Rory McIlroy says he enjoyed an “awesome week” back in Northern Ireland, even if his bid to claim a second Claret Jug ultimately came up short on Sunday.
The Masters champion closed with a 68 at Royal Portrush to finish on 10 under for the week – seven shots behind runaway champion Scottie Scheffler – and in a tie for seventh.
Despite not contending late into the final round, McIlroy was once again the fan favourite, drawing huge crowds throughout the tournament just over 60 miles from his hometown of Holywood.
“It’s been an awesome week. I’ve got everything I wanted out of this week apart from a Claret Jug, and that’s just because one person was just a little bit better than the rest of us,” said McIlroy.
“I feel so thankful and just so lucky that I get to do this in front of this crowd. Hopefully I’ll have one or two Opens left here.”
McIlroy became just the sixth man in history to complete the career Grand Slam earlier this year when he won The Masters at Augusta National.
But it’s Scheffler who now looks poised to join that elite club, having added The Open Championship to his two Masters titles and a PGA Championship over the past two years.
The American’s run of form – which includes 10 PGA Tour victories and four Major wins since March 2022 – has seen him draw comparisons with the Tiger Woods era of dominance.
“None of us could hang with Scottie this week. He’s an incredible player,” said McIlroy. “He’s been dominant for the last couple of years. He is the bar that we’re all trying to get to.”
“In a historical context, you could argue that there’s only maybe two or three players in the history of the game that have been on a run like the one Scottie’s been on here over the last 24 to 36 months. Incredibly impressive.
“He’s a very worthy winner. Also, he’s a great person, and I think he’s a wonderful ambassador for our game as well.”
Photo: Richard Heathcote/Getty Images
Article Link: McIlroy reflects on ‘awesome week’ at Portrush