Bryson DeChambeau 'surprised' by Rory McIlroy antics as new reaction emerges

Rory McIlroy left Bryson DeChambeau surprised and confused by making a hasty exit from Pinehurst No. 2 without congratulating him on his dramatic US Open victory. The 35-year-old suffered heartbreak in search of his first major trophy in 10 years with an incredible late collapse that gift-wrapped the title for DeChambeau.

McIlroy had a two-shot lead with five holes to play before dropping three shots in four and missing two short-range putts, one from three feet away on the last.

He was then filmed watching DeChambeau confirm victory on the 18th on a TV inside before, with a devastated expression on his face, slumped out of the room.

According to The Telegraph, McIlroy made a bee-line to his courtesy car with his team and started a short journey to Moore County Airport before DeChambeau had even signed his scorecard.

The Northern Irishman is said to have been flying towards Florida in his private jet less than an hour after his opponent made his four-foot pot to clinch his second US Open.

McIlroy was reportedly in the air before DeChambeau started his champion's press conference.

It's claimed that the 30-year-old asked officials about his whereabouts in the aftermath and was surprised to learn that he had left immediately without offering congratulations.

The news startled DeChambeau, considering he suffered the same fate in last month's USPGA, losing by a single stroke to Xander Schauffele, but stayed at Valhalla to shake the victor's hand.

McIlroy would've had nightmares about his three-foot miss on the 18th, having not fluffed a putt from the same distance in nearly 500 attempts on the PGA Tour in 2024.

And even his putting coach, former US Ryder Cup player Brad Faxon, admitted he is concerned the pressure of claiming a fifth major could be too much to handle.

"Nobody's had more pressure on him over the last 10 years. Everybody in the world knows Rory hasn't won a major since 2014," Faxon, working as an NBC analyst, said.

"I think it's the way this happened: the short missed putts there on 16, certainly on 18. I don't know how you get through this thing. It's really tough."

DeChambeau may have been disappointed not to receive McIlroy's respect after his second US Open triumph in four years.

But he offered the 2011 champion his sympathy and insisted that he would build on his four majors - two PGA Championships and one The Open Championship on top of his US Open crown.

DeChambeau said: "For him to miss that putt, I'd never wish it on anybody.

"Rory will win multiple more major championships. There's no doubt. I think that fire in him is going to continue to grow."