Through 13 holes at Chambers Bay Sunday, Rory McIlroy was chasing history. He looked ready to wipe Johnny Miller from the U.S. Open record books and he looked ready to give the leaders something strong to think about.
The world’s No. 1 player was six-under par for the day after making an improbable 50-foot bomb for birdie at 13. “That’s when I really thought I had a chance,” McIlroy admitted after his round.
He followed it up with a tee shot that stopped just five-feet from the hole at the 14th. He was looking at what surely would be a sure birdie with two birdie, possible eagle holes still in front of him.
McIlroy was blazing at a hundred miles per hour then came to screeching halt when he missed that five footer, promptly bogeyed the 15th, missed making birdie at the 16th, bogeyed 17 then limped home with a par at 18 and a final round 66.
McIlroy turned 62 or 63 into 66 and it all started with the missed short putt. “I made two bogeys, which was disappointing,” McIlroy added. “If I can just roll the ball a little better, I feel good going into the last two majors of the season.”
He had struggled with the putter all week and it was the putter that brought an end to his furious charge on Sunday. He would finish at even par, 280.
