OAKMONT, Pennsylvania: Rory McIlroy could leave Oakmont feeling like he accomplished something, even if it took the full four days for him to produce a truly impressive round.
McIlroy shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday, finishing the US Open at 7 over and giving himself a performance he can build off as he works toward the year’s final major — next month’s British Open at Royal Portrush in his home country of Northern Ireland.
“It will be amazing to go home and play in that atmosphere and see a lot of people,” McIlroy said. “I’m really looking forward to it. It was nice to end this week with a bit of a positive note with the way I played today.”
McIlroy skipped talking to the media after his first two rounds this week, and much of his availability Saturday was spent being asked why. His golf was a bigger topic Sunday. It had been unremarkable through three days, but he at least momentarily had Sunday’s low round after finishing with six birdies — four on the back nine.
“Physically I feel like my game’s there,” he said. “It’s just mentally getting myself in the right frame of mind to get the best out of myself.”
That’s been a theme for McIlroy lately when he has talked. Winning the Masters and completing the career Grand Slam was a seismic moment in his career, and returning to those heights has been a struggle.
“Look, 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.”
First, McIlroy has the Travelers Championship in Connecticut next week. And the Scottish Open is a week before Royal Portrush.
In addition to finding motivation, McIlroy has needed to work out some issues on the tee after his driver was deemed nonconforming before the PGA Championship.
In that respect, Oakmont was a step forward — even if at times this week he seemed eager to leave this course behind.
“I feel like I’ve driven the ball well all week,” McIlroy said. “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.”
After the Travelers, a return to the other side of the Atlantic looms, and McIlroy is looking forward to it.
“If I can’t get motivated to get up for an Open Championship at home, then I don’t know what can motivate me,” he said. “I just need to get myself in the right frame of mind. I probably haven’t been there the last few weeks.”
Rory McIlroy ends his US Open on a high note with a 67. The next major is in his home country
https://arab.news/n38cr
Rory McIlroy ends his US Open on a high note with a 67. The next major is in his home country
- McIlroy shot a 3-under 67 on Sunday, finishing the US Open at 7 over
Sixth Italian Super Cup in Saudi Arabia underlines Kingdom’s growing maturity as football host
- 2024/25 Serie A champions Napoli are participating for the sixth time, with Coppa Italia winners Bologna making their Super Cup debut after lifting their first domestic cup in 51 years
- Two of the Super Cup’s most successful clubs, Milan rivals Inter and AC Milan – both eight-time winners – will also take part, after finishing runners-up in the Serie A and Coppa Italia respectively
RIYADH: The Italian Super Cup returns to Saudi Arabia this Thursday, December 18, a milestone that reflects more than the appeal of a stellar four-team tournament.
With the tournament set to take place at Al-Awwal Park in Riyadh, the 38th edition of the competition offers a clear illustration of how Saudi’s role as a football host has evolved from novelty to consistency.
2024/25 Serie A champions Napoli are participating for the sixth time, with Coppa Italia winners Bologna making their Super Cup debut after lifting their first domestic cup in 51 years.
Two of the Super Cup’s most successful clubs, Milan rivals Inter and AC Milan – both eight-time winners – will also take part, after finishing runners-up in the Serie A and Coppa Italia respectively.
While high-quality football is expected on the pitch, the tournament’s repeated return to the Kingdom points to a broader shift. When it was staged for the first time in 2018, the match was viewed largely as a one-off showcase.
61,235 fans packed the Al-Inma Stadium in Jeddah to witness a decisive Ronaldo strike that led Juventus to the title at the expense of AC Milan.
That fan presence has not gone unnoticed by clubs themselves. Speaking after Napoli’s arrival in Riyadh, head coach Antonio Conte highlighted how these fixtures are increasingly viewed as an opportunity to connect with supporters beyond Europe.
“Meeting Napoli fans in Riyadh was a great feeling,” Conte said. “Seeing that you have many fans across the world pushes you to do more for them and to continue growing as a club.”
Five editions later, the Super Cup is no longer seen as an experiment, but as part of a wider pattern in Saudi Arabia’s sporting calendar. Here, events aren’t just hosted once, but renewed and repeated.
The Italian Super Cup sits alongside other football events that have established long-term roots in the Kingdom, most notably the Spanish Super Cup, which has returned four times since 2020.
Beyond football, Saudi Arabia has also seen the regular returns of major international events such as the Dakar Rally, the Saudi Arabian Grand Prix, UFC Fight Night and the WTA Finals, reinforcing a hosting model built on delivery rather than spectacle alone.
At the same time, the calendar continues to expand. Recent additions such as LIV Golf, the Islamic Solidarity Games, as well as upcoming events in the form of the Olympic eSports Games, the WWE Royal Rumble and the AFC Asian Cup illustrate Saudi Arabia’s broadening portfolio.
What distinguishes the Italian Super Cup’s return to Saudi Arabia is not its scale, but its familiarity. While novelty is welcome, consistency is now defining Saudi Arabia’s presence on the global sports stage.
As Saudi Arabia continues to build toward future football milestones, the Super Cup’s sixth visit serves as a reminder that growth as a host is increasingly measured by consistency, reliability and the confidence of those who choose to return.
