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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Author
After struggling a gut-wrenching collapse in Sunday’s remaining spherical of the U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2, four-time main champion Rory McIlroy stated in a statement on X on Monday that he’ll take a couple of weeks off to “course of all the things and construct myself again up.”
McIlroy was scheduled to play on this week’s Vacationers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut — the final signature occasion of the season. He indicated within the assertion that he will not play once more till subsequent month’s Genesis Scottish Open, which he received in 2023, and The Open at Royal Troon Golf Course in Scotland.
McIlroy, who was looking for to finish an almost 10-year drought with no main championship victory, had a 2-stroke lead with 5 holes to play within the U.S. Open on Sunday. However he carded bogeys on three of the final 4 holes, lacking a 2½-footer for par on the sixteenth and a putt of three toes, 9 inches for par on the 18th.
Bryson DeChambeau received his second U.S. Open title when he hit a pitch shot from a fairway bunker onto the 18th inexperienced and made a par putt to complete at 6 below — 1 stroke forward of McIlroy.
McIlroy watched DeChambeau’s successful putt on TV within the scorer’s space at Pinehurst No. 2. He left the course less than 10 minutes later with out speaking to the media.
“Firstly, I might wish to congratulate Bryson,” McIlroy stated within the assertion. “He’s a worthy champion and precisely what skilled golf wants proper now. I feel we are able to all agree on that.”
McIlroy stated he’ll “rue a couple of issues over the course of the match,” principally the missed putts on Nos. 16 and 18.
“However, as I all the time attempt to do, I will have a look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives,” McIlroy stated. “As I stated firstly of the match, I really feel nearer to successful my subsequent main championship than I ever have. The one phrase that I’d describe my profession as is resilient. I’ve proven resilience again and again within the final 17 years and I’ll once more.”
McIlroy’s final main championship victory got here in August 2014 on the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Membership in Louisville, Kentucky. Since then, he has posted 20 top-10 finishes in majors, together with 9 prime 5s.
It is not the primary time McIlroy has taken a break after a disappointing end. After lacking the lower on the 2023 Masters, during which McIlroy failed for the ninth straight time to win a inexperienced jacket and full the profession Grand Slam, he skipped the RBC Heritage at Hilton Head Island, South Carolina, the following week.
It was McIlroy’s second missed signature occasion of the 2022-23 season, which precipitated him to lose $3 million of his $12 million Participant Influence Program bonus from 2022.
It has been a tumultuous time for McIlroy off the course as properly. On Could 14, McIlroy filed for divorce from his spouse, Erica, in household court docket in Palm Seaside County, Florida. On June 11, McIlroy’s lawyer filed a movement to voluntarily dismiss the divorce petition. McIlroy advised The Guardian of London that he had reconciled with spouse.
Within the wake of Sunday’s end, different PGA Tour golfers have come to McIlroy’s protection. Shane Lowry, who paired with McIlroy to win the Zurich Traditional staff occasion in New Orleans earlier this season, wrote on X on Monday: “From the surface wanting in… this sport is simple. However in actuality it is the worst sport of all. We’re very lucky to get what we do from this sport however during the last 24 hours it is hit me. We do it for not solely ourselves however for our household, mates and followers. What Rory has gone via is as powerful because it will get in our sport however I want to encourage individuals if something please be variety.”
In response to McIlroy’s assertion, Billy Horschel, who talked about his personal struggles on the Memorial in 2023, referred to as McIlroy the “Best participant of my technology,” and stated extra majors had been in his future on his Instagram account.
