Rory McIlroy has expressed that the memory of his failure to secure the US Open title still "stings," following his near miss for a long-awaited fifth major championship in June. The Northern Irish golfer was in a strong position at Pinehurst but faltered down the stretch, bogeying three of the last four holes and ultimately finishing just one shot behind Bryson DeChambeau. Reflecting on his season, McIlroy noted, “I’ve been incredibly consistent again, and I take pride in that over the past few years. However, it’s hard not to think about the opportunities I missed. I could easily be sitting here with a fifth major title, but that’s not the case.” As he looks ahead, McIlroy aims to cap off what he considers a "successful" season by competing for the Race to Dubai title.