Is Rory McIlroy leading the US Open field in driving distance? A look at the golfer’s shots

Rory McIlroy is in some form at the US Open. He is just a stroke behind the leaders, Rickie Fowler and Wyndham Clark. A more interesting point of his game has been the driving distance. Rory, one of the game's biggest hitters, shot 388 yards off the tee on the first hole on Saturday at Los Angeles Country Club.

McIlroy is averaging 382 yards off the tee in the three opening holes he has played this week. This is more than insane hitters like Bryson Dechambeau. The par-5 1st was distanced at 594, 581, and 594 yards over three days, and Rory made birdies every time.

However, DeChambeau is second in the average driving distance at 329.9 yards in 54 holes. The Northern Irishman is 10th on the list with an average driving distance of 322 yards.

It's not just the huge drives but the accuracy as well that have resulted in McIlroy doing well in the third major of the season. He is T6 in the fairways hit with a total of 79%. He also leads the Greens in regulation with a total of 81%.

Rory's putting game hasn't been at its best, but it hasn't been bad either. He averages 1.75 and sits at T20 in putting.

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Can Rory McIlroy end his nine-year major championship drought at the US Open 2023?

Rory McIlroy reacts to his missed putt at the 123rd US Open Championship - Round Three

Rory McIlroy posted a 1-under 69 on Saturday to aggregate at 9-under after 54 holes. This meant he finished just behind Fowler and Clark after three rounds.

The 2023 US Open has come as an opportunity for the 35-year-old golfer to end his nine-year drought of winning the major. His last major championship win came in the 2014 PGA Championship, which was his fourth major championship triumph.

It was expected that Rory would win several more in the coming years, but that didn't happen. Brooks Koepka, who won his first major three years after McIlroy's last, surpassed his tally by claiming the 2023 PGA Championship, his fifth major title.

Last year, McIlroy made it into the top 10 of all four majors, including the runner-up finish at the Masters, but couldn't get past the final hurdle. This year, he failed to make the cut at Augusta National.

Following his exit at the Masters, he decided to take a break for a few weeks, even if that meant he had to pay a huge fine for skipping a designated event.

The former World No. 1 then returned with a tie for seventh at Oak Hill. Now, the US Open has given him a chance to silence his critics. If McIlroy maintains his consistency, the fifth major doesn't seem too far away.

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When will Rory McIlroy resume play at the US Open 2023?

Rory McIlroy will tee off from hole 1 at 5:19 pm on Sunday, June 18. McIlroy is paired with Scottie Scheffler. Scheffler is placed fourth at 7-under. Harris English sits in fifth, a stroke behind World No. 1.