Rory McIlroy is confident he can bounce back from a big defeat and says he will learn a lot from his harrowing loss at last month's US Open.
McIlroy held a two-shot lead with five holes to play at Pinehurst No. 2 but made three bogeys in his final four holes and missed two putts inside four feet, allowing Bryson DeChambeau to win by one shot.
It was McIlroy's second consecutive runner-up finish at the U.S. Open and his 21st top-10 finish in a major since his success at the 2014 PGA Championship. McIlroy will be looking to take positives from the disappointment as he prepares for his title defense at the Scottish Open and next week's British Open at Royal Troon.
“I look back on that day like I look back on some of the toughest moments in my career,” McIlroy said at a news conference ahead of his Scottish Open title defence. Sky Sports Live“I learned a lot from it and hope to put it to good use.”
“That's been a theme throughout my career. I've been able to take those tough moments and turn them into something great not long after.”
McIlroy got off to a bogey-free start at the U.S. Open with an opening-round 65, followed by rounds of 72 and 69 to close the gap to DeChambeau to three shots heading into the final day, where he birdied four of five holes to finish second on a high note.
“I think I described Pinehurst on Sunday like it was a great day until it wasn’t,” McIlroy explained. “I did something on that Sunday that I hadn’t been able to do in the last few years.
“Took control of a golf tournament. Made putts when I needed to. Well, most of the time when I needed to. Made birdies. You know, I really did. Look, obviously sad to miss the last two.
“Yeah, it was a tough day. Obviously, the next couple days after that were tough, too. But I think as things go, you start to see the positives and start to see all the good things that you did during the week.”
What did McIlroy do after the U.S. Open?
McIlroy withdrew from the Travelers Championship the following week to “process everything and get in better shape” in preparation for his title defense in Scotland and his latest major, the British Open. The 35-year-old spent a few days in Manhattan reflecting on his performance at the U.S. Open.
“It was nice to be in the city a little bit,” McIlroy revealed. “I walked around. I went to the High Line a couple of times. I made a few phone calls. I was alone with my thoughts for a few days, which was nice.”
“I’ve had a lot of fun talking to people that are close to me. When you start thinking about not just Sunday’s game at Pinewood, but the whole week, there are a few things that I’ve noticed that I want to work on before I get here and also next week at Troon.
“It’s been tough, but at the same time, as time goes by, it’s become easier and easier to focus on the positive and think about the future rather than what just happened.”
McIlroy, who won his first major at the 2011 U.S. Open just two months after being beaten by four shots at the Masters, added: “I still think about that short putt I missed in the playoff at Kleins-Sussère in 2008. You think about all that.”
“I was probably more frustrated after that because it was my rookie year on tour – I hadn’t won yet. I remember feeling terrible for a whole week after that. I was hung up on what happened at Pinewood for a couple of days, but thankfully I could go home and look at what I had accomplished in the tournament and feel pretty good.
“Look, it was a great opportunity. It passed me by, but hopefully when I get the next opportunity, it won't pass me by.”
This season you can watch Rory McIlroy live on Sky Sports from the PGA Tour and DP World Tour. On Thursday at 8:30am you can watch the Genesis Scottish Open live on Sky Sports Golf before the 152nd Open Championship at Royal Troon on July 18-21. Watch the PGA Tour, Majors and more with NOW.