Jon Rahm defends Rory McIlroy against backlash for his U.S. Open collapse, blaming NBC’s golf announcers for underestimating the difficulty of McIlroy’s pivotal putt on the 18th hole.

Rahm argues that the commentators downplayed the complexity of McIlroy's crucial putt, leading to undue criticism following his late stumble at the U.S. Open, where he bogeyed three of the final four holes. With McIlroy now planning a brief hiatus to reflect, Rahm highlights the gap between the on-air expectations and the actual challenge of the course, suggesting that only those familiar with its intricacies can fully appreciate the difficulty.

Rahm did not participate in the 2024 U.S. Open due to a foot ailment but felt compelled to speak out in defense of McIlroy. He pointed out that the critical commentary and public backlash McIlroy faced were influenced significantly by how the NBC announcers portrayed the situation.

"The way the putt on the 18th was discussed on the broadcast made it seem like it was a routine shot that Rory should have made without any trouble," Rahm stated. "In reality, only someone who knows the course in detail would understand just how tricky it was."

McIlroy bogeyed three of his last four holes, with missed putts proving costly in the final stages of the tournament. These misses ultimately led to him failing to secure what would have been his first major championship win in a decade. His last major win came in 2014, adding pressure and expectation every time he is in contention.

Following the tournament, McIlroy released a statement on X (formerly Twitter), sharing his thoughts on the event and congratulating the tournament's victor, Bryson DeChambeau. Despite the disappointment, McIlroy remained gracious in defeat and acknowledged DeChambeau's performance.

Rahm stressed that the commentators had set unrealistic expectations by implying that the putt McIlroy missed should succeed 100 times out of 100. This, he argued, made McIlroy's miss seem like a fundamental error rather than a reflection of the challenging conditions.

"When you tell the audience that the putt is a shot that should always be made, you're not giving a fair representation of what these players are up against," Rahm said. "It's not fair to Rory or any golfer who faces similar situations."

Given the intense scrutiny and criticism, McIlroy has decided to take a brief hiatus from golf. This break will allow him to process the events of the U.S. Open and come back with a refreshed mindset for future tournaments.

McIlroy's decision to step away, even momentarily, highlights the psychological toll such high-stakes competitions can take, especially when coupled with public and media scrutiny. While McIlroy has been a dominant figure in golf for over a decade, the absence of a major win in the past ten years has only amplified the pressure on him.

Rahm emphasized the need for commentators to provide a more nuanced analysis, specifically critiquing NBC's announcers for underplaying the difficulty of McIlroy’s putt on the 18th hole. He believes that the announcers' lack of detailed commentary on the course difficulty contributed to the criticism McIlroy faced.

As McIlroy takes time to regroup, the golf world will watch closely to see how he returns from this setback. Despite the recent disappointment, his career achievements and four major wins remain a testament to his skill and resilience in the sport.