Star Metro - McIlroy sees calmer fans and no lost US Open course

The six-time major winner from Northern Ireland said Tuesday fans at Shinnecock have been fine after McIlroy was profanely heckled beyond reason at the Ryder Cup last September just down the road at Bethpage Black.

"The Ryder Cup is us versus them, very partisan. It's just a different beast," McIlroy said. "Was it a rough week for me at times? Absolutely. If that's a price to pay to live the life I'm living, then I'm OK with that."

World number two McIlroy has signed autographs and found fans much calmer in practice rounds.

"It was great. It was amazing. Look, New York is New York, and they're going to make their voices heard," he said. "But that's a good thing. That's a good atmosphere to play in."

McIlroy, 37, also said he has no worries Shinnecock course managers will "lose the course" as many players complained was done in 2004 and 2018, the past two times Shinnecock hosted the US Open.

Green speeds were so fast balls would not stay on the greens, with gusting winds taking a toll also, forcing groundskeepers to water greens between groups.

"We've seen what's happened here the last two US Opens. It doesn't need to get that fast to play incredibly difficult and challenging," McIlroy said.

"As the week goes on, you have the ability for the course to get firmer and faster -- with this golf course, only up until a certain point."

- 'Try to make it fair' -

McIlroy warned greens are already so fast they might require slowing before expected high winds for Thursday's opening round.

"They certainly don't need to be any faster," McIlroy said. "With the wind they are expecting on Thursday, it seems they would want to get the greens back, just because of how heavy the wind is gong to be, gusts 35-40 mph.

"There were only gusts of 25-30 yesterday and balls wouldn't stand on the 11th green. That's where you just have to use a little bit of caution."

Organizers plan to water greens between groups on Thursday and Friday before the cut to ensure both draw halves face the same test.

"You want to try to protect the competitive integrity of the tournament and try to make it somewhat fair for everyone," said McIlroy.

"At least they have time, if they need to put a lot of water on the golf course early, and then they let it sort of naturally dry out as the day goes on, they have the ability to do that at the weekend, which I think makes life a little bit easier for them.

"Thursday-Friday, they're just going to have to manage a little bit better."

Members told McIlroy that Shinnecock greens usually gets watered in the early afternoon as they will be Thursday and Friday.

"When I first heard of it, my first reaction was, that's stupid, why are they doing that?" McIlroy said. "Then once you actually listen and you've let them break it down to you, you're like, yeah, that makes sense.

"It seems like it's just something they have to do. My concern was you don't want to look as if you've lost the golf course and you're starting to put water on it, which is I don't think what they're going to do.

"Especially with the heaviness of the wind on Thursday, it's probably prudent to do that."

V.Watson--SMC