Footage of Rory McIlroy’s US Open locker room fallout is set to be released to the public next year, after the golf star suffered a late collapse at Pinehurst and watched Bryson DeChambeau pip him to glory from the clubhouse.
McIlroy had been heading towards his first major victory since 2014 before bogeying three of the last four holes, including two short putts after failing to miss a putt inside three feet all season.
Instead the Northern Ireland star had to awkwardly watch on as DeChambeau took advantage of his misery, before more drama exploded behind the scenes as a result of Netflix’s Full Swing documentary - set to air in 2025.
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McIlroy was unexpectedly followed into the locker rooms by the documentary crew, still reeling from his last-hole meltdown at Pinehurst, as a top USGA official reportedly had to step in and halt proceedings.
A furious McIlroy made a swift exit from the course and snubbed his media obligations, before announcing a break from golf, swiftly following a tense moment in the champions’ changing area.
McIlroy, who was permitted to use the space as the 2011 tournament victor, was gathering his belongings in an attempt to leave the premises quietly.
However, he and his team were followed by a crew carrying a camera and a boom microphone. USGA CEO Mike Whan paused his preparations for the tournament presentations to intervene, asking security guards: “Do we want them in here?”
Whan showed sensitivity to McIlroy in a low moment and acknowledged that the same sentiment was not shared by the Netflix crew, who were keen to capture the runner-up's immediate reaction to his dramatic defeat.
There had been doubts over whether a third season of Full Swing would ever be released, despite McIlroy and his rivals continuing to be filmed, with the world No. 3 potentially hopeful that his first thoughts and actions after US Open despair would never be aired.
In March, series producer Chad Mumm hoped that a third instalment would be green-light, but had no indication from Netflix. He told Golf Monthly: “We haven’t announced any official confirmation of that yet (a third series being confirmed). We’re waiting with bated breath as I hope the rest of the world are.”
But viewers all around the world will get a glimpse into the range of emotions that McIlroy was going through as he suffered a late collapse to DeChambeau, who claimed that he “never would have wished it on anybody”.
No release date has been confirmed but Netflix’s announcement states that Full Swing is back in 2025.
