Read more: Tiger Woods Turns Down Ryder Cup Captaincy, Cites Time Commitments

It seems even the greats aren't immune to post-major misery. After Rory McIlroy blew a win at the U.S. Open by missing clutch putts down the stretch, one legend knew just how he was feeling - 15-time major champ Tiger Woods.

McIlroy held a one shot lead heading into the final day at Pinehurst No. 2 but shot a closing round 80, missing a short putt on the 72nd hole to lose to Bryson DeChambeau by a single stroke. It was a crushing loss for the four-time major winner in his ongoing quest to add a U.S. Open title to his resume.

Sources tell yours truly that Tiger quickly shot Rory a text after the final round from Pinehurst, offering some words of encouragement to his buddy. But get this - turns out Rory never even saw the message! 

Rory McIlroy changed phone number in wake of Pinehurst heartbreak/ USA Today

"Full disclosure, I changed my number two days after the U.S. Open, so I didn't get it until he told me about it today," Rory laughed. "I was like, 'Oh, thanks very much.' So, I blanked Tiger Woods, which is probably not a good thing."  Lucky for Rory, Woods wasn't too hurt about it and was happy to remind him of the pep talk when they linked up at Royal Troon Golf Club in Scotland.

So what wise wisdom did Tiger try to pass on? Nothing we don't already know - that champions feel nerves too, and it's how you bounce back that matters. Even for a guy with 82 wins, Tiger said plenty of putts gave him the yips over the years. But he always stepped up when it counted.

His message emphasized that McIlroy needs to get back on the horse quickly to contend again, as McIlroy did last week by finishing solo fourth at the Genesis Scottish Open.

"We've all been there as champions. We all lose. Unfortunately, it just happened, and the raw emotion of it, it's still there, and it's going to be there for, I'm sure, some time," Woods said. "The faster he's able to get back on a horse and get back into contention, like he did last week, the better it is for him."

Sounds like some words Rory needed to hear. While he says in hindsight it's no surprise the pressure got to him, hopefully next time he'll be able to ride out the final holes storm a bit better. Hey, at least he's still got Tiger in his corner - even if he did somehow miss the man's message!

"You look at the highlights, I've missed plenty of putts," Woods said. "I've missed plenty of shots. Just like Jordan, when they said how many shots have you taken? You see all the game-winning shots, but also, he's missed a ton of game-winning shots, too. The thing is you still take the game-winning shot, and I still want the last putt."

Woods feel bad for McIlroy after his Pinehurst heartbreak (Getty Images)

McIlroy said the support from Woods, who he has known since age 15, meant a lot as tries to end a long major drought this week at The Open Championship on the coast of Scotland. Tiger's words reminded him that even the greats feel pressure and disappointment, but it's how they respond that matters most.

"Tiger has been nothing but incredible to me over the course of my career in the good moments and the bad," McIlroy said. "He sent me an incredible message after [The Open at] St. Andrews in 2022.

"I met Tiger when I was 15 years old, and I've built up a great relationship with him, his whole family. ... I caught up with him earlier. It's always nice when your hero and the guy that you had on your bedroom wall is reaching out and offering words of encouragement."

Stay tuned here at Golfaq for more hilarious hijinks and heartbreaks from the links. And be sure to shoot Rory a text of support - just double check he hasn't changed his number again first!

References: https://www.espn.com/golf/story/_/id/40573901/tiger-woods-too-many-commitments-ryder-cup-captain