McIlroy Merion Ironman Plan

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Rory McIlroy believes his iron play at Merion this week could be the key to winning a second US Open title.

The world No 2 notched his first major success when he won the US Open at Congressional in 2011 and he has been encouraged by the recent rain in Pennsylvania with his iron play "dialled in".

McIlroy said: "I did not really enjoy Olympic last year. I much prefer this sort of golf when you hit a shot and it stays where you think it's going to stay.

"It's still pretty tight and when you hit it in the rough you are not going to make birdie from there.

"I expect the scores to be lower than usual in the US Open but I don't think you will see scores like Congressional.

"It's probably going to play into my hands a bit more and my iron play is dialled in. As long as I can put it in the fairway I can take advantage of it."

McIlroy has been paired with Tiger Woods and Masters champion Adam Scott in the opening two rounds as the USGA continued their tradition of putting the world's top three in the same group.

The 24-year-old, who won last year's US PGA Championship, said: "It's always nice to be part of a group like that.

"It's something I am excited about. I like it because there is a lot of buzz and atmosphere and it gets you focused from the first shot.

"The two majors I have won I was coming in without many expectations. In 2011 the US Open was just after the Masters (where he blew a four-shot lead with a closing 80) and last year I missed three cuts in a row before the US PGA.

"It's great to have my name on the US Open trophy and I would like to have it on there a few more times."

Merion a Tough Test - GMAC

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Graeme McDowell believes Merion will provide the toughest test at a US Open he has seen.

The Ryder Cup star believes many of his rivals are underestimating the course which has been battered by rain in the last few days.

That does not suit the Northern Irishman, who prefers hard and fast courses, such as at Pebble Beach, scene of his 2010 US Open triumph.

"I don't think it's going to be a low-scoring US Open," said McDowell.

"I hope it's not going to be a low-scoring US Open. Everyone is saying that it's going to be 62's and 63's on this golf course, which I kind of disagree with at the minute. I think they're underestimating it.

"I think there's 10 or 11 holes on this course that are as tough as any US Open I've seen. The last five holes, I can't think of a tougher finish at a US Open.

"A firmer, faster US Open is going to suit a guy like me, who is not the longest off the tee. At Congressional I liked the way it was set up initially and then by the time the rains came down and Rory split the fairway 14 times out of 14, 330 down the middle and decimated the place, it was never going to really be my kind of US Open.

"I guess you've got to roll with the punches. You have to take what you get. Someone is going to pick up the trophy. You've got to get the attitude right.

"My US Open experiences have certainly been great but you can't really expect anything.

"I've won a US Open and was runner-up last year, but I know it doesn't mean anything. I'm the same as the other 149 guys here this week.

"I've got to go out and execute my game plan, trying to hang tough when it gets tough out there, which is inevitable."

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Soft Days for Padraig Harrington

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Padraig Harrington feels the persistent rain in Pennsylvania will mean that officials will find it tough to defend the Merion lay-out.

The course in Ardmore has been bombarded by a deluge of rain over the past few days leaving the track - which is short by modern standards at under 7,000 yards - in decidedly soggy condition.

Thus with the greens set to be very receptive and a number of shorter par-four holes to attack, Harrington is expecting the players to take advantage.

"The one defence of the short holes was the firm greens and tough pin positions which makes them very difficult," the Dubliner told Sky Sports. "But it doesn't matter how tough they get the pin positions; if we're hitting a wedge into a soft green, we can hit it close."

Persistent rain on Monday meant that many players were unable to get in a full practice round at Merion, a course which is hosting its first major championship for some 32 years.

But three-time major champ Harrington insists that will not prove a huge problem, claiming that most players know what to expect when they compete at a US Open tournament.

Fairways and greens

"The key is not to get too bothered about it (the weather)," he continued. "The good thing with the US Open, to be honest, is that 18 holes of practice is plenty for a US Open style golf course.

"You've got to hit the fairways and hit the greens, it's not like you've got to spend a lot of time working out the golf course."

The plentiful rain has led many observers to revise their opinions about the profile of a potential winner, but Harrington insists he is not sure exactly who the soggy conditions will favour.

"It's hard to know, does it suit a big long hitter or does it suit a straight hitter... or a guy slightly in between? It will suit the guy who plays well, makes good decisions and holes putts and hopefully it's me this week," he concluded.

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