Watch: Rory McIlroy De-Greens Putt Before Chipping In For Miracle Par At US Open

McIlroy made a difficult start to his second round after holding a share of the overnight lead before a huge par save on the eighth hole

Rory McIlroy weighs up a putt at the 2024 US Open - inset photo shows 17th hole chip-in during round two
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Jonny Leighfield
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published

The saying goes that it's not making a mistake that defines you, it's how you recover from it. Well, in that case, Rory McIlroy is an absolute genius.

Heading into Friday, the World No.3 held a share of the overnight lead at the 2024 US Open after a magnificent bogey-free round of 65 at Pinehurst No.2 the previous day.

But a rough start threatened to kick McIlroy backwards hard. Two bogeys in his first seven holes dropped the 2011 US Open champion back to three-under for the tournament hours before Patrick Cantlay had even blasted his drive down the first on Friday.

And the situation almost became a little worse for the Northern Irishman, despite giving himself a long-range birdie chance from across the majority of the par-3 17th green.

Faced with an awkward putt to a pin that was very close to a nasty slope, McIlroy was a little too adventurous with his first stroke and watched his golf ball trickle off the shortest grass before settling some 15 to 20 yards away off the gradual false front.

Watch Rory McIlroy’s De-Green And Chip-In:

Then came the clever part. The four-time Major winner backed up pre-championship comments about being a much better wedge player than people perhaps give him credit for by skipping a chip into the front of the hole.

As the watching broadcast team noted, "it was a three all the way" and ensured McIlroy only putted once on a green that he was on in regulation but still came away with a par. At the turn, the 35-year-old remained two-over for the day and three-under for the championship.

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Jonny Leighfield
Jonny Leighfield
Staff Writer

Jonny Leighfield is our Staff News Writer who joined Golf Monthly just in time for the 2023 Solheim Cup and Ryder Cup. He graduated from the University of Brighton with a degree in Sport Journalism in 2017 and spent almost five years as the sole sports reporter at his local newspaper. During his time with Golf Monthly, Jonny has interviewed several stars of the game, including Robert MacIntyre, Ian Poulter, Lee Westwood, and Joaquin Niemann. An improving golfer himself, Jonny enjoys learning as much about the game as he can and recently reached his Handicap goal of 18 for the first time. He attended both the 150th and 151st Open Championships and dreams of attending The Masters one day.

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