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Rory McIlroy wanted nothing to do with the media after he uncharacteristically whiffed the ball while standing in the rough on the 18th hole during the first round of the U.S Open on Thursday.
McIlroy, who last won the U.S. Open in 2011, finished T5 after a solid 17 holes but the unfortunate error on the 18th put him at 5-under for the day, just three strokes behind leaders Rickie Fowler and Xander Schauffle.
Rory McIlroy reacts to a missed shot on the 18th hole during the first round of the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15, 2023. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
After eventually getting the ball out of the tall grass, McIlroy sunk an 11-foot putt for bogey but any questions about what happened would not be answered.
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According to the New York Post, McIlroy headed straight for the clubhouse and did not return despite the USGA’s request for media availability. In fact, McIlroy also canceled his pre-tournament press conference on Tuesday.
Off to a rough start in general this year, McIlroy said in March that he was "ready to get back to being purely a golfer."
Rory McIlroy on the 18th green during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 15, 2023, in Los Angeles. (Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images)
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His responsibilities as a player director on the Tour’s Player Advisory Council, in addition to his being one of the PGA Tour’s biggest defenders in its dispute with LIV Golf since last year, have certainly shifted his focus off the course.
"I’ve always thought I’ve had a good handle on the perspective on things and sort of where golf fits within my life, and trying to find purpose outside of golf in some way," McIlroy said of his break ahead of the Wells Fargo Championship last month.
"But I think over the last 12 months, I sort of lost sight of that. I’d lost sight of the fact that there’s more to life than the golf world and this little silly squabble that’s going on between tours, and all sorts of stuff."
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But with the recent cease-fire between the circuits, McIlroy’s performance at the Los Angeles Country Club does stand out.
Rickie Fowler plays his shot from the seventh tee during the U.S. Open at the Los Angeles Country Club on June 15, 2023. (Richard Heathcote/Getty Images)
His 30 on the front nine was his best nine-hole score in any major and he was one of six players to shoot 65 or better – the U.S. Open has never had more than two players at 65 or better in the opening round.
The Associated Press contributed to this report.