Rory McIlroy speaks out for first time since U.S. Open loss; announces next PGA Tour event

Rory McIlroy reacts after the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open. | Photo by Sean M. Haffey/Getty Images

Rory McIlroy took to social media for the first time since his crushing loss at the 124th U.S. Open.

Almost 24 hours after Rory McIlroy collapsed at the U.S. Open, he took to social media to distill his thoughts.

“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,” McIlroy posted to his social media account.

“As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 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 defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. See you in Scotland.”

McIlroy will skip this week’s Travelers Championship, the final Signature Event of the 2024 season. He will also not play in the Rocket Mortgage Classic and the John Deere Classic in the subsequent weeks—the final two events before the PGA Tour heads to Scotland.

Golf fans will see him next at the Genesis Scottish Open, scheduled to begin on Thursday, Jul. 11. McIlroy won that event last year in thrilling fashion, making a birdie on the final hole to eclipse Robert MacIntyre by one.

McIlroy has also had a lot going on in his personal life. He was spotted in Florida on Monday with his wife, Erica, and daughter, Poppy, just one week after the couple called off their divorce. The New York Post first reported the news of their sighting.

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.