McIlroy's Pinehurst implosion will haunt him for life

RORY MCILROY had promised boring golf for the duration of the US Open.

- Matt Majendie

A scintillating opening round 65 of did not quite follow that mantra but, for much of the subsequent 50 holes, it was reassuringly dull, as he ground his way patiently around Pinehurst.

Only with four holes to play did he move into the lead for the first time, overturning a three-shot deficit to then lead Bryson DeChambeau by two.

But, in the denouement of the tournament, boring evaded him. Instead, seemingly plagued by the prospect of being on the brink of a first Major win in a decade, he fell apart.

Three bogeys in those final holes, including two missed putts from three to four feet said it all. The questions he had had to face at every Major about when a fifth might be on the cards had looked set to evaporate.

After his Pinehurst capitulation, they will only draw sharper into focus. Since last winning one of golf's big four, he had finished in the top 10 on 21 occasions and been runner-up four times.