Rory McIlroy has admitted that his US Open defeat was 'probably the toughest' day of his golfing career. The Northern Irishman suffered heartbreak on Sunday in Pinehurst, North Carolina as he lost out to Bryson DeChambeau despite having an encouraging lead. McIlroy led with five holes left to play but fell at the final hurdle to see his ten-year wait for a major title go on even longer.
Taking to X the following day, he said: "Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer. "Firstly, I'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. "As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the two missed putts on 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.
"As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. 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.
"I'm going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defence of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. See you in Scotland." McIlroy's last major win came at the PGA Championship in 2014, the fourth of his career.
He has now finished second a.
