After throwing away a wonderful probability to finish a decade-long hunt for a fifth main, a devastated Rory McIlroy high-tailed it from Pinehurst Resort on Sunday with out chatting with media and earlier than Bryson DeChambeau was awarded the US Open trophy.

Often a gracious competitor in defeat, McIlroy couldn’t abdomen this newest setback nor escape Pinehurst quick sufficient as he loaded up his automobile, bought behind the wheel and left the property.

McIlroy was in prime place to finish his barren run on the majors however shockingly missed two par putts inside of 4 toes over his final three holes and finally completed one stroke again of DeChambeau.

It marked the fourth runner-up end in a significant for the Northern Irishman together with finally 12 months’s US Open, however none got here in a extra crushing style.

“He’ll win a number of extra main championships. There’s little question,” mentioned DeChambeau. “I believe that fireside in him goes to proceed to develop.”

McIlroy started the day three pictures again of 54-hole chief DeChambeau however, bolstered by a scorching stretch across the flip the place he had 4 birdies throughout 5 holes, had a two-shot lead with 5 holes to play.

The wheels began to come back off when McIlroy bogeyed the par-three fifteenth the place he did not rise up and down after his tee shot rolled off the again of the inexperienced.

He then made a second consecutive bogey when, for the primary time all season, he missed a par putt from inside three toes.

McIlroy left the door open for DeChambeau when he missed the golf green at 18, superior it simply off the entrance of the inexperienced along with his subsequent shot, chipped it simply previous the outlet after which watched his par putt from inside 4 toes lip out.

“For him to overlook that putt, I’d by no means want it on anyone. It simply occurred to play out that method,” mentioned DeChambeau.

As DeChambeau scrambled brilliantly for par on the ultimate gap to seal the win, McIlroy, watching from inside a scoring tent, rapidly minimize a dejected determine and headed to his automobile.

The scene of McIlroy leaving Pinehurst was in stark distinction to final month’s PGA Championship the place runner-up DeChambeau went again to the 18th inexperienced to congratulate Xander Schauffele after a closing birdie sealed his win.

“On the finish of the day we’re all human,” mentioned Frenchman Matthieu Pavon, who completed fifth on the US Open, three pictures again of DeChambeau. “Rory has been chasing one other main since a few years. He is among the finest gamers on this planet, a real champion. It reveals you the way robust it’s.

“The extra you need it, the more durable it will get, and the very best expectation you’ve for your self, the more durable it will get, the extra stress you bought into.

“Perhaps it is a little little bit of stress that bought him at this time for certain, however Rory is only a large champion. I’m certain he’ll combat again and actually quickly.”

McIlroy‘s subsequent shot at profitable his first main title because the PGA Championship in August 2014 will likely be on the July 18-21 British Open.

Reuters