Rory McIlroy described his collapse at the US Open on Sunday as “probably the toughest day” of his career and has withdrawn from this week’s Travelers Championship.
Maintaining a two-stroke lead, McIlroy made three bogeys over the final five holes, missing two putts from a combined distance of seven feet. He fled the field a few minutes after Bryson DeChambeau earned the victory.
In a statement on social media on Monday, McIlroy said: Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my almost 17 years as a professional golfer.
First of all, I would 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 will regret a few things over the course of the tournament, mainly the 2 missed putts on the 16th and 18th on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I will look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.
‘As I said at the beginning of the tournament, I feel closer than ever to winning my next major championship.
‘The only word I would describe my career is resilient. I have proven my resilience time and time again over the past 17 years and I will do so again.
“I’m going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and prepare for my defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon.”
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