Golf insider passes major Rory McIlroy verdict after the 36-YO's start at the 2025 US Open

Rory McIlroy is competing in the 2025 US Open at Oakmont Country Club. The tournament is currently underway, and McIlroy is one of the biggest golfers involved. There were questions surrounding him before the event, as his play had suffered since the driver controversy at the PGA Championship. Interestingly, there are new reports on the incident, and according to them, McIlroy has dealt with the situation.

Golf insider Brandel Chamblee recently talked about McIlroy. He stated in an X post that the 36-year-old took a driver's test at Oakmont Country Club's Hole 12. Intriguingly, the Northern Irishman passed the test and ended round one with a birdie at Hole 12.

"First driver test of the week for Rory at the 12th, in the fairway 392 yards off the tee. He passed," Chamblee wrote.

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As of writing, Rory McIlroy has completed the opening eight holes on the back nine of round one. So far, he has a total score of 2-under par, tying for third place.

How much money did Rory McIlroy make during the PGA Championship?

PGA: U.S. Open - First Round - Source: Imagn

The 2025 PGA Championship was not perfect for Rory McIlroy. He entered the event in fantastic form and was undoubtedly one of the fan favourites to win it all. Unfortunately, due to the driver controversy, he was unable to perform to his full potential and finished tied for 45th. He finished with a total score of 287, which was three shots higher than par.

To achieve this, Rory McIlroy earned a total of $49,190, while the winner, Scottie Scheffler, got $3,420,000. Regarding the other prize distribution of the top 50 golfers, here's a look at it:

Win: Scottie Scheffler, -11/273, $3,420,000
T-2: Bryson DeChambeau, -6/278, $1,418,666.67
T-2: Harris English, -6/278, $1,418,666.67
T-2: Davis Riley, -6/278, $1,418,666.67
T-5: Jhonattan Vegas, -5/279, $694,700
T-5: Taylor Pendrith, -5/279, $694,700
T-5: J.T. Poston, -5/279, $694,700
T-8: Jon Rahm, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Si Woo Kim, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Keegan Bradley, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Matt Fitzpatrick, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Joe Highsmith, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Denny McCarthy, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Ryan Gerard, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Ben Griffin, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-8: Joaquin Niemann, -4/280, $454,781.11
T-17: Alex Noren, -3/281, $290,925
T-17: Matt Wallace, -3/281, $290,925
T-19: Tony Finau, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Adam Scott, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Cam Davis, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Harry Hall, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Taylor Moore, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Aaron Rai, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Beau Hossler, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Corey Conners, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-19: Sam Burns, -2/282, $193,442.22
T-28: Alex Smalley, -1/283, $115,820
T-28: Viktor Hovland, -1/283, $115,820
T-28: Marco Penge, -1/283, $115,820
T-28: Xander Schauffele, -1/283, $115,820
T-28: Ryan Fox, -1/283, $115,820
T-33: Max Greyserman, E/284, $89,192.50
T-33: Maverick McNealy, E/284, $89,192.50
T-33: Thorbjorn Olesen, E/284, $89,192.50
T-33: Daniel Berger, E/284, $89,192.50
T-37: Lucas Glover, +1/285, $75,422.50
T-37: Ryo Hisatsune, +1/285, $75,422.50
T-37: J.J. Spaun, +1/285, $75,422.50
T-37: Richard Bland, +1/285, $75,422.50
T-41: Matthieu Pavon, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-41: Michael Thorbjornsen, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-41: Eric Cole, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-41: Nico Echavarria, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-41: Tommy Fleetwood, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-41: Nicolai Hojgaard, +2/286, $60,676.67
T-47: Robert MacIntyre, +3/287, $49,190
T-47: Cameron Young, +3/287, $49,190
T-47: Rory McIlroy, +3/287, $49,190
T-50: Wyndham Clark, +4/288, $40,674
T-50: Tom McKibbin, +4/288, $40,674
T-50: Christiaan Bezuidenhout, +4/288, $40,674
T-50: Collin Morikawa, +4/288, $40,674
T-50: Kevin Yu, +4/288, $40,674

After this tournament, Rory McIlroy also competed in the RBC Canadian Open, but failed to make the cut. He had a respectable first round of 1-over par, but his second round of 8-over par wrecked his chances in the tournament.

Fans are now expecting McIlroy to make a successful comeback, and what better way to do so than a major?

About the author

Anurag Bhardwaj is a Golf Journalist at Sportskeeda. With over three years of experience writing about various sports, Anurag has drawn inspiration from numerous icons, ranging from WWE’s Roman Reigns to NFL superstar Patrick Mahomes. His passion for storytelling spans across different sports, all while pursuing a Bachelor's degree in Dental Surgery, and he hopes to continue blending both his professions.

A single spark ignited his love for golf, and now he follows the sport with unwavering enthusiasm. Whether it’s the Masters or the Arnold Palmer Invitational, Anurag is always ready for a deep dive into the action. Through his writing, he brings the latest happenings from the golf world straight to the fans' screens. And while he dreams of stepping onto a golf course someday, he remains in awe of Scottie Scheffler’s precision, all while striving to become a great doctor.

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Edited by Samya Majumdar