Rory McIlroy's pain is almost unimaginable after blowing chance for elusive fifth major

We've been here before but this one stings more than any other. Imagine being Rory McIlroy. Imagine having his career. His multitude of victories. The rollercoaster of the life he leads. Now imagine how he feels today.

It was all there on the TV screen when you looked at his crestfallen, haunted face in the recorder's hut.

The Holywood man watched Bryson DeChambeau line up his short putt on 18. For a brief moment before he turned away you could see and feel the shock and pain that engulfed him as his rival found the back of the cup to become a two-time major champion.

READ MORE: Bryson DeChambeau reacts to Rory McIlroy collapse as he makes major prediction

READ MORE: Rory McIlroy blanks media and makes quick getaway after US Open collapse

A lot of people believe that DeChambeau won the US Open. That 55-yard bunker shot on 18 will be shown again and again over the years. It's one set for immortality.

The reality is that McIlroy blew his chance to become a five-time major champion. He got himself into position, he was right where he wanted to be and DeChambeau's challenge was sliding away.

"I even saw on 10 where he made birdie," said the American at his victory press conference. "I'm like, 'Oh, man, he's gunning, he's going for it'. When he was climbing up the leaderboard and he was two ahead, I was like, 'Uh-oh, uh-oh'."

In last year's final round of the US Open at LACC, McIlroy never got going after getting himself paired with Wyndham Clark in the final group. At The Open at St Andrews two years ago, he was the frontrunner on Sunday but played conservatively as Cam Smith and Cam Young blazed past him.

Sunday at Pinehurst was different and it really did feel that destiny was finally calling him again in a major after nine years and 10 months of waiting and willing it to happen.

Four birdies in five holes from 9 gave him a two-shot cushion. After a bogey blip on 15, he stood on the 16th green with a short putt to maintain a one-shot lead.

Two foot six inches, not any break to talk about. And he missed. Meltdown time.

In a recent US Open preview, Paul McGinley got to the nub of what McIlroy had to do to get over the line. "Overall, he’s a better golfer but there’s no doubt, there’s a mental hurdle he has to jump to get over the line in major championships again," said McGinley.

"That’s what’s holding him back. It’s the glue. Look at Real Madrid in the Champions League final - it’s in their DNA, it's a feeling, a sense they’re going to win. And Rory doesn’t have that in majors at the moment. And when you don’t win for 10 years, that’s the doubt that creeps. That’s the biggest hurdle."

That doubt crept back in on 15 and then it took him over on 16, like it did at Augusta 13 years ago when he started his final round with a four shot lead. He was done by Amen Corner.

His four major wins quickly followed. He has won many times since, but couldn't add to that stand-out quartet. McGinley spoke in that interview of how great players were able to disconnect from the surroundings to get the job done. McIlroy hasn't been able to as the mental scarring has built up, layer upon layer.

He did well in the circumstances to get up and down for par on 17 but the clamour in his mind wouldn't let up. He reached for the driver on the 18th tee when his three wood had done the job perfectly well all week and, with a sense of inevitability, he found the rough stuff on the left.

Still, McIlroy manoeuvered himself onto the last green having left himself one of those ones again for par. Three foot nine inches this time. The putting exhibition he had produced for most of the round - over 100 feet of putts made over his first 13 holes - suddenly felt like it had happened years ago.

On 16, his miss was his first all year from that sort of range. And then, on 18, he went and did it again. The ball barely grazed the cup and stayed up. He never looked comfortable standing over the putt.

DeChambeau, to his huge credit, did the rest. McIlroy couldn't get out of the venue quick enough. No questions taken but plenty will be asked where he next shows up.

He is due at the Traveler's Championship this week. Last year, after the Masters, he skipped the RBC Heritage and was fined $3m as it was a designated event. He later described that as an easy decision, and the 35-year-old may decide that another time out to re-group is needed now.

DeChambeau says McIlroy can still win multiple majors. He has been so consistently in the running in recent years that, statistically, getting over the line again only seems like a matter of time.

But you imagine how he felt last night and how he feels today. And you wonder does he have it in him to get off the canvas again and to finally deliver that elusive knock-out blow.

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