HOYLAKE (England) — When Rory McIlroy arrived at Royal Liverpool Golf Club to compete in the 151 stBritish Open on Monday, memories of his win here in 2014 flooded back.
He said, “Maybe you’re not right.” Over the last nine years, a lot has changed in my life. I’ve also played many golf tournaments. It’s good to be back on the golf course to re-familiarize yourself with it.
He may have remembered the goosebumps he felt in the third round on Saturday as he walked up to the 18 thgreen before rolling in his 10-foot eagle puttingt, which was his second in just three holes. McIlroy was tied for the lead 90 minutes before his hot streak blew the championship wide open. He built a commanding lead of six strokes after 54 holes.
McIlroy stated, “It’s not the championship but it puts one hand on Claret Jug.” “I needed to be smart and go out on Sunday. “That Saturday afternoon was massive.”
Rory McIlroy, of Northern Ireland, celebrates the Claret Jug with his two-stroke win after the final round at The 143rd open Championship at Royal Liverpool in Hoylake on July 20, 2014. (Photo by Ross Kinnaird/R&A/R&A through Getty Images).
A day later, he won his third major and completed the career Grand Slam. He was 25 years old. He won the WGC Bridgestone Invitational in two consecutive weeks a few months later. Yet, despite 33 major starts after that PGA at Valhalla he still only has four Grand Slams.
It seemed like the script was written for him last year to end his major-drought at the Open at St. Andrews, but on Sunday his putter cooled down and Cameron Smith sprinted past him to win Claret Jug. McIlroy drove away in a golf car crying after his media duties were done, on the shoulders of his wife. McIlroy lost by one stroke at the U.S. Open last month after a solid round. McIlroy has had six top-10 finishes, including two second and three third place finishes, in his seven major starts. He’s shown time and again he is willing to get up off the mat and come back with a bang.
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After the U.S. Open defeat, he said: “I’d go through 100 Sundays just like this in order to win another major championship.”
McIlroy was at his peak when he etched his name onto the Claret Jug back in 2014.
In 2014, he said: “When you feel in control of your golf swing, everything becomes a lot easier.”
Since then, he’s been trying to replicate that run. He might even be about to have a similar one. McIlroy’s longest streak since his seven-year run of consecutive top-10 finishes before the suspension of the 2019-20 season due to COVID-19 was his six-start string of finishing in the top 10. He birdied the final two golf holes on Sunday to beat Robert MacIntyre to win the Genesis Scottish Open. This was his 24 th PGA Tour Title. The world’s No. 2 is now a woman.
McIlroy stated on Sunday that he didn’t think it proved anything. “I don’t think I have to prove anything to myself in my career. But it is satisfying to know I can still play.”
Brad Faxon of NBC, who is also McIlroy’s putting coach argues that dueling for a championship in the heat of battle before one of the most important four weeks can prepare you for a major.
“I don’t believe that you can better prepare for a major if you stay home. This is what I believe was the best decision he could have made. Is it better for him to come in fourth than first? Faxon replied, “I don’t believe so.”
McIlroy believes that it’s winning majors which will make him memorable in the sport. When asked to reflect on his entire career, McIlroy always goes back to the time when he was 18 and made his Open debut at Carnoustie in 2007.
McIlroy told The Open website that if you had told him 15-16 years ago, where he would be, he would have thought “Oh my goodness, my dreams are coming true.” “I am really proud of what I have achieved. I’m happy with my accomplishments. Do I have tournaments that I should have won but didn’t? Yes. “But I feel that I’ve already won enough and have become a more consistent golfer, which will give me more chances to win big championships and tournaments.”
He said, “When I think of the bigger picture, I am really happy with the body of my work.” But putting his name in the Claret Jug back in 2014, “feels like a long time ago. Happy to have had it on once, but would love it to be on again.”
