In Los Angeles, Rory McIlroy experienced the kind of fortunate break that often leads to victory in the U.S. Open. However, his inability to convert crucial putts proved to be his downfall.
During the 14th hole, McIlroy’s approach fell short and became embedded in the tall grass above a greenside bunker. Thanks to a favorable ruling from the golf gods and adherence to the rulebook, he had a chance to salvage par. Unfortunately, McIlroy missed the ensuing putt, adding to a recurring theme throughout the day. The resulting bogey became the only blemish on his scorecard, ultimately costing him the tournament by a single stroke against Wyndham Clark.
McIlroy completed his four rounds at Los Angeles Country Club with an even-par 70. His performance included one birdie, 16 pars, and the solitary bogey, culminating in a total score of 9-under 271. This defeat extends his major championship drought to 33 tournaments, nearly spanning nine years.
Reflecting on his round, McIlroy lamented his missed opportunities with the putter, recognizing their significance in the outcome. Throughout the day, he struggled to position the ball close to the hole. Additionally, McIlroy cited his wedge shot on the 14th hole, where he fell short, as another moment of regret in his performance.
He concluded the day with a total of 36 putts across 18 holes, a straightforward calculation highlighting his struggles on the greens. Notably, McIlroy failed to sink any putts beyond 8 feet throughout the round.
In his attempt to equalize the score on the 18th green, McIlroy’s birdie effort mirrored the majority of his attempts throughout the day. Despite hitting the ball with excellence from tee to green, the 40-foot putt initially seemed promising but ultimately veered away at the end, leaving him with a simple tap-in for par.
Nonetheless, it was a specific moment on the par-5 14th hole that truly defined McIlroy’s day. After driving into the rough on the left side, he executed a punch shot to return to the fairway, leaving himself with a 125-yard approach to the narrow green.
Initially opting for a sand wedge, McIlroy suddenly felt a gust of wind. As a result, he switched to a choked-down gap wedge instead. Unfortunately, his approach fell short of the target. Disheartened, he placed both hands on his knees, bent down, and looked at his caddie, Harry Diamond, with a mixture of surprise and disappointment.
Reflecting on the moment, McIlroy admitted, “Perhaps if I had waited an additional 15 or 20 seconds to let that slight gust subside, the outcome might have been different.”
“I felt like my chance was sort of gone,” McIlroy expressed, reflecting on his performance. Despite Wyndham Clark’s late struggles with two bogeys, McIlroy’s cold putter prevented him from capitalizing on birdie opportunities from varying distances of 22, 62, 33, and 40 feet in the final four holes.
McIlroy acknowledged that he played with a sense of freedom, proving his ability on the course. However, he attributed his inability to convert birdies to slight issues with speed control when putting. Consequently, the birdie he achieved on the short par-5 first hole remained his sole successful putt, despite hitting 15 greens in regulation during the round. This performance tied him with Jon Rahm for the best fourth-round greens in regulation.
Throughout the entire week, McIlroy impressively hit 59 greens, surpassing any other player in the field by six. Typically, such a performance would be a winning formula, but it resulted in McIlroy securing his third runner-up finish at a major championship. As he heads to Hoylake next month for the British Open, he still seeks his first major title since the 2014 PGA Championship.
This near miss carried echoes of his previous experience. Last year at St. Andrews, McIlroy entered the final round tied for the lead but fell two shots short, recording only two birdies. Similarly, in this tournament, he managed just one birdie and finished one shot behind the leader.
When asked about the toll of these close calls, considering his previous success of four major titles in his first 25 appearances, McIlroy acknowledged their draining nature. However, he expressed unwavering determination, stating that the eventual triumph in his next major would be incredibly rewarding. He emphasized his willingness to endure countless Sundays like this one if it means securing another major championship.
“It is exhausting, but at the same time, when I do finally win this next major, it’s going to be really, really sweet,” McIlroy affirmed. “I would go through 100 Sundays like this to get my hands on another major championship.”
