“It was a sign of how big it was” – Rory McIlroy on crying on his wife’s shoulder at the 150th British Open

Rory McIlroy headed to the 150th Open Championship in July this year with the hope of ending his major drought. The ace golfer took it on as a quest to win his first major since 2014. However, he fell short and couldn’t control his emotions.

McIlroy burst into tears after losing at the 150th Open Championship to Cameron Smith. The 33-year-old Northern Irishman embraced his wife Erica Stoll after doing his round of media interviews and wept on her shoulder.

Later on, the golfer admitted that crying on his wife’s shoulder “was a sign of how big it was” for him. The PGA Tour star was visibly disturbed by the result at St. Andrews.

Speaking after the event, Rory McIlroy addressed his breakdown and said, as quoted by Golfweek:

“It was a sign of how big it was. I thought the whole Open week was quite nostalgic. St. Andrews, the 150th, you could feel the sense of history around you. I was accepted into the R&A as an honorary member that week.

“So, because of so many things, it felt quite emotional anyway. Then to have the chance to win and not get it done, coupled with the fact I haven’t won a major in eight years.”

He added:

“If I hadn’t let it out and hadn’t let myself have that release, I wouldn’t have been able to move forward. It was a tough night.”

McIlroy went on to explain that he was saddened by the game. Stating that certain trophies trumped money for him, the Irishman said that losing the Open was painful:

“If anyone has benefited from the amount of money in the game, it is me. I came in at a time when prize funds were exploding. But if I didn’t win the FedEx Cup in Atlanta, I wasn’t going to cry on Erica’s shoulder afterwards. I didn’t win the Open, didn’t get that Claret Jug and cried.”

Rory McIlroy, a four-time major champion, was happy about Cameron Smith’s win at the Open. The golfer paid tribute to Smith's stunning Sunday 64 after conceding that he lost to the better player on the day.

Having started strong at the event, McIlroy saw the trophy slip through his hands towards the final rounds. After the event, he walked on to his wife Erica, who was waiting on a nearby golf cart. McIlroy opened up and cried uncontrollably.

Later on, he came around and said that he would try again next year for a major.

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Rory McIlroy’s 2022

Rory McIlroy had perhaps the most successful year among golfers in 2022. The Irishman won both the FedEx Cup and the Race to Dubai titles. McIlroy, who became the face of the PGA in its fight against LIV Golf, also defended his titles at the RBC Heritage and CJ Cup.

The golfer climbed up to dethrone ScPerhaps Scheffler and become World No. 1. He also finished second, only behind Tiger Woods, in the PGA Tour’s Player Impact Program, winning $12m in prize money.

In total, McIlroy earned a whopping $44.8m in 2022, making him the highest-earning golfer of the year.