Rory McIlroy has announced he will take “a few weeks away” from the game to process his loss to Bryson DeChambeau at the 2024 US Open.
The Northern Irishman had been down for a press conference at the Travelers Championship on Wednesday on the PGA Tour, which would’ve been three days after surrendering the US Open title at Pinehurst in dramatic fashion.
“Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer,” he said in a statement posted on Monday evening.
“Firstly, I’d like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that.
“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. But, as I always try to do, I’ll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.
(All images courtesy of USGA)
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Rory McIlroy US Open disappointment will see him take time away from the game
“As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I’ve shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.
“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 Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon.”
McIlroy led DeChambeau in North Carolina by two shots with five holes left in pursuit of his fifth major and first since 2014. He missed a putt from just over two feet on hole 16 and just under four feet on hole 18 which led to crucial bogeys.
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He finished one shot behind the American who won his second US Open title. McIlroy’s major drought will extend to a full decade if he fails to win The Open in Scotland next month.
After being filmed watching DeChambeau roar home his winning putt on a TV screen at the golf course on Sunday evening, McIlroy swiftly left the venue without congratulating DeChambeau or speaking to the media.
DeChambeau needed a par on the final hole to win his second major title. After finding the bunker short of the putting surface of Pinehurt’s famed 18th hole, he made a remarkable up-and-down and celebrated jubilantly.
Shane Lowry, McIlroy’s fellow Irishman, Ryder Cup teammate and winning Zurich Classic of New Orleans partner, issued a message of support on social media.
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