Rory McIlroy stormed away from the US Open on Sunday night, after losing out to Bryson DeChambeau in a devastating defeat.
The Northern Irish golfer was set to win the championship only to miss two three-foot putts in the last three holes, leaving his competitor to claim a one-shot victory.
The 35-year-old appeared heartbroken as he watched Bryson score the winning putt before he left the grounds without congratulating him on his win or speaking to the media.
The swallow. The dropped head. This one is going to hurt Rory McIlroy for a while. And understandably so.
Hard to not feel for the guy. pic.twitter.com/V6UDo3ICzs
— Amanda Rose (@AmandaGolf59) June 16, 2024
It’s understood Rory went straight to the airport and hopped on a private jet to Florida, where he lives with his wife Erica Stoll and their three-year-old daughter Poppy.
The brutal loss comes just days after Rory called off his divorce from his wife Erica in a shock U-turn.
Amid the drama surrounding his personal life and his devastating defeat, fans have expressed sympathy for the golfer on social media.
Fans also defended Rory immediately fleeing the scene, and called for people to “cut him a break”.
Hot take but I don’t care when athletes do this. He gave us everything he had on the course and gave us such an entertaining day. I feel for Rory right now and can’t even imagine how he’s feeling. Cut him a break https://t.co/iRBEPhvRvV
— Paige Spiranac (@PaigeSpiranac) June 16, 2024
Poor lad. Genuinely.
This guy has gone thru the wringer last 2 years. The divorce. Being shat on by Monahan. Yet he’s always in contention. Never hidden.
He’ll push on stronger from here. What’s his odds for the open? That’s now a value bet. https://t.co/jLf4IOx3xl
— Roger Paul Mitchell (@RPMComo) June 17, 2024
Ok I’ll say it…can we stop this unrealistic belief that our sports heroes are perfect please. Rory Mcilroy has given everything of himself over the past two years. He’s flawed, we all are, but did the utter devastation not tell the story? #RoryMcIlroy
pic.twitter.com/UvAEcul2Ll— Luke Elvy (@Luke_Elvy) June 17, 2024
I feel so bad pic.twitter.com/1t5887eF4A
— Rory McIlroy Tracker (@RMTracker) June 16, 2024
In May, the professional golfer announced that he was separating from his wife after seven years of marriage.
The 35-year-old started dating Erica in 2014, months after he broke off his previous engagement to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki.
The former couple tied the knot in a star-studded ceremony at Ashford Castle in 2017 and welcomed their daughter Poppy three years later.
According to the Irish Independent, the divorce papers were officially filed in Florida.
At the time, his manager Sean O’Flaherty said in a statement: “Rory McIlroy’s communications team confirmed today that a divorce has been filed. They stressed Rory’s desire to ensure this difficult time is as respectful and amicable as possible.”
The divorce filing, which described their marriage as “irretrievably broken”, requested shared custody of their daughter Poppy, and asked for a parenting plan to be established.
However, Rory’s attorney Thomas Sasser later filed a Notice of Voluntary Dismissal on his behalf.
Last week, Rory addressed the speculation surrounding his relationship status in a statement to The Guardian.
“There have been rumors about my personal life recently, which is unfortunate. Responding to each rumor is a fool’s game,” the golfer said.
“Over the past weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future was as a family together. Thankfully, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a new beginning.”
