After Rory McIlroy let an opportunity to win the U.S. Open slip away on Sunday, he also slipped away from the media.
Following a disappointing final round, in which he bogeyed three of the final four holes and missed short putts on the 16th and 18th holes that cost him a shot at victory, the last place McIlroy wanted to be was at Pinehurst.
And after Bryson DeChambeau beat McIlroy by one stroke to claim his second U.S. Open title, the latter opted to skip media interviews altogether.
He made his getaway by skipping all media interviews, including the customary post-round NBC interview. This is unusual for runners-up, who typically speak to reporters following the tournament. So, it’s notable in itself, but it’s also notable because McIlroy made it notable.
ESPN’s Scott Van Pelt highlighted the significance of McIlroy’s silence and offered his perspective on his decision.
“Visits with the media after any finish, good or bad, in the drought — if you want to frame it that way — in Majors for a guy who’s come so close, so often since his last win, particularly in this U.S. Open,” said Van Pelt. “Now, six consecutive top tens, three straight top fives, a solo runner-up by just a single stroke in back-to-back years. His fourth career runner-up at any Major, all since 2018.”
“Now, Rory is one of my very favorite people in the sport for a lot of different reasons,” added Van Pelt, as transcribed by the New York Post. “One, he’s a thinker, and he answers things thoughtfully. He’s also a great champion. And today, understandably, a bitter pill, a chance to end this major list drought, and it slips away as it did
“I think about this: Phil Mickelson, the [2006] U.S. Open, hit off a beer tent on the 72nd hole at Winged Foot to lose with a double, and he said afterward, ‘I’m such an idiot.’ Greg Norman melted over the course of five brutal hours at the Masters in ’96, as his seemingly insurmountable lead evaporated,” Van Pelt said, referencing Norman’s six-stroke lead he gave up to Nick Faldo 28 years ago.
“When it mercifully ended, [Norman] stood there under the Magnolia trees in the darkness and he answered the questions about what happened. I’m certain he would have preferred that the Earth open up and swallow him whole, but he stood there, and he took it.”
On Sunday, unlike champions of the past who faced the media after crushing defeats, McIlroy did not.
And according to the longtime SportsCenter anchor, this silence will undoubtedly be a talking point alongside his recent string of near misses.
“How it got away this Sunday and the fact that he walked away without speaking about it will both be remembered,” says Van Pelt.
