Rory McIlroy lost for words as secret exposed on live TV at the US Open

While working as a pundit for NBC Sports, Faxon explained how McIlroy had suddenly realised a technique to improve his swing. Recalling their flight back from the Memorial Tournament in Toronto, Faxon said that McIlroy had turned his agent Sean O’Flaherty and declared: “Sean, I just figured it out.”

When pushed for a further explanation, according to Faxon, McIlroy told his agent: “I figured out my swing.”

Faxon, an eight-time winner on the PGA Tour, witnessed what was described as a ‘eureka moment’. “He got up in the aisle and showed him,” Faxon said. “He started standing a little closer to the ball.”

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After McIlroy finished his round on Saturday, Faxon’s NBC Colleague Kira Dixon, who also works for Sky Sports Golf, relayed the coach’s punditry to the golf star: ‘Our NBC colleague Brad Faxon was saying on the broadcast that you had a bit of a ‘eureka moment’ on the plane from the Memorial Tournament back home.

“You figured something out, you got up and you were making some practice swings apparently. Is this true and what is the eureka moment?’”

McIlroy appeared visibly surprised and initially struggled for words, replying: “Okay…it may be true. I don’t know if I want to disclose it right now. It’s nice to know that Fax is sort of giving away all of our secrets!’

Dixon looked to diffuse any possible tension AS McIlroy laughed and said: “No, I know, I know, but…we spend a lot of times on planes and I spend a lot of time thinking about my game in the air. Sometimes things come to me.”

McIlroy will be aiming to move ahead of his rivals on the US Open leaderboard and chase down DeChambeau’s three-shot lead. The Holywood golfer won his first major at the 2011 US Open, with his most recent major victory coming in the 2014 PGA Championship.

McIlroy will tee off with Cantlay, a man with whom he has some history. The pair got into a heated exchange with Cantalay’s caddie Joe LaCava over the manner of his celebrations during the Ryder Cup in September, sparking an argument that spilt into the car park.