Rory McIlroy called Patrick Cantlay ‘a d*ck’ and now they’ll play US Open final round together!

Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay will tee it up together in the penultimate pairing in the final round of the 2024 US Open at Pinehurst No.2.

Rory McIlroy reportedly once labelled Patrick Cantlay ‘a d*ck’ and now the pair will face off in the penultimate pairing in the final round of the US Open. 

McIlroy trails LIV Golf’s Bryson DeChambeau by three shots heading into the final round at Pinehurst No.2 in North Carolina.

DeChambeau will now attempt to win his second US Open title having won his first at Winged Foot in 2020.

McIlroy is also looking to land a second US Open title, but more importantly a first major in what is unthinkably coming up to 10 years this August.

The Northern Irishman landed his sole US Open title with an eight-shot romp at Congressional in 2011.

Live From just showed this angle of LaCava on the 18th green in Rory’s kitchen as he prepared for his birdie putt. Definitely right in Rory’s way. pic.twitter.com/NcBAILHBcJ

— Shane Bacon (@shanebacon) September 30, 2023

Things got so heated that it all spilled over into the car park nine months ago in Rome.

According to ‘The Hank Haney Podcast’ and other reports, it is understood McIlroy called Cantlay ‘a dick’ in the aftermath.

Tomorrow will be the first time Rory McIlroy and Patrick Cantlay have been paired together since the Ryder Cup. Penultimate group on Sunday of the U.S. Open. pic.twitter.com/UPJGb3GWE7

— Dan Rapaport (@Daniel_Rapaport) June 15, 2024

Despite all of that drama, McIlroy recently confirmed he had ‘cleared the air’ with LaCava.

As for his current relationship with Cantlay, I guess we’ll all have to see how that plays out at Pinehurst No.2 on Sunday.

McIlroy is going in search of a fifth career major, while Cantlay is looking to pick up his first in his 30th major appearance.

McIlroy and Cantlay have played a lead role in helping the PGA Tour in its ongoing framework agreement with the Saudi Public Investment Fund (PIF) on a new commercial partnership.

An official update on the merger is expected to be confirmed following the conclusion of the US Open.

Cantlay is a lead player director alongside the likes of Tiger Woods, while McIlroy decided to step down from his player director role earlier this season, albeit he is still very much involved in talks in the background with PIF.

When McIlroy was pressed for this thoughts on not quite making it into the final group in the final round at the US Open, he avoided any talk of playing with Cantlay but admitted there were pros and cons.

McIlroy said:

“Yeah, I’m excited about it. It would have been nice to hole that putt at the last and get to 5-under and break out of that logjam at 4. Pros and cons. Pros and cons to being in the last group, and maybe playing one group ahead mightn’t necessarily be a bad thing.

“I’m pretty much in the same position that I was last year going into the final day at LACC. So familiar position, been here many times before, and hopefully tomorrow I produce the golf that’s needed to go one better.”