Hopes his glory laugh-a-win-it
US OPEN SPECIAL
BY EUAN McLEAN RORY McILROY has vowed to break America’s Tiger Woods-inspired stranglehold of all golf ’s biggest prizes.
All four men’s Majors and all the biggest team prizes – Ryder, Solheim, Presidents, Walker and Curtis Cups – rest in American hands.
McIlroy believes much of that success has been helped by Woods dropping his ice-cool exterior to form friendships with the younger US Ryder Cup stars during his stint as a vice-captain at Hazeltine.
The knock-on effect in the two years since has seen Patrick Reed, Jordan Spieth, Justin Thomas and this week’s defending champ Brooks Koepka all pick up Major success.
McIlroy is aiming to end that glory run, starting today at Shinnecock Hills and again in September when the Ryder Cup comes to Paris.
He said: “They’ve had a great run. They hold all the Majors, the team events both amateur and pro. Everything, I guess.
“Look, these things go in cycles. European golf was healthy a few years ago for a long time.
“It seemed every Major someone from the island of Ireland turned up at the event and won it. It doesn’t seem that long ago.” BY EUAN McLEAN JUSTIN ROSE can climb to the top of the world in style by topping the field at Shinnecock Hills.
The in-form Englishman will be crowned world No.1 if he wins the US Open on Sunday night.
And he reckons there would be no better way to stake his claim by lifting a second Major title.
The Olympic champion, who also boasts previous US Open success in 2013, said: “I’m in the great position in the rankings where becoming world No.1 is going to be a by-product of winning this week.
“So I may as well just continue to focus on winning. That’s where the points are. That’s where the fun is.
“I couldn’t think of a better scenario than to win a Major and to become world No.1 at the same time.
“There are scenarios like at the Memorial where I could have finished second and become world No.1.
“But it’s nicer to keep focus on the winning. It keeps things cleaner mentally. It keeps things simple.
“All I’m focusing on is winning Majors. A world No.1 is a really cool thing to say at some point in your career but it’s not my primary focus.”
Bookies rate Rose second favourite behind world No.1 Dustin Johnson.