Devastated Rory McIlroy high-tailed it from Pinehurst Resort on Sunday with out chatting with media after throwing away a wonderful probability to finish a decade-long hunt for a fifth main as Bryson DeChambeau was awarded the U.S. Open trophy.
Often a gracious competitor in defeat, McIlroy couldn’t abdomen this newest setback nor escape Pinehurst quick sufficient as he loaded up his automotive, bought behind the wheel and left the property.
McIlroy was in prime place to finish his barren run on the majors however shockingly missed two par putts inside of 4 toes over his final three holes and finally completed one stroke again of DeChambeau.
It marked the fourth runner-up end in a significant for the Northern Irishman together with finally 12 months’s U.S. Open, however none got here in a extra crushing vogue.
“He’ll win a number of extra main championships. There isn’t any doubt,” DeChambeau stated.
“I believe that fireside in him goes to proceed to develop.”
McIlroy started the day three pictures again of 54-hole chief DeChambeau however, bolstered by a scorching stretch across the flip the place he had 4 birdies throughout 5 holes, had a two-shot lead with 5 holes to play.
The wheels began to return off when McIlroy bogeyed the par-three fifteenth the place he didn’t stand up and down after his tee shot rolled off the again of the inexperienced.
He then made a second consecutive bogey when, for the primary time all season, he missed a par putt from inside three toes.
McIlroy left the door open for DeChambeau when he missed the golf green at gap 18, superior it simply off the entrance of the inexperienced along with his subsequent shot, chipped it simply previous the outlet after which watched his par putt from inside 4 toes lip out.
“For him to overlook that putt, I would by no means want it on anyone. It simply occurred to play out that approach.” DeChambeau stated.
As DeChambeau scrambled brilliantly for par on the ultimate gap to seal the win, McIlroy, watching from inside a scoring tent, rapidly reduce a dejected determine and headed to his automotive.
The scene of McIlroy leaving Pinehurst was in stark distinction to final month’s PGA Championship the place runner-up DeChambeau went again to the 18th inexperienced to congratulate Xander Schauffele after a closing birdie sealed his win.
“On the finish of the day we’re all human,” Matthieu Pavon stated, who completed fifth on the U.S. Open, three pictures again of DeChambeau.
“Rory has been chasing one other main [for] a few years. He is likely one of the greatest gamers on this planet, a real champion. It exhibits you the way robust it’s.
“The extra you need it, the harder it will get, and the very best expectation you could have for your self, the harder it will get, the extra stress you bought into.
“Possibly it is a little little bit of stress that bought him right now for positive, however Rory is only a huge champion. I am positive he’ll struggle again and actually quickly.”
McIlroy’s subsequent shot at successful his first main title for the reason that PGA Championship in August 2014 will probably be on the British Open on July 18-21.
