Rory McIlroy taking a break from golf after ‘toughest’ day at US Open
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Rory McIlroy of Northern Ireland looking back at the pin after putting on the 18th green during the final round of the US Open.
PHOTO: EPA-EFE
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MIAMI – Rory McIlroy said on June 17 that he plans to take a short break from golf after describing his epic US Open collapse as probably the “toughest” day of his professional career.
In his first public comments since his meltdown at Pinehurst a day earlier that allowed Bryson DeChambeau to claim a one-shot victory, he said his next event will be the July 11-14 Scottish Open, a warmup for the British Open.
“Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer,” said the Northern Irishman, who has withdrawn from this week’s Travelers Championship in Connecticut.
McIlroy, who left Pinehurst swiftly without speaking to the media, squandered a two-shot lead with five holes to play, making bogeys on three of the last four holes to surrender a winning position to DeChambeau.
Two of the bogeys came from missed putts of less than four feet.
It was the latest agonising near miss for McIlroy in his attempts to end a decade-long pursuit of a fifth Major.
The 35-year-old now has 21 top-10 finishes, including four runner-ups, since his last Major in 2014 when he secured his second PGA Championship.
He insisted, however, that he believed the positives outweighed the negatives from his US Open disaster, the second straight year that he finished second.
Last season he also lost to Wyndham Clark by a stroke.
“As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the two missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day,” McIlroy said.
“But as I always try to do, I’ll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.
“As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel close to winning my next Major championship than I ever have.
“I’ve shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.”
He added: “I’m going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defence of the Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon.”
McIlroy’s next three chances to end his Major drought are at the British Open; the 2025 Masters, the only Major he has yet to win in his career; and the 2025 PGA Championship at Quail Hollow, a course where he has won four PGA Tour events.
Although his defeat was heartbreaking, he also paid tribute to the charismatic DeChambeau, describing the American LIV Golf player as a worthy US Open champion.
“I’d like to congratulate Bryson,” McIlroy said.
“He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that.” AFP, REUTERS
