A fellow PGA Tour pro came to the defense of Rory McIlroy after his epic U.S. Open meltdown that led to him ultimately taking a quick break from golf over the next few weeks.
Shane Lowry, winner of the 2019 Open Championship, took to social media to tell golf fans that their commentary on McIlroy’s performance at Pinehurst No. 2 last week does nOt have to be said at all.
McIlroy, in search of his first major victory in a decade, fell just one stroke behind Bryson DeChambeau after bogeying three of his final four holes, which included missing par putts within five feet on 16 and 18.
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“From the outside looking in … this game is easy,” Lowry wrote in his post on X. “But in reality it’s the worst game of all. We are very fortunate to get what we do from this game but over the last 24 hours it’s hit me. We do it for not only ourselves but for our family, friends and fans.
“What Rory has gone through is as tough as it gets in our game but I would like to encourage people if anything please be kind.”
Lowry’s post included a picture of him and McIlroy smiling wide on a golf course.
McIlroy was seen dejected when DeChambeau buried his par putt after a miraculous 55-yard bunker shot to get on the 18th green to win his second career U.S. Open.
He declined an interview after the tournament was finished, and he was last seen storming out of Pinehurst No. 2 to his vehicle to leave the grounds.
Then, McIlroy broke his silence via social media, making a statement that he would not be playing on the PGA Tour until the Genesis Scottish Open, where he is reigning champion, on July 11.
“Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer,” McIlroy’s statement on X began.
“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 2 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 major 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.”
McIlroy will be missing this week’s Travelers Championship at TPC River Highlands in Cromwell, Connecticut, the Rocket Mortgage Classic at Detroit Golf Club and the John Deere Classic at TPC Deere Run in Illinois.
“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,” he wrote.
McIlroy ended the statement by writing, “See you in Scotland” with a peace sign emoji.
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