Rory McIlroy makes more worrying comments after finishing tense US Open on a positive note: "Then I don't know what can"

Rory McIlroy says if he can't find motivation for next month's Open Championship in Royal Portrush then he doesn't know where it will come from. 

McIlroy, 36, has struggled for form since he fulfilled a childhood ambition of winning The Masters in April. 

The grand slam winner performed poorly at the PGA Championship and missed the cut with an erratic display at the Canadian Open. 

He finished the 2025 US Open on a positive note, though, hitting six birdies in a final round of 67 to sneak inside the top 30 at Oakmont. 

The Ulsterman confirmed he will play next week's PGA Tour event in Connecticut before taking a break ahead of a home Open in Northern Ireland. 

"I climbed my Everest in April, and I think after you do something like that, you've got to make your way back down, and you've got to look for another mountain to climb," he said. 

"An Open at Portrush is certainly one of those.

"If I can't get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don't know what can motivate me.

"I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven't been there the past few weeks.

"But getting home and having a couple weeks off, hopefully feeling refreshed and rejuvenated, will get me in the right place again."

McIlroy missed the cut the last time The Open was played at Royal Portrush in 2019. 

He began golf's oldest major with a disastrous quadruple bogey on the first hole and went on to card an 8-over 79. 

McIlroy bounced back with a spectacular 65 but the damage was done and he missed the cut by one stroke. 

"I didn't realise how emotional I was going to be at Portrush," he said. "I think that was a thing I was unprepared for more than anything else.

"I remember I hit a shot into 12 or 13 on Friday, obviously trying to make the cut. 

"I remember the roar I got when the ball hit the green, and I felt like I was about to burst into tears.

"That support and that love from your own people, I was unprepared for that. I need to get myself in the right frame of mind to feel those feelings again."

"I'm really encouraged by the driver"

McIlroy has cut a dejected and frustrated figure all week. 

During the third round, he smashed up a tee box with his driver and also tossed one of his irons down the fairway after a loose shot. 

He did not speak to reporters after each of his four rounds at last month's PGA Championship. 

And it looked as though he was intent on continuing his recent trend this week until he offered five minutes of his time yesterday evening. 

McIlroy explained that he was frustrated with the media over the driver story that overshadowed his week at the PGA Championship. 

He also declared that he felt as though he had earned the right to do as he pleased with regard to his media commitments. 

His comments alarmed former European Ryder Cup skipper Paul McGinley. 

McIlroy was asked, though, if he felt he had made some headway with his new driver.

He believes his game is there. "I feel like I've driven the ball well all week," he said. 

"After the way I drove it today, I'd say I finished in the top five in strokes gained off the tee. 

"[I'm] really encouraged with the driver and how I drove it as well. It's not necessarily the driver, it's more me and sort of where my swing was.

"I feel like I got a really good feeling in my swing with the driver, which was great. Hopefully I can continue that on into next week. It's close.

"Physically I feel like my game's there. It's just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself."