Nick Faldo’s instant reaction to Rory McIlroy’s US Open nightmare speaks volumes

Golf legend Sir Nick Faldo has shared his belief that Rory McIlroy will be haunted for life by his failure to secure a victory at the US Open, held at Pinehurst. McIlroy, 35, was in a prime position to win his fifth major championship, surging to a two-shot lead on the back nine after four birdies in five holes. However, a series of bogeys on three of the final four holes allowed Bryson DeChambeau to claim the title.

Sir Nick Faldo, a six-time major champion, was providing commentary for Sky Sports and expressed his dismay at McIlroy’s late collapse. He remarked, “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life, those two misses.”

Following DeChambeau’s victory, a despondent McIlroy swiftly exited and refrained from speaking to the media. DeChambeau, who won his second major with a final round of 71, finishing six under par and one stroke ahead of McIlroy, expressed sympathy for his rival. He commented, “For him to miss that putt (on 18), I would never wish that on anybody. I think that fire in him is only going to continue to grow. He’s going to win more major championships.”

DeChambeau also noted his respect for McIlroy’s skill, acknowledging that he was worried when McIlroy took the lead. “When he was climbing up the leaderboard, he was two ahead, I was like, uh-oh, uh-oh. But luckily things went my way.”

While DeChambeau celebrated his victory, McIlroy faced the reality of what might have been, having narrowly missed ending his major drought dating back to the 2014 PGA Championship. Ironically, McIlroy’s short game, which had been nearly flawless in 2024, failed him at critical moments. He had previously made 496 consecutive putts of three feet or less before missing crucial shots on the 16th and 18th holes.

McIlroy, who has consistently performed well with nine top-10 finishes in the last 12 major tournaments, will have another opportunity to end his ten-year major championship drought at the upcoming Open Championship at Royal Troon next month. He won the Claret Jug in 2014 at Royal Liverpool, leading the tournament from start to finish.