PITTSBURGH — Rory McIlroy was expecting a little more on Saturday after the way he rebounded from a poor start in the second round of the U.S. Open.

But it didn’t happen ... again.

After making three birdies and just one bogey over the final 15 holes on Friday — and making birdie at No. 18 to ensure getting inside the cut line — the five-time major champion shot 74 in the third round and is at 10-over 220.

“I was hoping to play better, but I didn't,” McIlroy said.

“It's funny, like it's much easier being on the cut line when you don't really care if you're here for the weekend or not. I was sort of thinking, do I really want two more days here or not? So it makes it easier to play better when you're in that mindset.”

Even though McIlroy said Oakmont was playing easier after the course received an inch of rain overnight, it didn’t mean that it was easy. The world’s No. 2 player hit only eight of 14 fairways for the second day in a row and just 10 greens in regulation — his fewest in three days.

His frustration has been evident at Oakmont, including his tomahawk throw of a club at No. 12 and smashing the tee marker at No. 17 on Friday. Saturday, he took a backhand swipe at a flag marker after an indifferent shot at No. 9.

“It's very difficult,” McIlroy said. “You got to be on every single shot. You know if you miss a fairway, you're going to be scrambling for par. You know if you miss your landing spot even coming from the fairways by a couple yards, these greens repel the ball into rough and you're up against collars, and it just makes things very, very tricky. So, yeah, you got to be totally on your game.”

It has been a strange couple months for McIlroy since winning the Masters for the first time and completing the career Grand Slam.

He has admitted to feeling indifferent and finding it difficult to be motivated for subsequent PGA Tour events — including the U.S. Open — saying he is still mentally savoring what he did at Augusta.

Surprisingly, for a player who serves as golf’s unofficial spokesman, McIlroy has also been indifferent to the media. He did not speak to the media after any of the four rounds at the PGA Championship or the first two rounds of the U.S. Open, declining requests from the USGA.

“I feel like I’ve earned the right to do whatever I want to do,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy admitted he was not happy when news leaked out his driver was ruled non-conforming during a random test before the PGA Championship. The same happened with Scottie Scheffler, but that didn’t come out till Scheffler confirmed it after his victory at Quail Hollow.

The PGA Tour does not require its players to speak to the media.

“I hope they don’t change it because it’s a nice luxury to have,” McIlroy said.

McIlroy has finished inside the top 10 of the past six U.S. Open championships, including being runner-up each of the past two years. That does not appear to be his goal for Sunday’s final round.

“Hopefully, a round in under 4 1/2 hours and get out of here,” he said.

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