Rory McIlroy is moving on. At least, that was his take when asked about how he collapsed during the final three holes at the U.S. Open three weeks ago.
"I got over it pretty quickly," McIlroy told reporters during a press conference at the Genesis Scottish Open in North Berwick. "The few days after it were pretty tough at times, but I feel like I've done a good job of thinking about it rationally and constructively and taking what I need from it and trying to learn from it. But like for the most part it was a great day. I keep saying to people, 'It was a great day until it wasn't.'"
McIlroy is No. 2 in the World Golf Rankings and the defending Genesis Scottish Open champion. But it was a different story at the U.S. Open — where he missed short putts on the Nos. 16 and 18 holes, allowing Bryson DeChambeau a one-stroke victory and his second Open title. DeChambeau nailed a chip shot from 55 yards away in a fairway bunker to about 4 feet and made a putt to finish 6 under.
"Like halfway down the first putt, it looked like it could be a birdie, and it ran a foot by where I thought it was going to finish," McIlroy said. "Then I marked it, and then Patrick was hitting his putt and he can take his time. Obviously, greens are tough. It's the end of a Sunday at the U.S. Open. Like, you have to be really deliberate in what you're doing."
McIlroy added that he read his second putt on the 16th right of center but then pulled it.
"Probably started it straight, maybe a touch left of center, and the green grabbed it, and it caught the left edge," McIlroy said. "Wasn't a terrible putt, but I definitely felt a little bit of uneasiness before I hit it."
