Rory McIlroy has pulled out of the final signature event of the PGA Tour season, skipping the Travelers Championship.
The Northern Irishman has played in five of the eight signature events this year, as he opts out of competing at TPC River Highlands.
The Grand Slam champion missed other signature events, including the Cadillac Championship and the RBC Heritage, this year.
McIlroy has only teed off in nine PGA Tour or PGA Tour co-sanctioned events this year, needing to feature in six more events to meet the minimum requirements.
Scottie Scheffler will headline the field at the event, being joined by Cameron Young and Matthew Fitzpatrick.
McIlroy is currently in action in the US Open, chasing his second major of the year after winning the Masters in April.
The Northern Irishman recorded a 69 in round one and a 71 in round two, heading into the weekend on level par.
Shinnecock Hills has proved incredibly challenging for the players, with the fast greens and tough conditions making it hard to shoot low.
Rory McIlroy will miss the Travelers Championship
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McIlroy said: “If there’s a course where you feel like you still have a chance if you’re seven back going into the weekend like I am, it’s definitely this one.
“I know that everyone else in the field is going to make bogeys, so if I can limit my mistakes and pick off a few birdies here and there, hole a couple more 20 to 25-footers than other guys, that’s really the strategy.
“You can’t go chasing pins around here. You can’t try to be too aggressive; today for me was a prime example.
“I was a little too aggressive to the pin on 11, a little too aggressive to the pin on 12 – all of a sudden, just two bogeys in a row out of nowhere.”
McIlroy shot a 69 and a 71 in the opening couple of round of the US Open
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“I think you still have to play smart, try to keep the ball under the hole, hit it into the middles of the greens and take your chances when they present themselves.”
Wyndham Clark has been the standout performer so far in the US Open, shooting an incredible 64 in round one.
The American has been in control, with either a crumble in the third and fourth rounds or one of the chasing pack breaking through to prevent him from winning a second US Open.
A year ago, the 32-year-old ruined a locker in the historic Oakmont clubhouse after missing the cut in the defence of his title.
Wyndham Clark has been the standout performer so far in the US Open
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Fast-forward 12 months, and the American could breathe easier, being comfortably ahead after a one-under 69 kept the lead at four after round two.
He said: “I’ve gotten a lot of grief since last year, rightfully so. The thing that’s unfortunate is that’s not who I am, what happened last year.
“I’m hoping I can win back the fans that I had or some new fans because it was a terrible incident.
“I really feel like I can show people that I’m fun and outgoing, I’m fierce, competitive, love the game, respect the game, and I just had a bad moment.”
