Rory McIlroy missed two crucial putts to miss out on the US Open (Image: Getty)
Sir Nick Faldo has admitted that Rory McIlroy will be haunted “for the rest of his” by his two agonising missed putts at the climax of the US Open. McIlroy looked to be closing in on his first major win since 2014 but saw victory slip through his fingers on the final few holes.
Bryson DeChambeau had started the day with a three-shot lead but a rally from McIlroy, with four birdies in five holes from the ninth onwards, saw him move two shots clear at the top of the leaderboard. The Northern Irishman still held a one-shot lead going into the final three holes, but two heartbreaking missed putts allowed DeChambeau to claim his second US Open title with a par putt on the last.
It means that McIlroy’s decade-long wait for his fifth major win continues. And Sky Sports commentator Sir Nick Faldo perfectly summed up his dramatic defeat: “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life, those two misses.”
Faldo, a six-time major winner, added: “It was an unbelievable finish. That was a four of all fours to finish from Bryson and the celebration of all celebrations!
“Rory will be broken-hearted, so I feel for him. He’s going to be gutted, absolutely gutted.”
McIlroy did not speak to the media after being on the wrong end of such a dramatic finale. Meanwhile, DeChambeau was graceful in victory and took a moment to send his commiserations to McIlroy in his post-match interview after such a gut-wrenching end to his opponent’s final round at Pinehurst.
Bryson DeChambeau won the US Open after Rory McIlroy’s missed putts (Image: Getty)
“For him to miss that putt (on 18), 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.
“I have nothing but respect for how he plays the game of golf because, to be honest, when he was climbing up the leaderboard, he was two ahead, I was like, ‘Uh-oh, uh-oh’. But luckily things went my way.”
DeChambeau ended day four with a score of one-over, finishing on six-under overall, but held his nerve just enough, sinking four par putts in the final five holes to get the victory. The shocking nature of McIlroy’s collapse was best illustrated by golf statistician Justin Ray, who highlighted that the 35-year-old had converted all 496 putts inside three feet this season before his crucial miss on the 16th.
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McIlroy’s final miss at the 18th was nine inches outside that distance but still showed how fortune ultimately favoured DeChambeau on Sunday, who saved par on the last after landing in the bunker. It is the second major title win of DeChambeau’s career, following his triumph at the 2020 US Open.
The next opportunity for McIlroy to win his elusive fifth major title will be at the Open Championship at Royal Troon next month. The world number three has been in fine form, winning the Dubai Desert Classic and Wells Fargo Championship, but that will currently be little consolation to McIlroy as he deals with such an emotional defeat.
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