Rory McIlroy Announces Break From Golf After U.S. Open Loss
Rory McIlroy is having a tough time recovering from his U.S. Open loss. The Northern Irish golfer narrowly lost to 2020 champion Bryson DeChambeau, and McIlroy had an emotional reaction to coming up short.
DeChambeau won by just one stroke in the final round of the tournament on June 16. It would have been McIlroy's first major trophy in 10 years, but after his last-minute loss, he left the course without congratulating the American golfer.
Now, the 35-year-old is sharing his honest thoughts on what happened and what he plans to do next, while also giving kudos to DeChambeau. "Firstly, l'd like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that," he wrote on X.
"Yesterday was a tough day—probably the toughest l've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer," he said. "As I reflect on my week, l'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the two missed putts on [holes] 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."
Ultimately, while it was a bruising loss, he isn't losing sight of his goal.
"As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have," he said. "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."
Before diving back into preparations for his next competition, McIlroy wants to spend some time recharging. It won't be long, however, until he's back on the links in July.
"I'm going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon," he concluded. "See you in Scotland."
— Rory McIlroy (@McIlroyRory) June 17, 2024
The Genesis Scottish Open is set for July 11–14. The Open, the oldest golf tournament in the world, holds its 152nd edition July 14–21.