US Open 2024- Pinehurst No. 2- 13th to 16th June

I think the mask slipped on McIlroy’s nice guy act a long time ago.

The LIV debacle was about one thing only for McIlroy and that was compensation for staying with the PGA and what they offered him behind the scenes to be the poster boy. Then they turned around and shafted him. He’s interested in himself only and that’s fine, golf is a selfish sport and he needs to put himself first. But the nice guy act is just that, an act.

He was one clear after 14 in reality, bryson still had the short par 4 14th to play when rory was 2 clear.

You talk about all Mcilroy's bad luck and in particular the 5th. It absolutely was bad luck. But it doesn't mean he would have won if he had gotten a 4 on that hole. In all likelihood, the choke would have just come sooner. And I say that as a massive mcilroy fan who is absolutely gutted. But it just feels that whenever he was to get his nose in front, the pressure was going to tell and the cracks would come.

He just can't deal with the major pressure at the moment. If he does get one more win in coming years, I feel it will be liberating and he will go on to win multiple more. But that's a massive IF. This will leave big scars.

but they didn't trick up the greens, that just how they are, by accident more than design

the greens look big, but they are tiny

it was as hard a golf challenge as is possible, basically small greens with no collar no lip to catch a ball

you don't need every course to be that hard

He was two behind and shot +1 over the last four holes and won. It was handed to him.on a plate. He didn't win it because he was best, Rory lost it.

he won it because he was the best across the 4 days

this is always the case

he had more holes left, an easy hole that rory gets a shot back, guess what he does the same

he 3 putts, rory misses a putt

he pulls his drive, rory pulls his drive

As I said he was given three shots by Rory at the end of the round. Through 70 holes he was not the best. He was given two shots on the last two holes. He didn't do what it takes to win it, Rory did what it takes to lose it.

Yes. Exactly. Rory’s mistakes hurt him more than Bryson’s play

everyone gives shots back on a course like that, so did Bryson

anyway, I think I've played this out

what are you on about? He had the lowest score after 72 holds ffs. Course he was the best.

Absolutely. These terms are overused and carelessly applied e.g some people seem to think 'choking' and 'bottling' are synonyms. In my view ,to 'bottle' something in the sporting sense means to decline a reasonable challenge or be afraid to take some degree of justifiable risk. To 'choke' means to fail to execute some manoeuvre that one would habitually carry out without any difficulty. It's the context that generates the 'choke'. 'Bottling' is the (deliberate, strategic) decision of the sporting actor. A good example of a 'choke' might be a Mayo footballer having an easy 20 metre free deep in added time to win the All Ireland and missing …overcome , like Rory , by the enormity of the occasion and the implications of his action. Another good one would be a tennis player who has served well to arrive at double match point to win their first major and serves two double faults. It's all part of the agony and ecstasy of sport and shows the perplexing nature of human psychology.

Yesterday Rory did not bottle anything -but he incontrovertibly 'choked'.

I think he played well. Ok he was bad with driver OTT. Got away with murder really there! Still played great golf into the greens and putting.

18 was pure entertainment. I loved every second of it.

BDC deserved the win and I thought McIlroy did well to get his nose in front earlier.

For all the clueless people; that was a really tricky 4ft putt on the last. Add 10 years of trying and all things considered its understandable that he didn't hole it.

I'm not sorry for him and I'm glad BDC won it. It was one of the great major championships.

McIlroy will win another major. I'm sure more than ever now. Might be next year at the PGA (Quail Hollow) or The British Open (Portrush).

p.s. this is from someone who said after Oakmont that he'd not win another major in the next twelve years. He's now into year no.8.

The British Open at St. Andrews in 2022 totally changed my mind.

Finau and Åberg were both knocked out of contention by a single triple-bogey (in the exact same spot). Rory's came across the final four holes. A really cruel twist but Pinehurst gave a lot of hurt over the weekend. Cantlay became a forgotten man as usual.

I explained this in my last post.

You are wrong. They were both -6 after 70 holes.

And you will say he was the best after 69 holes. But why pick a specific random number of holes? What about after 58 holes? 63 holes? 72 holes even? Ridiculous point you are trying to make.