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Mark Schlabach, ESPN Senior Writer
TROON, Scotland — Fifteen-time major champion Tiger Woods was among the people who reached out to Rory McIlroy via text message following his final-round collapse in last month’s U.S. Open at Pinehurst No. 2.
Unfortunately, McIlroy didn’t learn about Woods’ words of encouragement until he bumped into him at The Open at Royal Troon Golf Club on Tuesday.
“Full disclosure, I changed my number two days after the U.S. Open, so I didn’t get it until he told me about it today,” McIlroy said. “I was like, ‘Oh, thanks very much.’ So, I blanked Tiger Woods, which is probably not a good thing.”
Michael Jordan and tennis star Rafael Nadal were among those who reached out to McIlroy after he missed two short putts in the final three holes to lose to LIV Golf League captain Bryson DeChambeau by one stroke.
McIlroy, a four-time major champion, will try to end a nearly 10-year drought in majors at The Open, which starts Thursday on Scotland’s west coast.
Woods’ message to McIlroy was that he was a friend and knew it was a difficult moment because he had been in the situation before.
“We’ve all been there as champions,” Woods said. “We all lose. Unfortunately, it just happened, and the raw emotion of it, it’s still there, and it’s going to be there for, I’m sure, some time. The faster he’s able to get back on a horse and get back into contention, like he did last week, the better it is for him.”
Even as an 82-time winner on the PGA Tour, Woods said he felt uncomfortable over many putts during his Hall of Fame career.
“You look at the highlights, I’ve missed plenty of putts,” Woods said. “I’ve missed plenty of shots. Just like Jordan, when they said how many shots have you taken? You see all the game-winning shots, but also, he’s missed a ton of game-winning shots, too. The thing is you still take the game-winning shot, and I still want the last putt.”
In hindsight, McIlroy said he wasn’t surprised that he was anxious on the last few holes, but only wishes he’d handled his nerves better.
“I think the last few holes of a major championship with a great chance to win, if you’re not feeling it, then it probably doesn’t mean as much to you as it should,” McIlroy said.
McIlroy took three weeks off from competitive golf before returning at last week’s Genesis Scottish Open. He tied for fourth at 14 under, four shots behind winner Robert MacIntyre.
“Tiger has been nothing but incredible to me over the course of my career in the good moments and the bad,” McIlroy said. “He sent me an incredible message after [The Open at] St. Andrews in 2022.
“I met Tiger when I was 15 years old, and I’ve built up a great relationship with him, his whole family. … I caught up with him earlier. It’s always nice when your hero and the guy that you had on your bedroom wall is reaching out and offering words of encouragement.”