Rory McIlroy turned his focus towards his “favourite time of the year” as he builds up for a mid-summer doubleheader of links golf.
The Northern Irishman is to begin his preparations for next month’s Genesis Scottish Open and The Open this week as he returns to the UK following the U.S. Open at Shinnecock Hills.
McIlroy finished in a tie for 32nd at the third men's Major Championship of the year in New York over the weekend as American Wyndham Clark held off countryman Sam Burns to win his second U.S. Open title.
He is next set to tee it up competitively in the DP World Tour's second Rolex Series event of the 2026 season from July 9-12 at The Renaissance Club where he will bid to claim the title for a second time, having memorably edged out home favourite Robert MacIntyre in 2023.
That will precede his participation at Royal Birkdale, where the Open Championship is being held, with both events providing McIlroy the opportunity to boost his bid to win the Race to Dubai title for an eighth time.
"I'll be playing some links golf this week probably coming up, but yeah, it's my favourite time of the year to go back home and play, play the Open, and I get to spend a bit of time back there," he said, reflecting on the prospect of returning to the UK.
"This was not too dissimilar to an Open Championship in terms of how the golf course started to play over the weekend, but a bit of links golf over the next couple weeks will be nice.
McIlroy successfully defended the Masters in April to become a six-time Major winner, while he finished tied seventh at last month's US PGA Championship and began strongly at the U.S. Open before a third-round 73 all but ended his title hopes in New York.
Speaking on Sunday, the World Number Two admitted the Long Island course "won the battle over me" as only three players - Clark, Burns and Tom Kim - finished under par.
"I think looking back on the entire week, I'll obviously rue the back nine yesterday," said McIlroy.
"I got myself to two under par for the tournament after nine yesterday, and then the wheels came off and played a really bad back nine.
"I sort of shot myself out of the tournament then. Obviously, I was really disappointed coming away from the course last night."
