While Rory McIlroy already knew what it felt like to let an amazing opportunity to win a major championship slip through his grasp, it seems fair to say that the 2024 US Open just hit a little differently, with the Northern Irishman losing out by one shot at Pinehurst.
Rory McIlroy should be going into The Masters this year as a five-time major champion. However, three bogeys in his final four holes on Sunday at the US Open opened the door for Bryson DeChambeau to triumph in North Carolina.
The agony of the two short putts the 35-year-old missed on 16 and 18 was evident, with McIlroy leaving the course almost immediately after DeChambeau had holed his putt to win. It would be several weeks before McIlroy teed it up again.
Most players would have struggled to deal with the pain which McIlroy has faced on the course over the last decade. No matter how well he has played on the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour, he has not won a major since 2014.
What Shane Lowry has noticed about Rory McIlroy since the 2024 US Open
But there is reason for optimism heading into the 2025 Masters. McIlroy has won twice stateside before April for the first time in his career. And he appears to be playing in a manner which is almost unlike anything he has done before, with the European finding a way to win even when he is not at his very best.
And speaking to The Times, Shane Lowry has suggested that he has noticed something different about McIlroy in the months since Pinehurst.
“It was heartbreaking,” he said. “Even if it wasn’t a friend, it would have been because you wouldn’t wish that on your own worst enemy. I’m definitely in the top handful of people who know what it means for him to do that. We’ve talked about it a bit over the last few months, and I honestly think he’s more driven than he’s ever been. I think his game is as good as it’s ever been. It’s just up to him whether he can break down that barrier.”
The first thing Dr Bob Rotella told Rory McIlroy after Pinehurst
The nature of golf means that even the greatest players to have played the game lose a lot more than they win. And ultimately, someone has to come second in a major championship.
But it was because of the scars McIlroy has collected over the years that it felt like Pinehurst may prove to be one too many, particularly given the manner in which everything played out. He hit a poor tee shot into 15, missed a simple putt on 16 and then really did not need to go with driver on 18.
However, Dr Bob Rotella explained how he immediately tried to put the disappointment in perspective when speaking to McIlroy after the final round.
“Rory realises he is a better player now than he’s probably ever been. Every part of his game is better. He’s happy with what he is doing with his mind and emotions. After the US Open the first thing I said to him was Jack Nicklaus won 18 majors but he finished second or third something like 28 times. You can’t always get there,” he said.
The good news is that it is hard to imagine McIlroy not being hungrier than ever heading to Augusta. He has enjoyed plenty of success since the 2024 major season came to an end, and looks to have unlocked something special within his game.
And if he can finally end that wait for a fifth major – whether it comes at The Masters or elsewhere – it will be one of the most satisfying results golf has seen in a very, very long time.
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