19 June 2024 , 05:00
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Rory McIlroy has decided to skip the Travelers Championship this weekend, foregoing a shot at a whopping $4million (£3.1m) after his US Open defeat at the hands of Bryson DeChambeau.
The Northern Irishman took to social media to announce his withdrawal from the upcoming event following his heartbreak in North Carolina, where DeChambeau snatched victory, sharing: "Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer. Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Bryson.
"He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that." On his US Open performance, he admitted: "As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I'll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives."
Remaining optimistic about his future, McIlroy said: "As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I could describe my career as is resilient. I've shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again."
Concluding his announcement, McIlroy revealed that he would be taking a "few weeks away" to process the loss and build himself back up, adding that he will return for the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon. He capped off: "See you in Scotland."
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McIlroy's break means that he'll skip the Travelers Championship, which offers a whopping first place prize of $4m (£3.1m) reports the Express, in order to prepare for The Open. The 2024 PGA Tour calendar's eighth and final signature event will see some of the world's top golfers, including Jason Day, Tony Finau, Rickie Fowler and Scottie Scheffler, compete between June 20 and June 23.
Bryson DeChambeau emerged triumphant at Pinehurst ((Image: Getty))McIlroy's decision to withdraw comes after DeChambeau thwarted his attempt to secure his first major title since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla. Despite looking set to win the US Open over the weekend, Rory missed crucial par putts on the 16th and 18th holes.
DeChambeau secured the second major title of his career with a four-foot putt on the 18th at Pinehurst No. 2 on Sunday. This led to McIlroy avoiding the media and skipping the presentation ceremony shortly after Bryson's final ball sank.