Rory McIlroy on US Open: ‘It hurt but I felt worse after other losses’

The Holywood star had a two-shot lead heading down the stretch at Pinehurst No 2 but “got out of my own little world” and bogeyed three of her last four holes, missing a two-and-a-half-foot putt at the 16th before watching a difficult four-footer miss low on the 18th.

He finished just a shot behind Bryson DeChambeau but hopes to prove the likes of Nick Faldo wrong – “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life, those two misses,” the Englishman said – by learning from his mistakes.

“You know, there’s not a lot that I would change about what I did on Sunday for the first 14 holes,” McIlroy said. “That’s the best I’ve played in that position in a long, long time.

“Obviously, there are moments where my mind sort of wanders back to those final four holes, and you wish that things would have been different.

“But as long as I learned from them and move on, you know, it’s good to get back on the course this week at The Scottish Open, and then obviously have another opportunity next week at Troon.”

As for his mistakes, he said: “The short putt on 16 is one that I’ll probably rue most because it was a pretty simple putt. The putt on 18 was pretty difficult. As I said, it was a great day until it wasn’t.

“I think if anything, I’d say my pre-shot routine got a little bit long. Started to look at the target a few more times over the ball. And then being very aware of what maybe some others were doing on the golf course and not really staying in my own little world for the whole 18 holes. But really, apart from that, there’s not a lot I would do differently.”

He has one more chance at Troon next week to end his near 10-year wait for his fifth Major but insists he’s had bigger disappointments than Pinehurst.

“I think as you achieve more in the game, you can soften the blow, if you look at everything I’ve been able to accomplish,” he said, revealing he was in Manhattan the week after Pinehurst and walked the High Line – a 1.4-mile walking trail – a few times to reflect on what went right and wrong and call friends.

“It’s been a while since I’ve won a Major, and it hurt, but I felt worse after some other losses. I felt worse after Augusta in ’11 and I felt worse after St Andrews in (2021). It was up there with the tough losses but not the toughest.”

He dismissed criticism of caddie Harry Diamond as unfair and said not only would he “never take advice from these people, you would never take their criticisms, either.” McIlroy is joined at The Renaissance Club by Pádraig Harrington, Tom McKibbin and Séamus Power, who is looking to build on some encouraging recent form and win one of three spots at Royal Troon via The Open Qualifying Series.

Meanwhile, Leona Maguire joins Stephanie Meadow in chasing her first Major win in the $8 million Amundi Evian Championship in France.

The Co Cavan star (29) arrives at Evian Resort on a high after she spectacularly eagled the last to win the Aramco Team Series and her first LET event in London last Sunday and put an erratic start to the season behind her.

“The KPMG a couple of weeks ago felt like a turning point for my season,” said Maguire, who finished 24th at Sahalee having missed the cut in the first two Majors of the season.

Chasing a $1.2 million winner’s cheque at a venue where she shot a 10-under 61 to finish sixth in 2021, she said: “I played some nice golf and got myself into contention. I’m excited to be back in Europe, seeing familiar faces, playing familiar courses, sleeping in my own bed, and eating good food. It’s a nice atmosphere, and I’m excited for the summer ahead.”

World No 1 Nelly Korda returns to action after she got bitten in the thigh by a dog recently and pulled out of the Aramco Team Series event in order to have treatment.

In amateur golf, Ireland will face Denmark in the quarter-finals of the European Ladies’ Amateur Team Championships after finishing fourth in qualifying at Madrid’s Club de Campo.

But the men missed out by four shots at Royal Park I Roveri in Turin and now face Portugal in Flight B.

Scottish Open, 8.30am

Isco Championship, 9.30pm

LPGA Evian Championship, 11am

(All Live on Sky Sports)