Rory McIlroy defended over maltreatment missed putt in US Open collapse by…..
McIlroy’s equal backs choice to step absent from golf after choke
Rory McIlroy’s missed putt on the 18th gap of the US Open was seen as a stunning botch by golf fans and media alike, but Jon Rahm has come to the Northern Irishman’s defense after he choked absent a potential fifth major win.
McIlroy driven by two strokes with fair five gaps cleared out at Pinehurst, but bogeyed on three events as he missed two putts from a combined remove of seven feet.
And whereas the 35-year-old’s moment miss permitted Bryson DeChambeau to pass him and win the competition, Rahm accepts that NBC ‘severely underplayed’ how difficult the shot was.
‘One of the things that completely burned me, and I think it was [NBC’s] Smylie [Kaufman] who said it, he seriously underplayed how troublesome Rory’s putt on 18 was,’ Rahm told reporters ahead of LIV Golf’s Nashville tournament.
‘When he said it’s a left-center putt, on the off chance that you hit that putt left-center and miss the gap, you’re off the green since of how much incline there’s . You may see Rory pointing at slightest a container cleared out from three feet. They seriously underplayed how troublesome that putt was. Severely.’
McIlroy came agonizingly near to winning his to begin with major in 10 a long time but eventually collapsed and revealed afterwards that he’d be taking a number of weeks off from golf
‘Yesterday was a extreme day, likely the hardest I’ve had in my about 17 a long time as a proficient golfer,’ he said on X.
‘Firstly, I’d like to salute Bryson. He could be a commendable winner and precisely what proficient golf needs right presently. I think we will all concur on that.
‘As I reflect on my week, I’ll regret some things over the course of the competition, for the most part the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the ultimate day. But, as I continuously attempt to do, I’ll see at the positives of the week that distant exceed the negatives.
He included, ‘I’m progressing to take a number of weeks absent from the diversion to prepare everything and construct myself back up for my defense of the Beginning Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon.’