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Rory McIlroy watches his putt during the first round of the U.S. Open on June 18, 2026 at Shinnecock Hills Golf Club.
Corey Sipkin for New York Post
When Rory McIlroy won the 2011 U.S. Open at Congressional by eight shots, it was easy to envision him carrying on to win a bunch more of them.
But that U.S. Open turned out to be a bit of an outlier.
McIlroy was a 22-year-old bull in a China shop back then — just gripping and ripping it with a talent level so extraordinary that he could get away with some poor shots here and there and win anyway.
McIlroy won that Open at 16 under par, a number that probably still has the older USGA heads, traditionally bent on making par a magnet for all competitors, queasy when they look back at that week.
English (US)