Rory McIlroy was reminded of his US Open defeat after a missed putt in TGL (Image: Getty)
Rory McIlroy was brutally teased by New York Golf Club as he was reminded about the two missed putts that cost him glory last June. McIlroy was in TGL action for his Boston Common team on Monday and sent his putt wide on the first hole.
The opposition didn’t pass up the opportunity to reference misery at Pinehurst No.2, which cost him his first major title since 2014. McIlroy and his Boston squad were desperate for a win against New York after an unfruitful start to the season, losing their first four games. The Northern Irish golf sensation faced mockery early in the game following his botched short-range putt, leading to New York clinching the first point. The social media team of the New York side couldn’t resist likening McIlroy’s blunder to his .
Posting on X, the New York side wrote: “Didn’t know we were playing Pinehurst,” complemented by footage of the golfer’s mishap. It was during last June’s showdown at Pinehurst No. 2 that McIlroy infamously fluffed two crucial putts on the 16th and 18th holes, handing the lead to eventual winner Bryson DeChambeau.
Despite stumbling at the first hurdle on Monday, McIlroy and his team showed resilience as they fought to turn the tide. However, in a dramatic turn of events on the golf course, the New York team pulled off a masterful play using ‘The Hammer’ to secure a decisive victory over Boston.
Trailing by just one point with four holes remaining, the clever tactic saw points doubled, allowing the New Yorkers to surge ahead and claim a 10-6 win. The result guaranteed that Boston ended the regular season without a single win, knocking them out of contention for the playoffs.
Didn’t know we were playing Pinehurst…
— New York Golf Club (@nygolfclub)
This outcome is undoubtedly disappointing for McIlroy, one of the league’s founders alongside Tiger Woods. Nonetheless, McIlroy was upbeat about the team’s first season, having taken excitement and pride in seeing the league take shape.
“It’s been a lot of fun being in here, competing against the best players in the world, competing with some of the best players in the world. Yeah, it’s fun,” he said.
“Look, I’ve been sort of a part of this since it was just an idea, so to see it come to life this year and to see the reception to it, that’s been really, really cool and something that I know I’m very proud of and all the team behind this concept are very proud of, as well.”
Unfortunately for the league’s founding figures, Woods also faced disappointment as his Jupiter Links GC team failed to progress to the playoffs following New York’s win. Atlanta Drive, The Bay, and Los Angeles join New York in the playoffs.