Rory McIlroy has decided to take “a few weeks away” from the PGA Tour following his gut-wrenching collapse on Sunday, opening the door for Bryson DeChambeau to claim his second career U.S. Open.

McIlroy seemed destined to end his 10-year major drought as he entered the homestretch at Pinehurst No. 2. He led DeChambeau — running on fumes and missing fairways —  by two stokes with five holes to play. McIlroy was polishing off a superb, steady all-around performance in North Carolina.

Then, the unthinkable happened.

McIlroy failed to get up-and-down on No. 15, resulting in a typical Pinehurst bogey. On the par-4 16th, the four-time major winner missed a 30-inch putt for par — his only missed 3-footer in 2024. On the par-4 18th, he pushed a 4-footer that would've at least secured a spot in the playoff.

McIlroy — the face of the PGA Tour — could only watch, distraught and dismayed, from the clubhouse television as a LIV Golf star stuck a once-in-a-lifetime 55-foot bunker save within three feet of the hole. DeChambeau made the gimme.

Rather than speak to reporters, the Northern Irishman high-tailed it out of Pinehurst and jetted back to his Florida home. In a statement posted to X on Monday, the 26-time PGA Tour winner congratulated DeChambeau, acknowledged his gaffes, and called Sunday “probably the toughest” day of his career.

“As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the 2 missed putts on 16 and 18,” he wrote. “But, as I always try to do, I'll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.”

McIlroy was slated to take questions on Wednesday at a pro-am ahead of the Travelers Championship, which begins Thursday in Cromwell, CT. In his statement, McIlroy implied that he'll go dark from the PGA Tour until the Genesis Scottish Open (July 11-14).

The Open Championship — his last chance at that elusive fifth major before next year's Masters — begins the following week at Royal Troon.

“I'm going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defense of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon.”

McIlroy, currently ranked no. 2 in the world, has two PGA Tour wins in 2024 — both in April, in events Scottie Scheffler did not enter. McIlroy finished T22 at the Masters and T12 at the PGA Championship.

For the season, McIlroy ranks third on the PGA Tour in scoring average, third in strokes gained: total, and first in driving.

“The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I’ve shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.”

The Travelers is the final signature event on the PGA Tour calendar, meaning it carries a $20 million purse. Top-ranked PGA Tour stars such as Scheffler, Xander Schauffele, Ludvig Aberg, and Wyndham Clark are slated to tee it up at TPC River Highlands.

The PGA Tour will swing through the Midwest for the Rocket Mortgage Classic (June 27) and John Deere Classic (July 4) before heading overseas to the Home of Golf. McIlroy did not enter those events in 2023.

“See you in Scotland,” McIlroy wrote.