Rory McIlroy was not best pleased with leaked info (!) during US Open interview

Rory McIlroy was not prepared to disclose any further information when informed by golf reporter Kira K. Dixon that Brad Faxon had been sharing details on NBC Sports about his 'eureka moment' when flying home from the Memorial Tournament.

Dixon is hired by NBC Sports but she has also been working in partnership with Sky Sports Golf at a number of tournaments this season. 

She spoke to McIlroy following a third round of 1-under 69 that moved the World No.3 into a tie for second and three shots behind Bryson DeChambeau heading into the final round of the US Open at Pinehurst No.2. 

After briefly discussing the best bits of McIlroy's round, Dixon then told the Northern Irishman his 'eureka moment' had been shared all over NBC Sports by his putting coach and eight-time PGA Tour winner Brad Faxon during their US Open broadcast on Saturday night. 

McIlroy looked a little lost for words. 

Scroll below to watch his reaction...

Faxon recounted on the NBC broadcast how during McIlroy's flight back home from the Memorial Tournament on Sunday night - where he finished T15 at Muirfield Village - he turned to his agent Sean O'Flaherty and boasted: 'Sean, I just figured it out'. 

O'Flaherty's reply, according to Faxon, was: 'What do you mean figured it out?' 

Faxon told how McIlroy said: 'I figured out my golf swing'.

McIlroy, according to Faxon, is said to have got up in the aisle and then showed his agent exactly what he had figured out.

According to Faxon, who acts as the Ulsterman's putting coach, McIlroy had 'started standing a little closer to the ball'. 

This was McIlroy's 'eureka moment' and a big reason why he ranks first in 'Strokes Gained: Tee To Green' and 'Strokes Gained: Off The Tee' so far this week in North Carolina. 

NBC’s lead analyst Brandel Chamblee chimed in with: 'That’s harder to do in 23C.'

After hearing the conversation play out on NBC Sports, Dixon put all of this to McIlroy during her interview for Sky Sports Golf. 

It's fair to say McIlroy was not best pleased. 

Dixon said to McIlroy: 'Our NBC colleague Brad Faxon was saying on the broadcast that you had a bit of a 'eureka moment' on the plane from the Memorial Tournament back home, you figured something out, you got up and you were making some practice swings apparently is this true and what is the eureka moment?'

McIlroy replied: 'Okay... erm... it may be true. I don't know if I want to disclose it right now. It's nice to know that Fax is sort of giving away all of our secrets.'

Dixon then tried to diffuse the situation slightly by saying Faxon had not said specifically what it was, to which McIlroy replied: 'No, I know, I know, but... we spend a lot of times on planes and I spend a lot of time thinking about my game in the air. Sometimes things come to me.'

Watch McIlroy's comments below: 

McIlroy will head out in the penultimate pairing in the final round of the US Open alongside Patrick Cantlay and his caddie Joe LaCava.

Many of you will remember McIlroy and LaCava had a memorable bust-up on the 18th green at the Ryder Cup last September at Marco Simone in Rome, Italy. 

The argument got so heated that it all spilled over into the car park. 

McIlroy is said to have called Cantlay a 'd**k' in the aftermath, too.

It remains to be seen if there is any tension in the air between them all on Sunday. 

McIlroy is looking to win his fifth major title, a second US Open and his first major in what is now coming up to 10 years this August. 

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