It was one of those rounds where frustration wasn’t just simmering—it was boiling over.
Rory McIlroy, one of golf’s most elite players and the world No. 2, didn’t hold back his emotions on Friday at the U.S. Open.
The clubs flew, the tee marker shattered, and yet, somehow, he managed to claw his way into the weekend.
Whether that’s something he’s actually happy about is another story entirely.
Club Tosses and Broken Tee Markers: Rory’s Raw Emotion on Display
The signs of McIlroy’s discontent were hard to miss.
On the 12th hole—a par five—he hooked his second shot deep into the rough.
In pure rage, he flung his iron down the fairway, and to be fair, it probably traveled straighter than the ball.
Then on 17, things escalated.
After slicing his drive into a greenside bunker, he smashed his three-wood into the tee marker, breaking it clean in half.
It was classic meltdown material—but it wasn’t just for show.
After that outburst, McIlroy dug deep.
He saved par on 17, then followed it up with a birdie on the 18th by sticking a wedge to four feet. Talk about a dramatic turnaround.
A Rough Start That Never Quite Recovered
The drama had actually started much earlier in the day.
McIlroy opened with a double bogey on the first hole after landing in a bunker, and repeated the mistake on the third.
Two birdies—on the 9th and 15th—offered small glimpses of hope before his strong finish.
He ended with a score of 72, which put him at six over par—just inside the projected cut line.
For a player of his stature, it’s been a grind.
And judging by his expressions and reactions, it’s not exactly been a joyful ride.
A Bloodbath of a Tournament So Far
If Rory’s struggle seems extreme, he’s not alone.
This year’s U.S. Open at Oakmont has been a brutal test for just about everyone.
Aside from Sam Burns, who shot a brilliant 65 to lead at three under, most players walked off the course looking more defeated than victorious.
JJ Spaun dropped from four under to two under.
Brooks Koepka shot 74 and now sits at two over.
Viktor Hovland had one of the few bright spots with a solid 68, placing him just one shot behind Burns.
Defending champ Bryson DeChambeau, however, won’t be around for the weekend after carding a painful 77 to finish ten over through two rounds.
The Stars Are Struggling Too
Even the big names aren’t immune to Oakmont’s challenges.
Scottie Scheffler had a tough day with a 71 that left him at four over.
He even four-putted on the 17th, something that’s practically unheard of for a player of his caliber.
Jon Rahm, also four over after a 75, didn’t hold back when asked about his round.
“Honestly, I’m too annoyed and too mad right now to think about any perspective,” Rahm admitted.
“Very few rounds where I hit good putts and they didn’t even sniff the hole. It’s frustrating.”
When a Great Shot Still Gets Punished
Rahm’s breaking point seemed to come at the 11th hole, where he hit a crisp chip from off the green, only to watch it roll…and roll… and keep rolling far past the hole.
The U.S. Open prides itself on ultra-fast greens—faster even than Augusta—but when decent shots result in disaster, it raises questions about fairness versus sheer difficulty.
Scheffler echoed the sentiment: “There were times today where you feel like you could give up.”
After his round, he was seen furiously working on the range, clearly still steaming from the test Oakmont threw at him.
What’s Next for Rory and the Rest?
For McIlroy, surviving the cut means two more rounds of this punishing golf gauntlet.
Whether he finds form or continues battling both the course and his own nerves remains to be seen.
But one thing’s for sure—Oakmont is pushing the world’s best to their limits, mentally and physically.
McIlroy may have lived to fight another day, but judging by Friday’s chaos, that fight is only going to get tougher.