Tiger Woods Sends Text To Rory McIlroy, Recalling His Crushing U.S. Open Defeat

Pro Irish golfer Rory McIlroy surrendered a two-shot lead over Bryson DeChambeau at Pinehurst No. 2. That resulted in DeChambeau clinching his second U.S. Open title after McIlroy missed two putts. Tiger Woods was one of the people who reached out to McIlroy following the devastating defeat. Woods told the media that he waited a week after the defeat to reach out.

McIlroy never received Woods’ text since he changed his number two days after the U.S. Open. “Tiger has been nothing but incredible to me over the course of my career in the good moments and the bad,” the Irishman said. “It means a lot that he reached out. Actually, it means a lot that he waited to reach out.”

Woods and McIlroy met up at Troon Tuesday to have a conversation. “I know this is a difficult moment. We all been there as champions. We all lose,” Woods assured McIlroy. “Unfortunately, it just happened, and the raw emotion of it, it’s going to be there for a long time.”

McIlroy tied for fourth at the Scottish Open and told reporters early this week that he felt “uncomfortable” over his short par putt on 16, saying he was aware of DeCambeau’s position.

The 82-time PGA Tour winner recalled his worst defeat in the U.S. Open. This loss occurred at the 2009 PGA Championship, when he lost a 54-hole lead to Y.E. Yang. Woods shot 75 at Hazeltine to lose to Yang by three. “You can’t afford to make the mistakes that I made and expect to win tournaments,” the pro remarked. “I know better than that.”

McIlroy finished the 2009 PGA Championship tied for third place with Lee Westwood with a combined score of 285.