Watch: Rory McIlroy's astonishing answer to reporter over *that* US Open missed putt

Rory McIlroy says he was thinking about the putt coming back up the hill before his crucial miss from inside three feet on the 72nd hole of the 2024 US Open. 

McIlroy, 35, finally broke his silence over his heartbreak at Pinehurst No.2. before the Scottish Open. 

He used the majority of his news conference to go on the offensive and blasted those who have criticised his caddie Harry Diamond. 

"I think I know what I'm doing," the four-time major champion said matter-of-factly before saying he would never take advice from Tiger Woods controversial ex coach Hank Haney. 

Turning his attention to what happened on the closing holes of the major, McIlroy said it was 'a great day until it wasn't'. 

"I did things on that Sunday that I haven't been able to do in the last couple years," he said.  

"I took control of the golf tournament. Held putts when I needed to. 

"Well, mostly when I needed to. Made birdies. You know, really got myself in there."

McIlroy came unstuck when he missed a putt from inside three feet at the par-three 15th, having converted all of his 496 previous efforts from that distance all season. 

He also made bogey on the 16th hole and was fortunate to escape the 17th with a par having pulled his tee shot at the par-three into the left trap. 

On the final hole and knowing Bryson DeChambeau was breathing down his neck, McIlroy's made a closing bogey after missing another put from less than four feet. 

His Ryder Cup teammate Jon Rahm previously said the TV cameras 'severely underplayed' how treacherous the knee-knocker was, given if he missed on the high side after hitting a firm putt then his TP5x would've likely rolled off the green. 

"I was sort of in two minds," McIlroy told reporters on Wednesday.  

"I didn't know whether Bryson was going to make a par or not, it was one of those ones where I had to make sure that if the putt didn't go in, that it wasn't going ten feet by which it very easily could have."

He continued: "I just left it on the wrong side of the hole. I got a above the hole where the hole was cut was on top of the little slope, and ended up pretty dry and crusty around the hole. 

"And the chip shot just ran out a little bit and got past the hole. 

"So it was -- I hit that putt very, very easy, and obviously just missed on the low side, and it still went a good three or four feet by.

"So I was probably playing it, I don't know, like two, two, and a half cups left, whatever it was, three-and-a-half-foot putt. 

"There was a lot of swing to it, especially with how easy I was hitting it. 

"Like I said, if it was match play and the next one didn't matter I would have approached the putt differently.

"But knowing that Bryson had hit it left off the tee, I just sort of wanted to make sure that if there was still a chance at a playoff, that it was at least going to be that."

Watch his answer here:

McIlroy said that having had time to reflect on the day, he believes he was too aware of what DeChambeau was doing rather than focusing on himself. 

"It sort of got me out of my own little world a little bit," he said. 

"It's something that's been a bit of a theme throughout my career. 

"I've been able to take those tough moments and turn them into great things not very long after that."

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