Singer-songwriter Ben Rector writes song for Rory McIlroy after US Open failure

Singer Ben Rector wanted to show his respect for the professional golfer Rory McIlroy by writing a song for him after his heartbreaking loss at the US Open Championship last week.

“I sat down and wrote this for @McIlroyRory after watching him have a rough Sunday at the US Open, but I think it’s actually for anyone out there in the arena trying it out with the real possibility of things not going the way they want (and I think that’s actually true for all of us),” Rector, 37, wrote on X on Thursday, June 20, along with a video of himself singing the song.

Rector’s lyrics highlight McIlroy’s disastrous final three holes in the golf tournament he almost won.

“Brother, believe me / I know it’s hard sometimes,” Rector sings. “The bloody noses, the black eyes / But God, I love how you keep trying / These people don’t know how hard dreams are / How hard and lonely it can be / To carry that flame honestly so it doesn’t go out.”

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In his final round at Pinehurst Country Club on Sunday, June 16, the 35-year-old McIlroy missed short putts on the 16th and 18th holes, paving the way for Bryson DeChambeau and won the championship by one stroke. McIlroy finished in second place.

A day after his devastating loss, McIlroy shared his thoughts on social media, describing his final day of the tournament as one of the “toughest” he had experienced in nearly 17 years as a professional golfer.

“First of all, I want to congratulate Bryson. He is a worthy champion and exactly what professional golf needs right now,” McIlroy wrote via X on Monday, June 17. “I think we can all agree on that. When I look back on my week, I will regret a few things over the course of the tournament, especially the two missed putts on holes 16 and 18 on the last day.”

McIlroy further explained that he would try to “look at the positives of the week” rather than focusing on the negatives.

“As I said at the start of the tournament, I feel closer than ever to my next big title,” he said. “The only word I would use to describe my career is resilience. I have proven my resilience time and time again over the last 17 years and I will do so again.”

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The golfer concluded his statement by noting that he will be “taking a couple of weeks off from the game to process everything” before competing in the Genesis Scottish Open from July 11-14 and The Open at Royal Troon from July 14-21.

“See you in Scotland,” he added.

McIlroy’s private life also made headlines when he filed for divorce from Erica Stoll in May. After his filing, there were rumors that he was dating the CBS Sports reporter Amanda BalionisHowever We weekly exclusively announced that the two were not together.

Less than a month after filing for divorce and a few days before the US Open, McIlroy called off the separation and withdrew the documents.

“Over the last few weeks, Erica and I have realized that our best future is a family together,” McIlroy, who has daughter Poppy, 3, with Stoll, 36, told The guard in a statement on June 11. “Fortunately, we have resolved our differences and look forward to a fresh start.”