Nick Faldo Criticizes Rory McIlroy’s Costly Decisions at US Open

Six-time major champion Sir Nick Faldo has offered a harsh critique of Rory McIlroy’s decision-making during his dramatic collapse at the 2024 US Open. Faldo, providing commentary for Sky Sports, expressed his bewilderment as McIlroy’s game unraveled in the final holes at Pinehurst No.2.

McIlroy had been playing exceptional golf on Sunday afternoon, reaching four-under for his round and eight-under overall by the time he reached the tee box at the par-3 15th hole. However, his choice to use a 7-iron, despite having bogeyed this hole twice earlier in the week, led to disastrous consequences. His ball did not land softly and ended up in a difficult lie long of the green, resulting in another bogey.

Faldo was left puzzled by McIlroy’s strategy, remarking, “He should have gone for a towering iron shot into the heart of the green. It seemed like a lotta club to me.” Sky Sports’ Wayne Riley agreed, noting the poor lie McIlroy found himself in.

At the next hole, McIlroy initially seemed to recover, finding the fairway and holding the green with his approach. A routine two-putt par seemed inevitable, but instead, he three-putted, leading to visible signs of panic. McIlroy managed to save par at the par-3 17th after a wayward tee shot, displaying his grit under pressure.

The turning point, according to Faldo, came at the final tee. McIlroy opted to hit a driver, a decision that left both Faldo and Riley baffled. “Why is he hitting this right now?” Faldo exclaimed, with Riley echoing his confusion. “He’s aiming it down the left side trying to slide it off the breeze.”

The risky shot ended with McIlroy’s ball landing in the native area. Faldo criticized the choice, noting that the previous day McIlroy had used a 3-wood and left himself with 123 yards. “Even if [he gives himself] a 150-yard shot, so what?!”

Failing to find the green with his approach, McIlroy then pitched close but missed a critical putt inside four feet—his second such miss in four holes. Faldo’s summation was harsh: “That’s going to haunt Rory for the rest of his life, those two misses.”

After the round, McIlroy chose not to speak to the media, a decision that reportedly surprised US Open winner Bryson DeChambeau. Despite McIlroy’s heartbreak, DeChambeau had nothing but kind words in his winner’s news conference, saying, “I wouldn’t wish that on anybody.”