Rory has a few tigers on his tail

break numerous US Open records but the four-time Major winner’s form in the event since has been mixed.

The Northern Irishman has missed the cut the last two years and his best finish is a tie for ninth at Chambers Bay in 2015, during which he said: “Every year the US Open is very frustrating, apart from 2011.

“I came off the green on the last there and said to JP [Fitzgerald, his caddie], ‘Thank God I’ve got one of these’.”

McIlroy’s chances of a second US Open title should have been boosted by a lengthy spell of preparation on Long Island, the 29-year-old renting a house in the area for two weeks and making the trip east right after finishing in a tie for eighth in the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

Although he is anxious to get the serious competition under way alongside Jordan Spieth and Phil Mickelson today, rediscovering the joys of “fun” golf could be equally important.

“For maybe five or six years I never played fun golf,” McIlroy said. “It was all to do with getting ready to play tournaments and I didn’t understand people who went out and played a lot.

“But basically it’s been since my dad became a member at Seminole (in Florida) and I was able to go over and play a lot of golf with him that I really started to enjoy fun golf again and playing these different courses.

“It does put you in a different frame of mind. You’re relaxed out there, and maybe that sort of bleeds into your mindset whenever you’re here in a big championship. It’s no different.

“If I’ve got a shot that I need to execute under pressure here this week, it’s no different than playing that shot when I’m out there playing with my dad or my buddies.

“Obviously there is a separation of the two, but the more you can get into that mindset of being relaxed and enjoying it, the better you’re going to play.”