Rory McIlroy shown up by PGA Tour rival after eye-catching reaction to defeat

Rory McIlroy was given a lesson in the art of accepting defeat by Akshay Bhatia, just a fortnight after squandering a golden opportunity to clinch the US Open. McIlroy had a two-stroke lead with only five holes remaining but ended up making three bogies, which allowed Bryson DeChambeau to overtake him for the title.

The 35 year old missed par putts within four feet twice, dashing his hopes of victory after he had managed to overturn a three-shot deficit from the previous night. McIlroy was visibly devastated as he watched DeChambeau sink the winning putt from the clubhouse before storming off without offering his congratulations.

McIlroy faced widespread criticism for his unsporting behaviour, refusing to acknowledge DeChambeau's win and neglecting his media duties. He was put to shame on Sunday by Bhatia, who demonstrated how to graciously accept defeat after his loss at the Rocket Mortgage Classic.

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Bhatia missed a birdie putt on the final hole before failing with the par attempt, which allowed Cam Davis to win the tournament for the second time in four years. Unlike McIlroy's stormy exit, Bhatia was gracious in defeat as he put his disappointment to one side and spoke to the media.

Reflecting on the painful manner of his choke on the last hole, he said: "That green's old school, so a lot of slope, downhill left to right. It's a tricky putt just to get the speed correct and I did such a good job all day of my speed being really good until that last hole."

McIlroy, meanwhile, has confirmed that he will be taking some time away from golf after being left heartbroken by his failure to win the US Open. He admitted last month that it was one of the toughest days of his career and belatedly congratulated DeChambeau on his victory.

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"Yesterday was a tough day, probably the toughest I've had in my nearly 17 years as a professional golfer," penned McIlroy on X, formerly known as Twitter. "Firstly, I'd like to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now. I think we can all agree on that."

Reflecting on his performance, he added: "As I reflect on my week, I'll rue a few things over the course of the tournament, mostly the two missed putts on 16 and 18 on the final day. But, as I always try to do, I'll look at the positives of the week that far outweigh the negatives.

"As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer to winning my next major championship than I ever have. The one word that I would describe my career as is resilient. I've shown my resilience over and over again in the last 17 years and I will again.

"I'm going to take a few weeks away from the game to process everything and build myself back up for my defence of the Genesis Scottish Open and The Open at Royal Troon."