Rory McIlroy: ‘I’ve described Pinehurst on Sunday like it was a great day until it wasn’t’
What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger and all of that. Certainly, nobody can question Rory McIlroy’s resilience. He’s overcome adversity before, bounced back stronger each time, and is very much alive – and up – for this latest challenge.
And whatever of the world number two’s experience of his late, final round collapse in the US Open at Pinehurst last month, there was renewed resolve on offer ahead of his defence of the Genesis Scottish Open this week at The Renaissance Club as McIlroy sought to use what happened there to add strength going forward.
McIlroy, who withdrew from the following week’s Travelers Championship and playing on a happy hunting ground on the Scottish eastern seaboard for the first time since losing his grip on a US Open trophy that instead went Bryson DeChambeau’s way, has headed into the Scottish Open – a PGA Tour event – with a period of reflection and as sure as ever of the pathway forward.
This title defence comes ahead of next week’s 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon, perfect timing in truth.
Of that reflection on his US Open travails, which saw him depart the course in haste without a word to anyone, not even to DeChambeau, McIlroy admitted: “I’ve described Pinehurst on Sunday like it was a great day until it wasn’t. I did things on that Sunday that I hadn’t managed to be able to do in the last couple of years. Took control of the golf tournament. [Holed] putts when I needed to; well, mostly when I need to. Made birdies. Really got myself in there. And then obviously to miss those last two putts, on 16 and obviously the putt on 18, it was a tough few days after that.
“But I think as you get further away from it happening, you start to see the positives and you start to see all the good things that you did throughout the week ... there’s learnings in there too, right?
“I can vividly remember starting to feel a little uncomfortable waiting for my second putt on 16 and, you know, the putt on the last, it was a really tricky putt and I was aware of where Bryson was off the tee.
Rory McIlroy reacts after missing finishing the 18th hole during the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina. Photograph: Jared C Tilton/Getty Images
“I knew I had to hit it really soft. If the one back didn’t matter, I would have hit it firmer. But because I was in two minds, I didn’t know whether Bryson was going to make a par or not, it was one of those ones where I had to make sure that if the putt didn’t go in, that it wasn’t going 10 feet by, which it very easily could have.
“I just left [the chip shot] on the wrong side of the hole. I got above the hole. Where the hole was cut was on top of the little slope, and ended up pretty dry and crusty around the hole. And the chip shot just ran out a little bit and got past the hole. I hit that putt very, very easy, and obviously just missed on the low side, and it still went a good three or four feet by.
“So I was probably playing it, I don’t know, like two, two and a half cups left, whatever it was, three-and-a-half-foot putt. There was a lot of swing to it, especially with how easy I was hitting it. Like I said, if it was match play and the next one didn’t matter I would have approached the putt differently. But knowing that Bryson had hit it left off the tee, I just sort of wanted to make sure that if there was still a chance at a playoff, that it was at least going to be that.”
Even for someone like McIlroy, who has four Major titles among a career that has yielded 26 wins on the PGA Tour and some 40 professional wins worldwide, there is always another chance to learn and to put experience into the bank.
“When I look back on that day, just like I look back on some of my toughest moments in my career, I’ll learn a lot from it and I’ll hopefully put that to good use. It’s something that’s been a theme throughout my career. I’ve been able to take those tough moments and turn them into great things not very long after that.”
Indeed, the most vivid example of that came in 2011 when McIlroy lost a 54-hole lead in the Masters only to rebound at the very next Major, the US Open, which he won in impressive style at Congressional.
McIlroy also hit back at criticism from Hank Haney, the former coach to Tiger Woods, of his caddie Harry Diamond. Haney had questioned the clubbing of McIlroy on the par-three 15th at Pinehurst, where he flew his tee shot over the green which resulted in a bogey – the first of three in that four-hole closing stretch – as he lost his lead and was overtaken by DeChambeau.
“Just because Harry is not as vocal or loud with his words as other caddies, it doesn’t mean that he doesn’t say anything and that he doesn’t do anything. These guys that criticise when things don’t go my way, they never say anything good when things do go my way,” said McIlroy in standing by his friend.
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