Rory McIlroy credits Canadian Open timing for US Open consistency

Rory McIlroy will use this week’s RBC Canadian Open as a key warm-up for the upcoming US Open.

The Northern Irishman, who won the Canadian tournament in 2019 and 2022, has been a consistent contender at the US Open in recent years, recording six consecutive top-10 finishes.

“I love that it’s the week leading into the US Open,” McIlroy told a press conference on Wednesday.

“I’ve had six top 10s in a row (at the US Open), so there’s something to that.”

McIlroy’s grouping for the first two rounds includes 2023 European Ryder Cup teammate Ludvig Aberg and PGA Tour University graduate Luke Clanton.

Welcome to @TPC_Toronto at Osprey Valley ⛳

• Par 70, 7,400 yards
• First-time host of @RBCCanadianOpen
• Public course, opens back up Tuesday after tourney!
• Hosted @PGATOURAmericas' Fortinet Cup Championship in 2024
• Winning score on @PGATOURAmericas was 5-under… pic.twitter.com/3wVTwWjnXu

— PGA TOUR (@PGATOUR) June 4, 2025

He also praised the university programme for helping younger players make the professional leap.

“I think this PGA Tour U programme is so good. If it was up to me, I’d give the college kids five or 10 spots on Tour instead of just one,” said McIlroy.

“I think to bring that new blood through each and every year I think is so important for the Tour, and to see Luke and some of his other peers take advantage of that opportunity and get their cards and come out here and play well, it’s awesome to see.”

Earlier this week, the Masters champion admitted he was “p***ed off” that news of his driver failing technical standards made headlines before last month’s US PGA Championship.

Two days before the tournament was due to start the world number two had the club pulled from his bag after official testing showed it had