist died of cancer after 'falling for mother's theories', her brothers say

Emma Raducanu during a practice session during Eastbourne Open, where she is currently competing

Raducanu says Wimbledon 'did amazing job' after stalker tried to buy match tickets

Large fire engulfs the abandoned Hotspur Press mill building near Oxford Road in Central Manchester. Credit Milo Chandler/Alamy Live News

Major fire in Manchester city centre causes serious disruption

Notorious criminal John 'Goldfinger' Palmer was murdered at his home in Brentwood in Essex in 2015. His killer has never been found

Who killed John 'Goldfinger' Palmer? Police make fresh appeal 10 years after his death

An RAF flight has left Israel carrying 63 UK nationals and their dependents, as the UK government begins evacuating British citizens from the country amid ongoing attacks between Iran and Israel.

First RAF flight evacuates 63 Britons from Israel as Lammy confirms one UK national injured in Iran missile attacks