McIlroy’s secret to winning at the US Open

In 1895, James Walker Tuft’s vision to create a “health resort for people of modern means” in North Carolina was dreamed up in the peace and tranquillity of the surrounding countryside. Nearly 120-years later, Northern Ireland’s Rory McIlroy is hoping there are no disruptions on the Pinehurst golf course for what will be the 113th US Open.

The 11/1 favourite, who has just split from tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, moves onto North Carolina this week, and has revealed he will be keeping his phone switched off during the tournament to avoid any distractions.

“Sometimes you become dependent on all this new technology so it’s nice to go back a bit,” the McIlroy said.

“I’ve just stuck my head right into golf and got on with it.”

He added: “I’ve got back to what I do best, which is being out there practising, playing golf and getting ready for the biggest tournaments in the world.”

McIlroy, who had a respectable US Masters at Augusta, tied in a career-high eighth place for that event, followed it up with a victory at the BMW PGA at Wentworth, and a second-placed finish at the Memorial Tournament in Ohio.

The Northern Irishman said: “I am really happy where my game is at, coming off a nice win at Wentworth a few weeks ago and a decent performance at Memorial.”

While the course at Pinehurst has some of the best views on the circuit, McIlroy knows it will be challenging.

“The fairways are a little bit more generous. There’s no rough but if you hit it into the native areas then anything could happen.

“It’s going to be the first US Open for several years which is going to play firm.

“It is going to be a real tricky test and a lot of patience is going to be required this week.”

Defending champion Justin Rose is 28/1 and knows what it takes to win the tournament after an impressive showing last time round, while both Lee Westwood and Luke Donald are at 40/1.

Also up against McIlory, who won the competition in 2011, is Australia’s Adam Scott at 14/1 and is expected to mount a significant contest, after a disappointing US Masters campaign. Native Matt Kuchar, who finished tied for fifth in Augusta and is in good form could be a surprise outsider at 28/1, and is in a confident mood.

“I always believe in a golfing god,” Kuchar said. “I believe that if I keep plugging away, things are going to go my way.”

That may be, though if McIlroy performs to his best everyone will have a fight on their hands.