During the USGA's all hands on deck presser on Wednesday, John Bodenhammer, the Chief Championship Officer, pointed out that tee times are a full 10 minutes earlier in 2026 than they were for the 2018 U.S. Open at Shinnecock (from 6:45 a.m. ET to 6:35 a.m.). That was a strategic, long-term play by the USGA that leaves them with extra time in between the AM and PM waves, if needed, to "syringe" the greens. Given the winds forecasted, this will likely wind up being a brilliant move, and it's something Rory McIlroy discussed, and ultimately agreed with, on Tuesday: