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Wayne Riley: Why Brooks Koepka's PGA Championship victory can motivate Rory McIlroy at US Open

Rory McIlroy has previously described himself as a "sacrificial lamb" for his role as spokesman for the PGA Tour before their new deal with the Saudi Arabia's PIF; Can he bounce back to end his major drought at the US Open? Wayne 'Radar' assesses his chances...

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Former world No.1 Rory McIlroy says playing at the US Open is a different challenge as he walks the course at the Los Angeles Country Club

Everything that has been happening with LIV and the amalgamation of the PGA Tour and DP World Tour has taken something away from Rory McIlroy on the course, there's no doubt about that.

I think it's almost now at the point where McIlroy is going to walk around and go, 'okay, I've done the right thing, no one's really backed me up, I really know who my friends are right now and I'm off to start beating you again.

I know how Rory thinks and once he gets the bit between his teeth, then look out. He can now just go back to thinking about playing and very little else, which is why he would have decided not to have a press conference ahead of the US Open.

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Sky Sports reporter Jamie Weir is at the Los Angeles Country Club and explains why Rory McIlroy skipped his usual Tuesday press conference

I've seen some people question whether McIlroy is still part of the "big three" with Brooks Koepka, Jon Rahm and Scottie Scheffler, but good luck to you if you're brave enough to leave him out of that! McIlroy is a star and this fresh start could be exactly what he needs.

McIlroy has won 23 PGA Tour events and already got three FedExCups sat at home - how many have those other guys I've just mentioned won between them?! He won the FedExCup as recently as last year and has won on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour this season, so it's not that bad!

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After his opening round at the Canadian Open, Rory McIlroy admits his press conference to address the PGA-LIV merger was the most uncomfortable he's felt in the past year

Something McIlroy possibly needed was for Koepka to get to five majors with him still stuck on four, as it will give him that added motivation to get back to just thinking about winning golf tournaments.

No other golfer plays badly and finishes in the top 10 in the same way that McIlroy does. He pumps out top-10s for fun and he has managed just that in his last three appearances, despite not being near his best. It really is unbelievable!

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As Rory McIlroy prepares to win his first major title since the 2014 PGA Championship, take a look at the best bits from his final round at Valhalla

Off the course, let's all just hope this mess about golf's future get sorted and we get some clarity on it soon, so we get back to watching the greatest players together more often. That's what we want, the players want and the punters at home want.

Whatever happens, it's not all doom and gloom like some people would have you believe! We don't know all the details just yet, but one thing for certain is that McIlroy is going to be involved in our game in a big, big way.

Tough challenge ahead at the US Open?

I'm not sure it's a McIlroy golf course at Los Angeles Country Club because his driving is his strength and he doesn't tend to win on firm golf courses. He has never won at single-figure golf, it's always 'going low' golf.

If you look at when he won the US Open at Congressional in 2011, it was very soft and drove the ball very well on his way to winning by eight shots. Once it gets a little bouncy, a little fiery, which this can, it takes the artillery out of his hand.

Around the greens is heavy, rough, heavy rough, just like you'd expect the US Open to be, and the greens are going to be rock hard. It's going to be difficult to access flags from the rough, so finding the fairways will be key more than usual this week.

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Watch the US Open live on Sky Sports from June 15th, as Matt Fitzpatrick defends his title at the Los Angeles Country Club

Brooks Koepka is going to be there or thereabouts and is full of confidence after the PGA Championship win, while Scottie Scheffler is playing better than everyone from tee to green but is not putting very well. There's also Jon Rahm, who had an unbelievable start to the year but hasn't been firing on all cylinders more recently.

"It's going to require a genius around the greens this week and not necessarily a long hitter, but there's so many players coming into this week with a chance. My tip? Jordan Spieth, because everyone is going to be chipping out of this fescue grass and I think his short game is better than anyone else.

Who will win the US Open? Watch the third men's major of the year exclusively live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 3pm on Sky Sports Golf.