Rory McIlroy criticizes ‘unfair’ critics of his late collapse at US Open: ‘They never say anything good when things go my way.’ He views the Open at Troon as ‘another opportunity’ to ‘handle it better.’
Rory McIlroy has hit back at critics of his and his caddie’s US Open performance, after the Northern Irishman saw the trophy slip from his grasp at Pinehurst. Hank Haney, a former coach of Tiger Woods, and TV analyst Smylie Kaufman, a former PGA Tour player, negatively appraised McIlroy’s approach. Harry Diamond, McIlroy’s caddie, was also criticized after McIlroy bogeyed three of his last four holes.
Speaking for the first time since Bryson DeChambeau narrowly defeated him for the third major of the year, the 35-year-old dismissed “unfair” comments towards Diamond. “Hank Haney has never been in that position,” McIlroy said. “Smylie has been in that position once. I love Smylie, and he was out there with us on 18 [when McIlroy missed a decisive putt]. But just because Harry is not as vocal or loud with his words as other caddies doesn’t mean he doesn’t say or do anything.
“These guys who criticize when things don’t go my way never say anything good when they do. Where were they when I won Dubai earlier this year, Quail Hollow, the two FedExCups with Harry, or the two Ryder Cups? They are never there to praise Harry but are always quick to criticize when we don’t win.
“They are not the ones hitting the shots and making decisions. Someone once told me: ‘If you wouldn’t take advice from these people, don’t take their criticisms either.’ I certainly wouldn’t go to Hank Haney for advice. I love Smylie, but I think I know what I’m doing, and so does Harry.”
McIlroy spent a few post-US Open days in Manhattan, which seemed to have served as a head-clearing exercise. He won the last of his four majors in August 2014, but none of his attempts for a fifth have been lost in such dramatic style.
“Like I look back on some of my toughest moments in my career, I’ll learn a lot from this and hopefully use it well,” McIlroy added. “It’s been a theme throughout my career. I’ve turned tough moments into great things not long after.
“I still think about the short missed putt at Crans-sur-Sierre in 2008 in a playoff. I was probably more devastated after that because it was my rookie year on tour; I hadn’t won yet. I remember feeling really bad after that for a week.
“I stewed on what happened at Pinehurst for a couple of days, but thankfully I can go home and look at what I’ve achieved and feel OK about myself. It was a great opportunity. It passed me by, but hopefully, I won’t miss the next one.”
McIlroy pinpointed where things fell apart at Pinehurst, noting he paid too much attention to DeChambeau over the closing stretch. “Maybe I was too aware of where Bryson was and what he was doing,” McIlroy explained. “After the 14th tee, you’re looking at the 13th green, and then I had to wait on my tee shot on 15 before he hit his second shot into 14. The course flow made me very aware of what he was doing. It got me out of my own little world a bit.”
The Open takes place at Royal Troon next week. “It’s just another opportunity,” McIlroy said. “I’m playing great golf, and it’s another chance to handle it better than a few weeks ago.”
First, a Scottish Open defense in East Lothian.
