Andy Vasquez

BETHESDA, Md. -- It was Saturday night at the U.S. Open, and Rory McIlroy was still about 22 hours from actually clinching his first major championship.

The Rory McIlroy Hype Machine, however, already was running at full tilt.

It was no fault of McIlroy, who buried his head in his hands as the question came from a reporter in the front row of the interview room.