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Rory McIlroy's U.S. Open collapse will be his toughest to forget
There's no shortage of major championship failures haunting Rory McIlroy's memories, but the scar left by his epic collapse at the 2024 U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2 will be the toughest to mend.
McIlroy, who entered the final round three strokes back of Bryson DeChambeau, played beautiful golf for three hours. The Northern Irishman sunk a 20-footer for birdie on the first hole to immediately put pressure on the leader. After an unlucky break that led to a bogey on the par-5 fifth, McIlroy went on a brilliant tear that resulted in four birdies in a five-hole stretch.
Suddenly, McIlroy found himself with a two-shot lead with four holes to play. He had one hand on the U.S. Open trophy with the finish line in sight — his 10-year major championship drought finally on life support.
That's why they play 18 holes.
On the par-3 15th, McIlroy hit a flighted-down iron that didn't have enough height to hold the firm green. He ended up short-sided and failed to get up and down from a hairy lie. Dagger No. 1.
On the brutally tough par-4 16th, McIlroy hit two fantastic shots to give himself a 27-footer up the hill for birdie. After lagging his birdie putt to two feet, six inches, the 35-year-old made a visibly tentative stroke and lipped out on the left side. Another bogey, and a two-shot lead evaporated.
Before that miss, McIlroy was 496-for-496 from inside three feet this season, per Justin Ray of The Athletic. Dagger No. 2.
After a clutch up-and-down on the par-3 17th, McIlroy pulled out driver on the par-4 18th and pulled his tee shot left into the sandy native area. He chopped out short of the green and hit a delicate chip to three feet, nine inches. This time, he lipped out on the right side to surrender the lead back to DeChambeau.
— U.S. Open (@usopengolf) June 16, 2024
RORY MISSES ON 18.
Bryson can win the U.S. Open with a par on 18. pic.twitter.com/lSk0ZzzZK2
A par on 18 was all DeChambeau needed to secure his second U.S. Open title. Unlike McIlroy, he conquered the nerves and poured his four-footer right in the center. Dagger No. 3 — the finishing blow.
Losing a major championship in heartbreaking fashion isn't new for McIlroy.
In 2011, McIlroy entered the final round of the Masters with a four-stroke lead, and he choked away the green jacket with an 8-over 80 on Sunday. He held the 54-hole lead again at the 2022 Open Championship at St. Andrews, but he couldn't make a putt in the final round despite hitting every green in regulation. And just last year, McIlroy finished one stroke behind U.S. Open winner Wyndham Clark because he didn't make a birdie after the first hole.
But this collapse feels different.
McIlroy just didn't have it on Sunday in those three tournaments. He did at Pinehurst No. 2, or at least he did for 14 holes. McIlroy was 4-under par on a day when only 13 of 74 players finished in red figures. He was executing his game plan to perfection and drilling high-pressure putts all day.
After he looked up to the leaderboard and saw his name on top for the first time, he missed two putts inside of four feet and went +3 over his last four holes to blow the championship.
This wasn't another instance of a Sunday without his A-game. This was the weight of a decade-long major drought and the immense pressure he puts on himself leading to a textbook choke job.
McIlroy won't be able to forget this pain for a long, long time.
More must-reads:
- Rory McIlroy chokes away U.S. Open with pair of brutal missed putts
- Bryson DeChambeau prevails in dramatic final round battle to win U.S. Open
- Can you name every male golfer to win at least three majors in the last 50 years?
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