Rory McIlroy had a Sunday to forget at the 2024 U.S. Open.
As the Northern Irishman closed in on his first major win since 2014, he scored bogeys on three of the last four holes and missed two putts within four feet.
The disastrous finish allowed Bryson DeChambeau to claim the lead and his second U.S. Open trophy. McIlroy quickly left the Pinehurst course without talking to reporters.
The veteran golfer was mum for about a day before he broke his silence with a statement posted to X, formerly known as Twitter.
Here’s what McIlroy had to say regarding his U.S. Open collapse, DeChambeau, and his future in golf.
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What did Rory McIlroy say in his statement?
McIlroy addressed his U.S. Open performance in a statement posted to X on Monday.
“Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer,” McIlroy wrote. “… As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 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.”
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) June 17, 2024
McIlroy congratulated DeChambeau in his statement, saying the American golfer is “a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now.”
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DeChambeau spoke on McIlroy’s collapse after his U.S. Open win and noted that the Northern Irishman will win another major soon.
“For him to miss that putt, I would never wish that on anybody,” DeChambeau said. “I think that fire in him is only going to continue to grow. He’s going to win more major championships.”
As for McIlroy’s future in golf, he plans to keep playing but is taking a few weeks off to process the situation.
“I feel closer to winning my next major championships than I ever have,” McIlroy wrote. “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.”
McIlroy said he will be back golfing at the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon in July.