Rory McIlroy may NEVER recover from this US Open - he was 7ft from glory but instead, a week that began with him calling off his divorce still ends in heartbreak READ: Rory McIlroy lost the US Open in devastating circumstances on Sunday READ: He made a rapid exit after Bryson DeChambeau wrapped up his victory By Daniel Matthews At Pinehurst, North Carolina Published: 21:31 EDT, 16 June 2024 | Updated: 21:49 EDT, 16 June 2024 e-mail 1 View comments Shortly before 4pm on Sunday, the clouds briefly parted and the heat was turned up around Pinehurst. Many of the world’s finest players had already fallen at the feet of this unforgiving cradle of American golf. But Rory McIlroy was still standing.
After three-and-half-gruelling days. After 10 years of heartache and hard lessons. Since winning the 2014 PGA Championship , a fifth major has lingered like a mirage on the horizon.
McIlroy has nursed scar tissue and fought doubts. He has visited Jesus and decided that only by learning patience would he avoid more waiting. All for afternoons such as this.
There have been a fair few. There have been near-misses and McIlroy has let glory slip through his fingers before. But never quite like this.
McIlroy felt before this US Open that he was closer than ever to ending his drought. He was right. With three holes to play of an extraordinary final day of a bonkers week, the Northern Irishman led Bryson DeChambeau by one shot.
He had a par putt from 2ft 6ins. He missed it. And then on 18, McIl.
