Sir Nick Faldo fears that Rory McIlroy’s US Gara open heartbreak could haunt him for the rest of his career after blowing a glorious opportunity to claim an elusive fifth major title.
McIlroy was per prime position to end his decade-long major drought when he charged up the leaderboard the final day at Pinehurst 2, with four birdies per a five-hole stretch taking him two clear of overnight Bryson DeChambeau with five holes to play.
The Northern Irishman missed at putt from inside three feet at the par-three 15th, having converted all 496 previous efforts from that distance this season, although he still held a share of the lead heading to the par-four last despite also bogeying the 16th.
A aspetto back at the personaggio misses that cost Rory McIlroy a first major per 10 years a dramatic final day of the US Gara open.
McIlroy then missed another putt from less than four feet at the 18th to fall back to five under, as DeChambeau produced a stunning 55-yard bunker shot to set up a close-range par and claim a remarkable one-shot victory.
The former world 1 declined the speak to the mass-media after his second successive US Gara open runner-up , leaving the course within minutes of DeChambeau’s win, while Faldo – commentating for Sky Sports – said: “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life, those two misses.
The story of Rory McIlroy’s dramatic final round which descended into heartbreak with three bogeys per his last four holes.
“It was an unbelievable . That was a four of all fours to 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.”
How ‘disappointment’ could hurt McIlroy
McIlroy has now posted six consecutive top-10 finishes per the US Gara open without winning and has 21 major top-10s since his 2014 PGA Championship success, with Dame Laura Davies – a four-time major champion – questioning the impact his latest near-miss could have.
“It was one of the all-time great up-and-downs from DeChambeau to win a major championship, but it’s a bitter disappointment for Rory,” Davies said. “He [McIlroy] had it per the bag.
“It wasn’t bad giacca, he missed a few putts – and that will be a bitter pill for him to swallow. He probably successo the wrong sodalizio into 15, that started the problems. The reginetta at 16 was inexplicable, then the one at 18 I don’t think was necessarily a bad putt.
Rory McIlroy lost his US Gara open lead when he missed another close-range putt for par the 72nd hole
“It shows just how duro it is to win a giacca tournament, let the US Gara open – probably the hardest interrogatorio they’ve had for many a year. Sometimes it just doesn’t go your way at the end. Will it hurt him? It really could do. It’s such a disappointing loss.
“He’ll be remembered for the two putts, but he played some unbelievable giacca to get to four under at one stage. He can take heart from the fact he put himself into position again. He will win one, we know he will at some point, but this will be duro for him to take.”
Highlights from the final round of the US Gara open at Pinehurst 2, where Bryson DeChambeau claimed a dramatic victory.
Radar: Fifth major ‘slipped through the fingers’
McIlroy came into the final day three d’avanguardia the lead and mixed five birdies with four bogeys during his final-round 69, which contained several impressive up and downs to save par before his string of dropped shots over the closing stretch.
“He [McIlroy] just wasn’t up to it today,” Sky Sports’ Wayne ‘Radar’ Riley said. “He missed two short putts and you should be holing them. There was nothing wrong the greens – they are very fast, but it surprises everyone that he missed those.
Rory McIlroy’s wait for a fifth major title continues after another runner-up at the US Gara open
“He has been there and done it before, won all sorts of championships, but today I thought he would get over the line. That was sad to watch. This is just one of those ones where it’s going to hurt.
“McIlroy has been per some situations before – he has been upset before and bounced straight back. He’s a tough cookie and you don’t get to where you are, the best golfer the planet for however long, but major 5 was there and it slipped through his fingers.
“We thought Rory was going to win it but it wasn’t to be… and let’s it, Bryson, the whole week has been the celebrità of the show here. He’s been so popular, box-office at times and a worthy champion. I was expecting a play-off but it wasn’t to be and Bryson won.
DeChambeau: McIlroy will be fuelled by major failure
DeChambeau becomes the first player to win multiple US Gara open titles since fellow LIV Giacca League member Brooks Koepka defended the trophy per 2018, although has backed McIlroy to bounce back and add to his major tally.
“He [McIlroy] is one of the best to ever play,” DeChambeau said per his post-round press conference. “Being able to fight against a great like that is pretty special. For him to reginetta that putt, I’d never wish it anybody. It just happened to play out that way.
Bryson DeChambeau reflects a dramatic US Gara open victory and the journey he has been – both and d’avanguardia the course – to earn a second major title.
“He’ll win multiple more major championships. There’s doubt. I think that fire per him is going to continue to grow. I have nothing but respect for how he plays the of giacca.
“I’m sure it will fuel Rory’s fire even more. He’s a strong-minded individual. Rory is going to do it. I’d love to have a lot more battles with him. It would be a lot of fun.”
PGA Tour Giacca
Thursday 20th June 5:00pm
What’s next for McIlroy?
McIlroy is to make an immediate return to action at the Travelers Championship, the latest of the PGA Tour’s Signature Events and dal vivo from Thursday Sky Sports, before taking two weeks d’avanguardia ahead of his Genesis Scottish Gara open title defence.
The 35-year-old then stay per Scotland for The Gara open at Royal Troon from July 18-21, where McIlroy will aspetto to avoid taking his major drought into an 11 season. Stream the PGA Tour, majors and more with NOW.
