MCILROY & LOWRY HOPE FOR BETTER

FIT-AGAIN Rory McIlroy arrives at the US Open seeking the resumption of his quest for more Majors.

But for Shane Lowry, Erin Hills is all about redemption for the one that slipped through his fingers.

For McIlroy (above) it’s about answering the doubters who believe he is too rusty to challenge in his comeback appearance after a recurrence of the rib injury that has curtailed his season.

Lowry is out to exorcise the demons of last year when he blew a four-shot lead in the final round at Oakmont.

A closing 76 let Dustin Johnson in to claim his first Major and Lowry (below) said: “I took the week off after Oakmont and it was tough, as I reflected on what happened. I must have played that final round over in my head about 100 times.

“I had recorded a highlights programme. Later in the week I sat down and just wanted to watch it alone. I was as disappointed as I’d been on the Sunday before.

“I’d spoken to Darren Clarke and he said to me you should go back and look at the highlights to see if you can take anything from it. Then I was doing something with Jack Nicklaus and he said, ‘Listen, it’s your own mistake if you don’t learn from it’ and I thought that was a good way to put it. “Something like that is always going to hurt – but I think I have got over it well. “What I take from Oakmont is that it was a great week. I was in a great position after playing as good as I’ve ever played. “I was also as good mentally as I have ever been. “So I know that, if I can get myself in that position again, I have the tools to do the business.”