The Open: Rory McIlroy prepared for contemporary main problem after lacking Tiger Woods’ post-US Open message

Rory McIlroy has revealed he by chance “blanked” Tiger Woods when he modified his cellphone quantity after his final-round heartbreak on the US Open.

McIlroy squandered a two-shot lead in the course of the closing day at Pinehurst No 2, with three bogeys in his final 4 holes seeing him end runner-up to Bryson DeChambeau and proceed his anticipate an elusive fifth main victory.

The Northern Irishman revealed earlier this week that Rafael Nadal and Michael Jordan have been among the many stars to ship him messages of help, whereas Woods confirmed forward of The Open that he had additionally reached out to McIlroy a couple of days after the disappointing end.

McIlroy withdrew from the Vacationers Championship the week after the US Open and spent a couple of days wandering round Manhattan, the place he modified his cellphone quantity and was unaware that Woods had tried to speak with him.

“Full disclosure, I changed my number two days after the US Open, so I didn’t get it until he told me about it today,” McIlroy stated in his pre-tournament press convention. “I used to be like, ‘oh, thanks very a lot’.

“So I blanked Tiger Woods, which might be not a great factor. Tiger has been nothing however unbelievable to me over the course of my profession within the good moments and the dangerous. He despatched me an unbelievable message after St Andrews in 2022.

“I met Tiger after I was 15 years outdated, and I’ve constructed up an amazing relationship with him, his complete household. He actually enjoys spending time with my mum and pop as effectively. It means rather a lot that he reached out.

“It means a lot that he waited a few days to reach out, which if he hadn’t have waited that long, I probably would have got it. But I caught up with him earlier. It’s always nice when your hero and the guy that you had on your bedroom wall is reaching out and offering words of encouragement.”

Woods mentioned the message he despatched throughout his press convention at Royal Troon, the place the 15-time main champion defined the “raw emotion” that McIlroy might be going through after extending his main drought.

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“I just sent him a nice text,” Woods stated. “I waited a week before I sent it. I wanted to let it calm down. I know he was being besieged by a lot of different things going on, and just let it cool down for a week.”

Requested what he had stated within the message, Woods added: “Simply principally, as , I am your pal. I do know this can be a troublesome second. We have all been there as champions. All of us lose.

“Unfortunately, it just happened and the raw emotion of it, it’s still there and it’s going to be there for, I’m sure, some time. The faster he’s able to get back on a horse and get back into contention, like he did last week [in the Scottish Open], the better it is for him.”

Will McIlroy bounce again at The Open?

McIlroy now has 21 high 10s in majors since his 2014 PGA Championship success, together with six top-six finishes in his final eight appearances at The Open, with the 35-year-old heading to Royal Troon off the again of claiming a share of fourth place in his title defence on the Genesis Scottish Open.

“It [talk about another major win] doesn’t bother me,” McIlroy added. “I know that I’m in a good spot. If I think about 2015 through 2020, that five-year stretch I seldom had a realistic chance to win a major championship in that five-year period.

“So I might a lot reasonably have these shut calls. It implies that I am getting nearer. I might love to have the ability to play the golf and get one over the road, however as quickly as I try this, individuals are going to say, effectively, when are you going to win your sixth? So it is by no means ending.”

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On his type heading into the ultimate males’s main of the yr, McIlroy stated: “Game’s in really good shape. Had a nice reset after Pinehurst that was needed and felt like I shook off a little bit of the rust last week [at the Scottish Open] and played okay.

“I felt like I most likely may have given myself extra of an opportunity to win the match. I assumed it was a stable week. Once more, it is like one eye on making ready for this week, however one other eye on making an attempt to get into competition as effectively. It is felt good to get again over right here and get again into the swing of issues.”

Who will win The 152nd Open? Watch extended coverage this week live on Sky Sports. Live coverage begins on Thursday from 6.30am on Sky Sports Golf. Stream The Open and extra high sport with NOW.