Rory McIlroy and Bryson DeChambeau were tied at six-under as they entered the 18th and final hole at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday.
The 35-year-old 2011 U.S. Open champion missed a short par putt for the second time in three holes and watched DeChambeau sink a par putt and secure his second U.S. Open championship from the scorer’s room.
McIlroy didn’t stick around to congratulate DeChambeau or speak with the media. On Monday evening, McIlroy broke his silence when he posted a statement on social media accounts.
Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer.
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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.
As I reflect on my week, I’ll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the two 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 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.
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See you in Scotland
McIlroy won his last major in August 2014 at the PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky.
Featured image via John David Mercer/USA TODAY Sports Images
