Rory McIlroy breaks silence after US Open collapse: 'Probably the toughest' day of career

Rory McIlroy said he's going to take some time off from golf after a "tough day" in the final round of the 2024 U.S. Open, where he lost the lead in the closing holes and finished in second place.

After Bryson DeChambeau secured the U.S. Open for the second major championship of his career, McIlroy left Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina without speaking to the media or DeChambeau, which resulted in criticism of how he handled the loss. McIlroy then broke his silence on Monday on social media.

"Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as professional golfer," he wrote. "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."

McIlroy said he will "rue a few things over the course of the tournament," including his two missed puts on the 16th and 18th holes on Sunday. He went into the last five holes of the final round with a 2-stroke lead, but he missed two putts within five feet and finished with three bogeys in three of the last four holes, which opened a path for DeChambeau to win.

"As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have," McIlroy said. "The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I've shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again."

McIlroy added he's going to "take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up." He said he will be back for the Genesis Scottish Open in July − an event he won last year − and he will be in the British Open at Royal Troon from July 18-21.

The Open will be McIlroy's next chance to capture another elusive major championship, something he hasn't won since the 2014 PGA Championship at Valhalla Golf Club in Louisville, Kentucky. McIlroy finished the 2024 U.S. Open 5-under-par, one shot behind the winning DeChambeau.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Rory McIlroy rues US Open collapse, congratulates Bryson DeChambeau