Rory McIlroy wants to become '˜complete' player at Oakmont

By The Newsroom
Published 15th Jun 2016, 08:42 BST
Updated 25th Aug 2016, 19:52 BST
Rory McIlroy is aiming for his second US Open win this week. Picture: Getty ImagesRory McIlroy is aiming for his second US Open win this week. Picture: Getty Images
Rory McIlroy is aiming for his second US Open win this week. Picture: Getty Images
The overriding emotion this week may be one of 'trepidation', but Rory McIlroy believes winning the US Open at Oakmont could be the biggest accomplishment of his career.

McIlroy won his first major title in the 2011 US Open at Congressional, taking advantage of a rain-softened course to blitz the field by eight shots with a record total of 16 under par.

The 26-year-old was also 13 under par in winning the 2012 US PGA Championship, 17 under in the 2014 Open at Hoylake and 16 under when claiming a second US PGA title a month later at Valhalla.

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But McIlroy feels a second US Open victory at Oakmont, where the winning score was five over par in 2007, would make him a more “complete” player.”I’d be very proud if I won on a golf course like this,” the Northern Irishman said. “The majors that I have won have been soft and (well) under par and more suits my style of game.

“But to be able to win on a course like this with the conditions the way they are, it would be maybe my biggest accomplishment in the game. (It) definitely would make me feel like a more complete player.”

Golf course architect Tom Doak famously said of Oakmont “it has all the charm of an SS commandant the way it is set up for a tournament,” but McIlroy could add his name to a list of great players to have conquered the course a few miles to the north east of Pittsburgh.

Gene Sarazen, Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, Johnny Miller and Ernie Els are all multiple-major winners who have tasted success at Oakmont, with Nicklaus beating Arnold Palmer in a play-off for the first of his record 18 majors there in 1962.

“I would expect the more established players and those up near the top of the world rankings to do well this week because it is a golf course that can separate the players that are playing well from the players that are just slightly off their games,” added McIlroy, who won the Irish Open last month at The K Club.

“If guys are playing well and they’re confi