US Open: Rory McIlroy bows out in humiliating style with horrendous double bogey

RORY MCILROY bowed out of the US Open in humiliating style with an horrendous double bogey at his final hole.

McIlroy needed to finish with a par to survive the cut, and it looked like he caught a lucky break when his wild tee shot found a decent lie in a bunker, instead of plunging into the ankle-deep rough surrounding it.

He was left with 158 yards to the green, and appeared to be far enough back in the sand to find the green.

But he watched in disbelief as his ball smashed into the face of the bunker and bounced back into a plugged lie, forcing him to hack it out onto the fairway.

That meant McIlroy needed to hole his approach shot to avoid an early flight home. There were gasps from the greenside spectators as it arrowed towards the flag – only to race twenty feet past.

Two putts added up to a double bogey six and a round of 71. That left him two shots adrift of the safety mark on eight over par, and the world No 3 had missed the cut for the first time since the

Open at Muirfield three years ago.

This was his fifth missed cut in 29 Majors, and three of those flops have come in the US Open.

It is no wonder he said at the start of the week that he was relieved he already had one US Open title in the bag – secured at Congressional in 2012, when the rain-softened course played into his hands.

The thunderstorms that battered Oakmont on day one raised hopes that he would take advantage of similar conditions, at least over the first couple of days.

But he never looked comfortable on the course – apart from at the start of yesterday’s round, when he flattered to deceive.

In fact it was hard to believe McIlroy would be making an early exit as he came roaring out the blocks, showing far more aggressive intent than he had during his dismal first round 77.

He hit a brilliant approach at his opening ole, the tenth, which finished less than four feet from the flag – and he breathed a sigh of relief as his birdie putt crept in through side door.

Three more birdies followed in the next six holes as the Ulsterman charged from seven over to three over, and at that stage it looked like he might even force his way into contention for a fifth Major victory.

He should have taken another step forward when he smashed a three wood onto the green at the 318 yards 17^th, leaving him with an outside chance of an eagle.

But he three-putted from seventy feet, and the wheels really came off on the 432 yards third.

He four-putted from just 12 feet for a double bogey six, twice missing from inside three feet after his birdie attempt slid by.

Another shot went on the par three sixth to leave him hanging on by his fingernails – and he dropped off the cliff with that final hole shocker, refusing to speak to reporters as he dashed away from the course.

Lee Westwood also endured a roller-coaster second round. Two early birdies gave him the outright lead at five under par but he was then hit for six, throwing in half a dozen bogeys in an ugly nine hole run.

But he fought back with two more birdies in the final three holes for a 72, which left him inside the top ten at the halfway mark on one under par, three shots behind 36 hole leader Dustin Johnson.