Rory McIlroy reacts after his final round at the 2024 U.S. Open. | Photo by Jared C. Tilton/Getty Images
Rory McIlroy immediately left the golf course after his crushing defeat to Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst No. 2.
Rory McIlroy left Pinehurst No. 2 as soon as Bryson DeChambeau putted out for a one stroke victory.
Multiple reporters on the ground saw McIlroy bolt right for his courtesy car and leave the golf course as fast as he could. Alan Bastable of Golf.com caught it on video.
McIlroy did not conduct any media interviews, nor did he speak to anyone from NBC Sports.
McIlroy could not stomach his latest major championship heartbreak, with this one hurting more than all the other ones combined.
He looked completely dejected in the scoring room afterward, and understandably so.
The Northern Irishman stood on the tee at the par-3 15th hole at 8-under par, with DeChambeau trailing him by one. But he airmailed the green with a 7-iron, which led to a bogey four. His demise would get worse from there.
On the next hole, McIlroy had a 2-foot-6-inch putt for par and inexplicably missed. His second straight bogey dropped him back to 6-under for the championship and into a tie with DeChambeau with two holes to play.
After making an up-and-down to save par on 17, McIlroy pulled his drive left into the native area on 18, drawing a poor lie with wiregrass right in front of his ball. He then hit his second shot just short of the green, barely escpaing the sand trap that guards the front of the putting surface. McIlroy played his third shot to 3-feet-9-inches behind the hole, and like he did on 16, he missed that putt too.
Just like that, McIlroy dropped three shots over his final four holes as his collapse at the 124th U.S. Open will live on forever.
Jack Milko is a golf staff writer for SB Nation’s Playing Through. Be sure to check out @_PlayingThrough for more golf coverage. You can follow him on Twitter @jack_milko as well.
