Rory McIlroy suffered arguably the most disappointing day of his career in the final round of the US Open when he gave up a two-shot lead on the back nine at Pinehurst No.2 to finish one behind winner Bryson DeChambeau.
That was his fourth runner-up in a Major since his most recent title at the 2014 Open, but surely none have been as devastating, particularly given he missed a short putt on the 18th which would have ultimately seen him into a playoff.
The disappointment was written all over McIlroy’s face as he watched helplessly as DeChambeau made no mistake on the final green to claim his second US Open title, and he quickly departed the scene without talking to the media.
Given the manner of McIlroy's latest Major near miss, it would be understandable if he took some time out before preparations for the final Major of the year, next month’s Open at Royal Troon, begin in earnest.
However, he is currently still in the field for the latest of the PGA Tour’s signature events, the Travelers Championship, which begins just four days after the conclusion of the US Open. Not only that, but McIlroy is also scheduled to speak to the media the day before the event gets underway.
McIlroy has been open about his current enthusiasm for the game in recent months, and after The Masters said he is “loving golf at the moment. Loving it,” despite once again failing to claim his first Green Jacket. He has also played plenty of golf in 2024 so far, and if he does tee it up at TPC River Highlands, it will be is 17th start this year.
An appearance at the Connecticut tournament could also be the perfect opportunity to put the events of the previous week behind him with the chance of a 27th PGA Tour win.
McIlroy has criticized the tournament in the past, though, which is known for its low scoring. After the 2023 event, where he finished T7 after shooting 18-under for the week, he said: "I don't particularly like when a tournament is like this. Unfortunately technology has passed this course by, right? It sort of has made it obsolete, especially as soft as it has been with a little bit of rain that we had.”
McIlroy has also left it late to withdraw from an event after Major frustration in the past - after surprisingly missing the cut at the 2023 Masters, he skipped the following week’s RBC Heritage.
Another potential reason why McIlroy is still in the field could be the latest PGA Tour policy board meeting, which is set for Tuesday, with the Golf Channel's Rex Hoggard stating on the broadcaster's podcast that a deal with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) behind LIV Golf is "very, very close."
McIlroy is no longer on the policy board but is still hugely influential on the PGA Tour and attended a key meeting between it and PIF remotely after the second round of the Memorial Tournament.
While there is still time for the 35-year-old to pull out of this week's event, then, as things stand, we will see just how resilient he is in the face of his latest Major disappointment just a few days from now.
