Rory McIlroy endured the toughest loss of his career at the 2024 US Open, where he bogeyed three of the final four holes to miss out on a playoff by a single stroke.
The Northern Irishman’s ten-year Major drought continues, and he was filmed making a quick exit out of the parking lot at Pinehurst to head straight home. McIlroy declined all media after agonisingly missing from 4ft on the 72nd hole and was gone by the time champion Bryson DeChambeau had come out of the scorer’s tent.
FAST exit for Rory. His greatest heartbreak yet? pic.twitter.com/3vEeOjSvtCJune 16, 2024
So was he in the wrong? And can he be forgiven due to the high intensity of the situation?
Four Golf Monthly writers have their say…
Nick Bonfield
No, he shouldn’t have done that. It’s easy for me to say, but he should have faced the music, like Mito Pereira did at the 2022 PGA and like Norman, Scott, Van de Velde and countless others have done over the years.
Not addressing it straight away could build it up even more in his mind, too. I think he’ll look back on his actions with regret.
It’s certainly not the best of looks and I can understand those in the media who think it is our right to hear from a high profile, well-paid sportsperson immediately after such a big moment like that.
But I think we should cut him some slack. Not sticking around for half an hour to congratulate DeChambeau isn’t his finest moment, and I agree with Nick that he will regret it a little. Especially after DeChambeau congratulated Schauffele just a month ago at Valhalla.
A press conference or even TV interviews would have been highly emotional, where we would have almost certainly seen McIlroy break down in tears based on the 2019 Open and 2021 Ryder Cup. We didn’t necessarily need to see that, and the moment was about DeChambeau anyway. Perhaps he could have put out a statement a couple of hours later thanking the fans, USGA and expressing his disappointment and desire to get back out competing.
I am certain he would have text Bryson congratulations on Sunday evening and maybe even apologized for not shaking his hand at the end. And I am sure DeChambeau understands. He had some very nice words for McIlroy afterwards, too.
Jonny Leighfield
He wasn’t “right” to do it, clearly, as it’s not a good look and he…
..
Click Here to Read the Full Original Article at Golf Monthly…