Rory McIlroy ready to roll with the punches for more Major glory

Rory McIlroy insisted he was willing to keep getting "punched in the gut" if that was what was needed to win another Major Championship after a stunning finish on day two put him right in contention at the U.S. Open.

The Northern Irishman won the first of his four Majors at this event in 2011 but has not tasted glory in one of golf's big four since 2014 - although he has won all of golf's other biggest prizes in that time.

After finishing in the top ten in all four last season, hopes were high that he would end his drought and complete the career grand slam at the Masters Tournament in April but he left Augusta National disappointed after missing the cut.

A top ten at last month's US PGA Championship saw him shining on the biggest stage again and McIlroy insists his desire for more Major glory has never been greater.

"I started thinking about winning this thing when I came here on Monday," he said. "I've already done that. No one wants me to win another Major more than I do. The desire is obviously there.

"I've been trying and I've come close over the past nine years or whatever it is, and I keep coming back. I feel like I've showed a lot of resilience in my career, a lot of ups and downs, and I keep coming back.

"And whether that means that I get rewarded or I get punched in the gut or whatever it is, I'll always keep coming back."

After an impressive opening 65 at The Los Angeles Country Club, McIlroy was moving in the wrong direction on day two at one over for his round after 13 holes.

But he then went on one of those runs for which he is so famous, holing from 22 feet at the fifth, leaving himself just six feet at the short par-four next, taking advantage of the par-five eighth and putting his tee-shot to three feet at the ninth.

"I think every Major Championship and every venue is different," he said after reaching eight under. "You just have to play what the course gives you. I feel like I'm hitting the ball well. I've hit it well off the tee.

"I felt like coming into this week that was going to be a key for me if I could put the ball in play. You can play from there and create some scoring opportunities.

"That's really my gameplan over the next couple of days. Put the ball in play off the tee and I think I'll be just fine from there."

McIlroy has long been regarded as one of the finest drivers of a ball in the game and has spoken himself of how he feels his play with the driver can separate him from the rest.

You do not get to his position without being an excellent all-rounder, however, and the 34-year-old is eager to use every weapon at his disposal.

"For whatever reason, I went on to YouTube a few weeks ago and was just looking back at Hoylake in 2014 and I actually couldn't believe how many irons and three-woods and stuff I was hitting off the tee," he said.

"It set something off in my mind about how to do this, how to play smart. You don't have to hit driver all the time. Yes, it's a big weapon, it's a big advantage. But I keep saying I've got more weapons in my arsenal I feel now than I did back then, so I may as well use them and play to them."