Rory McIlroy says he would rather have major close calls than no chance to win

Rory McIlroy insists he would rather have agonising close calls than no chance to win after quickly turning his US Open heartbreak into major motivation.

McIlroy briefly held a two-shot lead at Pinehurst with five holes to play but bogeyed three of the last four, missing very short putts on the 16th and 18th to finish a shot behind Bryson DeChambeau.

It was the 35-year-old’s best chance to win his first major since 2014 and brought back painful memories of squandering a four-shot...