After enduring a searing loss at the U.S. Open on Sunday, Rory McIlroy declined to speak to the media, zipping out of the parking lot in his courtesy car and heading straight home to Florida.
He remained in this week’s Travelers Championship field, the eighth and final PGA Tour Signature Event of the season, and was even listed on the interview schedule for Wednesday afternoon, after the pro-am.
But on Monday, McIlroy issued a lengthy statement on social media, outlining his plans for the next several weeks — which do not include tournament golf.
“Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I’ve had in my 17 years as a professional golfer,” McIlroy wrote. “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 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,” McIlroy continued. “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. 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. See you in Scotland.”
McIlroy had a chance at ending a 10-year major drought at Pinehurst, but two missed putts under four feet, while a heroic par on the final hole from DeChambeau sealed McIlroy’s fate as runner-up.
McIlroy now has 21 top-10 finishes, including four runner-ups, at the majors since his win at the 2014 PGA Championship.
The Genesis Scottish Open begins on July 11 at the Renaissance Club in North Berwick, Scotland, followed by the year’s final major, the Open Championship at Royal Troon, which starts July 18.
